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And for what? In the end, who benefitted from this kind of dehumanizing hate?
Chapter Twenty-four
Whit had done all the doctoring on Rudy he knew how to do and didn’t see that he was in any immediate danger. He’d treated worse.
Once the wounded man became conscious, he refused Glen’s suggestion that they take him to the clinic too. “No. I’ll be fine. Not the first time I’ve gone through similar beatings and lived to get another. Besides, I have some local anesthetic I can take if things get too bad.”
“Yeah, about that. There’s no drugs allowed on these premises other than what you can get from over the counter in a drugstore.” Demi’s hard tone and straight face let everyone know she meant what she said. “I have all those kinds of products if you want them.” She waited a second before breaking into the stunned silence again. “Rudy, if you feel you need something stronger, or you want a doctor’s opinion, you better say it now because the snow is coming down really hard, and we might be stranded for a quite a while.”
Before he had a chance to speak, Nito’s growling changed to a full-throated roar. This time he wouldn’t be silenced. Whit went to the door just as the pounding to be let in began and a screaming voice demanded entry.
“You fuckers better open this door, or I’ll shoot my way in.” The bellowing male must have parked further back and walked to the cabin as Whit hadn’t heard the truck pull up.
He looked toward Glen who’d rushed to stand beside Rudy in a protective stance. Demi had automatically gone to Nito and had her arm around his neck, trying to use her weight to control him. Whit looked at her and waited until she nodded at him.
He opened the door and tried to force the person back so he could step outside, but it wasn’t to be. Fred, frothing at the mouth, spitting mad, held the rifle in front of him and pointed it at Whit’s belly.
“My sniveling son is in here; I followed his truck. I never got to finish the job because the pussy ran. I came to kill him, so step out of my way.”
Before Whit knew he would try something so foolish, Fred’s arm came up on Whit’s blind side, and he shoved the unsuspecting man so hard, Whit went flying. That’s when Fred barged in through the door, his anger making him reckless.
Unable to hold back the enraged animal, Demi fell aside while Nito sprung, his weight against the older man being no match for him. Down he went with the dog’s teeth pulling savagely at the arm that held the gun.
Instinct drove Rudy to try and help his father, but it was Glen who eventually was able to drag Nito off the terrified man. With his fangs dripping, showing his hatred of Fred’s violence, Nito wasn’t in any mood to be placated. Not until Demi stepped between him and his foe did he allow Glen and her to pull him away and close the wounded animal into the bedroom.
By that time, Whit had recovered and yanked the offending rifle from the cowering man, emptying the bullets to the floor as he roared in anger. “Are you insane, man? Coming to our home with a loaded gun and threatening us?”
Shaking, fearing they’d release the wolf, Fred held up his arm where the torn jacket had prevented him from any real damage. “I got no beef with you, Whit. Or your lady. It’s that bastard I wanted to kill, him and his tainted blood.” Fred’s slit eyes flew to Glen, and he pointed. “You too, you little maggot, turning my boy’s head with your dirty ways.”
Before he could say more, Demi flew at him in a fit of rage. She leaned over and got right into his face, so he had nowhere to turn or for that matter, no other place to look. She waited until she had eye contact and then she let him have it. “The only sick son if a bitch in this house is you, old man. You and your disgusting gun, vile mind, and brutal ways. You almost killed your own boy, the only one who was willing to stay with you. Norrie told me about the rest of your family leaving as fast as they could… to get away from you and your filthy temper. And yet, you’re still willing to kill him because he’s different? And God knows, it’s not because it’s his choice.”
When he went to answer her, she slapped her hand over his mouth to stop his words. “Oh, no you don’t… spitting bullshit around here like you have some God-given right to be mean and hateful. I’ve seen people like you all my life. Can’t be satisfied with the good in a happy soul… always searching for the bad. And then condemning them when you find it. You’re pathetic. A man so filled with fear and ego that you’ll end up alone for the rest of your days. Likely in a prison cell… as you should be.”
She took a breath and added, “Your Rudy is a good, hard-working man with a huge heart. Everyone in town likes him for exactly who he is… oh, wait. Except for his small minded, bigoted father.” She shook her head, tears falling hard now, and her next words barely distinguishable. “Now, get out of my house you old fool.”
Chapter Twenty-five
Of all the times for the snow to become problematic, Whit hated that it had to happen just when he wanted that old bigot gone more than he’d ever wanted anything.
When Whit pulled Fred to his feet, a man surprisingly weakened with age, his pallor defined, he had his doubts if they could force him to actually leave. He’d seen earlier how much snow had fallen just between the time they arrived home and when he’d been thrown off the porch. The winds were brutal and driving conditions would be so poor, a vehicle wouldn’t be able to get through their road.
As he dithered, mentally preparing to make the announcement that Fred would be forced to stay, Rudy gently pushed Glen aside so he could come forward. His voice pleaded, “Please, Dad. Enough with the crazy shit.”
Before anyone could stop him, Fred’s arm flew forward, and he punched his son in the stomach. The force of the blow or maybe where it connected did enough damage that Rudy collapsed and didn’t move.
Both Glen and Whit pulled the old fucker off and threw him over to the couch while Demi got down on her knees beside the injured man.
“He’s unconscious, Whit. I think that blow did internal damage.” Swiveling toward Fred, she shouted, “Are you satisfied now? That last blow might just give you what you want… a dead kid.” They all heard the uproar from the bedroom as the wolf leapt at the door continuously, making such a racket that Whit wondered how long the structure would hold.
At the same time, Glen swooped down beside her and did a quick inspection. Voice shaking with grief, he added, “Whit she’s right. Rudy’s in bad shape. We need to get him to the clinic.”
All the while, Fred cowered in the corner of the couch where Whit had literally thrown him. He said nothing. Just covered his face.
Whit began giving orders. “Glen dress Rudy in his outdoor gear and get the heaviest quilts from both our bedrooms. I’ll get the snowmobile from the shed and pull it around front by the porch. We’ll hook up the sled so we can tie Rudy on there.”
“I’m coming with you.” Glen’s voice brooked no denial.
“As much as I could use your help, bro, we can’t leave Demi alone with that monster.”
