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there, things seemed to happen so fast that it was all just a blur to
Cowboy Way 137
Quaid. Lilia Thornton screamed and threw herself in front of Ruben
just as a gun went off.
Quaid grunted as he was shoved aside by the sheriff. He heard
another gun go off as he righted himself and watched Reverend
McCallister fall to the ground. Ruben sank to the ground, holding
Mrs. Thornton in his arms. Blood spread across her chest like red dye
in a washing machine.
 Damn, Quaid snapped as he raced over to where Ruben was
holding Mrs. Thornton and knelt down next to them. He felt a sense
of déjà vu as he pulled his shirt off and held it to the bleeding wound
on Mrs. Thornton chest.
 Quaid, do something, Ruben cried.
 I m trying, Ruben. Quaid grimaced.  There s just so much
blood.
 I ve called for an ambulance, Quaid, the sheriff said as he came
to stand next to him.  I also called Rourke and told him to bring Billy
over. After what we heard in the cellar, I think he needs to be here in
case Mrs. Thornton doesn t make it.
Quaid nodded. He agreed with the sheriff. With all of the blood
seeping out of Mrs. Thornton s chest, he wasn t sure the woman
would make it until Billy arrived, let alone until she got to the
hospital. He just hoped everyone hurried.
 What about him? Quaid nodded toward the reverend.
The sheriff shook his head.  No.
 And Ira? he asked.  Did you catch him?
 Asa and Lachlan have him handcuffed in the front of the house.
They ll hold him there until my deputy arrives then take him to the
jail. The sheriff ground his teeth together.  If I have anything to say
about it, that man won t see the light of day until he s old and grey.
 He s already old and grey, Quaid snorted.
 You know what I mean.
 Yeah, I do. Lilia Thornton s eyes started to flutter. Quaid leaned
closer.  Mrs. Thornton, can you hear me? Can you open your eyes?
138 Stormy Glenn
The woman s eyes fluttered some more then slowly opened. There
was pain in her eyes but also a light of intelligence. Quaid had a pretty
good idea that she was in her right mind for the first time in a long
time.
 You need to stay with us, Mrs. Thornton, Quaid said.  Billy is
on his way.
 No, no, don t bring Billy back here. She clutched at Quaid s
shirt desperately.  They ll get him.
 Clem is in jail, Mrs. Thornton, and the sheriff has Ira in
handcuffs. They can never hurt Billy again.
 But& but... that other man, the one that wanted to hurt Billy s
friend.
 He s dead, Mrs. Thornton. The sheriff shot him.
Mrs. Thornton breathed a sigh of relief. Her eyes closed briefly
then snapped back open.  You will tell Billy that I m sorry? I never
meant for him to be hurt. I just wasn t strong enough to protect him.
 Mrs. Thornton, I don t 
 Call me Lilia. A small smile crossed the woman s lips.  I was
never Mrs. Thornton.
 But 
 I never married Ira.
Quaid s eyebrows shot up.  But all of these years& 
 Ira threatened to give Billy to Clem if I didn t stay. Since he had
a business deal with Sheriff Miller, the sheriff backed him up, said he
would testify in court that I was a bad mother and take Billy from
me.
 But I thought you said the sheriff was Billy s father.
 And I thank god that he is. I never wanted Billy to become what
his brother has become. Clem is a bad seed brought into this world by
a bad seed. He never had a chance. But Billy, he s with the Blaecleahs
now. He has a chance.
 Bad seed? Quaid asked.  You mean because he s obsessed with
his brother.
Cowboy Way 139
Blood bubbled out of Lilia s mouth when she chuckled. Her
chuckle turned into a cough that racked her body for several
moments. Quaid glanced up at the sheriff. The sheriff nodded and
pulled out his cell phone. Quaid knew he was calling Rourke and
Billy. They needed to hurry. Lilia didn t look like she had much time.
 Clem is just like his father, obsessed with what he cannot have,
obsessed with his sibling.
Quaid swallowed hard.  Do you mean 
 Ira is my half brother, Lilia said.  He raped me on my
eighteenth birthday. My father made him wait until then. Clem is the
product of that rape. I had hoped that Clem would be different until [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]