Page 64 of You Shouldn't Have Come Here

I forced my eyes open, waiting for it. It must have leapt or pounced or whatever it was that large cats did because it was in the air flying at me. Its dandelion yellow eyes fixated on its prey. Its retractable claws fully emerged. Time slowed down. I think time slows down for everyone’s final moments.

Then there was a burst of red followed by a loud, echoingbang.

The mountain lion slammed onto my lower half. Red sticky blood sprayed all over me. The smell of iron invaded my nose. I shimmied away, pushing the corpse off while keeping the blanket wrapped around my body. My breaths were quick and uncontrolled as Icrab-walkedaway, digging my heels into the ground, propelling myself farther from the dead animal.

Turning my head, my eyes found Calvin. He stood twenty yards back, looking down the scope of a hunting rifle, dressed in only blue jeans and untied farm boots. He lowered the gun and ran toward me, screaming my name.

“I’m so sorry. Are you okay, Grace?” he said, kneeling beside me. His hands wiped at the blood that covered my skin, but I’m sure it just smeared it around.

I gritted my teeth. “You said mountain lions didn’t come this far.”

“They usually don’t.” He shook his head, looking at the animal and then back at me. “The barbecue or the food out here must have attracted it or maybe it’s infected with rabies.” He leaned down and kissed my forehead. Blood clung to his lips.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” I said, but I was still shaking. I was not okay. How could he have left me out here? “Where were you?” My eyes narrowed, moving from the fallen beast to Calvin.

“I was inside making breakfast. I was going to bring it out to you.” He pushed myblood-soakedhair out of my face. “I’m sorry.”

I shoved away from him and stood, wiping my skin with the corner of the white sheet.

“I’m going to shower.” I wrapped the blanket tighter around my bust and started off toward the ranch.

“I really am sorry, Grace,” he called out. The words rang hollow.

As I reached the driveway, a sheriff’s vehicle turned into it. I knew when they spotted me because the vehicle went from five miles per hour to thirty in a few seconds.Shit.

The driver slammed on his brakes just in front of me and jumped out of his vehicle. I recognized him immediately—Sheriff Almond.

“Good lord! Ma’am, are you all right?” He drew his gun and scanned all around, his eyes like pendulums.

I knew how it looked. This was the man looking for a missing woman and here I was, covered in blood and practically naked.

“Put your hands up!” the sheriff yelled, pointing his gun just over my shoulder.

I turned to find Calvin walking across the pasture with his rifle slung over his shoulder. His eyes went wide and his face paled like a ghost. Calvin dropped the rifle to the ground and shot his hands up toward the sky.

“Get behind me,” the sheriff said as he put himself between me and Calvin. “Down on the ground,” he yelled.

Calvin dropped to his knees.

“Sir, it’s not what it looks like!” I shouted. The last thing I needed was to get wrapped up in a police shooting. “A mountain lion attacked me.”

Sheriff Almond glanced at me and then back at Calvin. He didn’t look convinced at all.

“It’s true,” Calvin said. “The body is in the field. I can show you.”

He hesitated, keeping his pistol pointed at Calvin.

“He’s telling the truth,” I added.

Sheriff Almond let out a sigh and lowered his weapon. “All right, show it to me.” He gestured with his hand.

Calvin reached for his rifle. “Leave it for now,” the sheriff commanded.

He got to his feet and walked slowly, heading in the direction of the dead animal. Sheriff Almond and I followed behind. I was sure he didn’t believe we were telling the truth. He probably thought Calvin was my captor, and I had developed Stockholm syndrome.

The flies had already gotten to the mountain lion. They wasted no time when it came to death. A swarm of them buzzed around, dropping into the sticky blood. Its eyes were black, still marbles, and its tongue hung out from the side of its mouth.

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