Page 60 of Rafe

“No! I am not leaving you,” she insisted, her voice cracking with emotion, as Junior’s rough hand cruelly grabbed her by the ponytail, yanking her upright with force.

“How fucking touching,” Junior sneered, his eyes glinting with malice. “I knew you two had something going on. You couldn’t keep your eyes off her, Marshall, and you, you fucking whore, are leaving with me.” His voice dripped with venom, echoing off the barn walls.

“Let go of her,” Rafe croaked, each word a monumental effort as the edges of his vision blurred, the world around him fading into a shadowy haze. He was teetering on the brink of unconsciousness, clinging desperately to the last threads of awareness.

Just before the encroaching darkness enveloped him completely, Rafe caught a fleeting glimpse of Deputies Jack Lawrence and Declan Cavanaugh bursting into the barn, their weapons drawn and trained on Junior. Tank, Declan’s formidable K-9, stood beside them, barking ferociously andbaring his teeth, muscles taut and ready to spring into action.

“Get your fucking hands off her or I will shoot you where you stand,” Jack’s voice rang out, slicing through the chaos like a blade, filled with authority and resolve. As Rafe finally slipped into unconsciousness, the last thing he heard was the echo of Jack’s command resonating in the air.

****

Maggie stared, her eyes wide with shock and fear, at Rafe’s motionless form sprawled lifelessly on the dusty barn floor. Her heart thundered in her chest as if trying to escape, and she whispered a fervent prayer, “God, please don’t let him die,” her voice barely audible over the turmoil in her mind. Relief washed over her like a soothing wave when she caught sight of the two deputies striding into the barn. Their determined expressions were as sharp as their drawn weapons, firmly aimed at Frederick. The K-9 beside them was a menacing presence, its fierce gaze focused entirely on Frederick, sending a shiver down her spine despite his anger not being directed at her.

“I am leaving with her,” Frederick snapped, his voice cutting through the tension with a sharp, defiant edge.

Maggie watched as Jack’s lips curled into a confident, almost mocking smirk. “I don’t think you are,” he replied with a steely calm that belied the danger of the moment. “Trust me, it would give me great pleasure to shoot your ass.”

Frederick’s smile was a strange blend of bravado and uncertainty, a facade of confidence that was cracking at the edges. “You won’t shoot me.”

“You know, you’re right, I won’t, but this dog will take you down in a fucking heartbeat,” Jack retorted, his voice low and dangerously smooth. “Let go of her and step away.”

“Do as he says, or I will let this dog go, and you will get bit.Do it now!” Declan yelled.

Maggie observed Frederick intently, reading the tumult of emotions and thoughts racing through his mind. She sensed his decision to flee the instant before he shoved her toward them, forcing Jack to catch her in his arms. Frederick then spun on his heels, desperation fueling his flight as he bolted through the barn, aiming for the back doors. Jack sighed in frustration, the sound heavy with unspent tension.

“Damn it. Are you alright, Maggie?” he asked, concern etched into his features.

“Yes, but Rafe…” Maggie replied, her voice tinged with urgency as she pushed away from Jack to rush to Rafe’s side.

“Maggie, call nine-one-one for an ambulance. Let Tank go, Declan,” Jack shouted, urgency driving his command as he sprinted out the door.

“Get him, Tank,” Declan said, letting the dog loose. Maggie watched as the dog surged past Jack, a blur of fur and muscle, as it chased after Frederick, with Declan hot on its heels.

She pulled out her phone, her hands trembling, and urgently dialed for an ambulance. Her eyes darted to Rafe, and fear gripped her heart at how alarmingly pale he appeared, like a ghostly figure devoid of life.

“Maggie?”

Startled, she glanced up to see Fred sprinting toward her, his face a mask of concern. He dropped to his knees beside her, breathless and wide-eyed.

“Is he alright?”

“I don’t…” her voice wavered as she shook her head, her mind a whirlwind of dread and uncertainty. “I don’t know. How did you know to come home?”

Fred’s eyes darkened with a mix of worry and guilt. “I came home a while ago. I saw Frederick slinking into the barn, and something didn’t sit right with me, but I didn’t know you were in here. When Rafe came back and entered the barn, I gotanxious since Frederick never came out. I called the sheriff’s department.” His arm enveloped her in a comforting embrace. “I’m so sorry, honey. If I’d known he had you in here, I would have come in sooner. I just thought he and Rafe were having one of their heated arguments, but when that son of mine didn’t emerge, I knew I had to make that call. It didn’t matter what was going on between them. I’d had enough and wanted Frederick off my property.” He sighed heavily, his breath mingling with the tension in the air. “I’m so sorry.”

Maggie clung to him, her arms wrapping tightly around his sturdy frame. “Oh, Fred, none of this was your fault. None of it. You didn’t make him do the things he did. He’s a grown man, old enough to make his own decisions. Don’t burden yourself with this. I should never have married him. I just wanted to help my dad.”

Fred’s expression softened; his eyes filled with a deep-seated regret. “I know, but if I had maybe spent more time—”

“No.” Her voice was firm, yet gentle. “Nothing would have been different. Frederick might have turned out better if he loved this ranch, but he didn’t, for reasons we may never understand. You did the best you could. Parents can only do so much. How the child turns out when they get older is not a reflection on them. Even with the best parenting, there’s no guarantee a child will grow to be a good person. There are so many other influences in life. I truly believe that.”

The barn loomed around them, silent witness to their shared sorrow, as they held onto each other amid the chaos of emotions and the distant wail of sirens approaching.

Maggie sighed with relief when she saw the EMTs running into the barn with a stretcher, then Sheriff Sam Garrett followed them and squatted down beside her.

“Maggie? Where are Jack and Declan?”

“We’re here, Sam.”

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