Page 107 of Saddles

Wade keeps gritting his teeth while he writes, and always manages to keep one eye on Ford.

“So, you said that—” Wade checks his notes. “—Dave told his brother to wear a condom because he got caught before?”

A flash of the leering face that haunts my nightmares flickers through my vision. “Yea, he said he did time before.”

“For fuck’s sake,” Ford whispers, his fingers tightening in mine.

“Well, that might be good news.” Wade slaps the space bar on his keyboard to wake up his computer. “That means he has priors, and would be in the system.”

He toggles the mouse in a wave of clicks. “Val gave us the footage from the bar.” Wade shakes his head. “She really needs better damn cameras. You’d think with the shit that has happened at her place…” His voice fades and he swallows hard before clearing his throat. “Sorry, Ford. It’s true though. My job would be a lot easier if the angle wasn’t on the floor and the quality is worse than the moon landing.”

“We are still waiting on forensics to do a DNA match from all of the—” Wade pauses, then clears his throat. “—bodily fluids left at their shack.

I remember Dave yelling at Doug for leaving the used condoms on the floor.

And the times I soiled myself because they wouldn’t let me go to the bathroom.

The blood.

My fingers rub over the pink scars on my wrists.

Cold sweat dimples on my lip and the icy grip of the terror I felt drags me into its hole.

I wanted to die.

Squeezing Ford’s hand tighter reminds me to be grateful I didn’t.

“So, this is what I found.” Wade flips the screen around to reveal a grainy image.

Bile bubbles into the back of my throat.

“That’s him,” I stammer.

Ford leans over me, his gray eyes squinting as he pours over the still frame.

“Motherfucker,” he whispers.

But then stands so violently his chair topples backwards. “That’s NicholasDavidPowell, Wade.” His voice grows louder and his finger stabs towards the monitor. “That piece of shit went to jail for Sarah. What the hell is he doing out?”

Ford’s shaking palm finds my shoulder. “I knew I should have killed that bastard when I had the chance.”

Wade rolls back in his chair and looks up at Ford.

I’ve never seen Ford look this angry. His face is red and mottled, and his other hand is curled into a tight fist that taps against his thigh.

“Easy, Ford. You know I don’t have anything to do with them once they’re behind bars. I just put them there, I can’t keep them there.”

Ford reaches out and grabs Wade by the front of his shirt. “Youstopped mefrom putting him in the ground. And now he’s hurttwo—”A pair of his fingers flies up, nearly poking Wade in the eyes. ‘—women I love. Who’s next? Huh?” Ford glares down at Wade.

He loves me.

I fixate on those words. They’re a tiny life raft in this turbulent storm.

To his credit, the sheriff stays calm. “I won’t talk you out of it again, I swear.”

“You better not,” Ford growls, straightening away from Wade. “You and I, we’ve got too many fucking skeletons. I don’t mind adding more.” His chest heaves with deep breaths. “Get a hold of Blue. We’re going to find these maggots.”

He digs his knuckles into his temples, then glances down at me. After a long exhale, he holds out his hand to me. “Come on, Frosty. We’re done.”

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