Page 23 of Saddles

“You know just as well as I do, no one is flying in this storm. It’s set in for the next week.” His words carry a final ring.

I’m stuck between the frying pan and the fire. Either she dies, or she wants to kill me.

“Walk me through this.” I prop the cell against my ear and lift her leg to pull off her Nikes.

Her socks are crusty, like she hasn’t changed them for a week.

“Miss,” I say loudly. “I have to unzip your suit. Now would be a good time to wake up.”

“If I ever meet her, I’ll make sure she knows you asked.” Dixon tries to reassure me.

But fails.

I feel like a creep, touching her without asking.

Sarah didn’t ask the night they touched her. She just begged for them to stop.

They didn’t.

She was still crying out for the pain to end when I got to her.

I feel like I’m going to be sick.

“Ford?” Dix practically shouts in my ear. “Where’d you go?”

“I’m here.” My breathing is too fast, making me light headed.

“Focus,” he grunts. “You can do this.”

I hate this.

Grabbing the oversized zipper below her neck, I pull it down to expose her slight build, and thin, stained t-shirt.

“Is that blood?” The dark red splatters make me stop. It looks old, like the wounds on her face. “Man, someone did a number on her.”

“Fuckers,” Dixon growls. It almost sounds like he’s holding the phone away.

I know he feels almost the same as me. His wife had a similar experience with her ex.

When I tug her arms out of her sleeves, fury boils in me.

“Dix, she has cuff marks on her wrists. What the holy hell is going on?”

“Jesus. Want me to get Wade? He’s here tonight, too.” A door slams in the background and he yells without me answering.

They exchange a few fast words, then I hear the sheriff grab the phone.

“Ford, what in hellfire have you found?” Wade sounds like he still has half a mouthful of food.

“There were two snowmachines chasing cows today. I ran ‘em off. But then tonight, this chick wrecked one here almost at my door. She’s fucked up, man. Looks like someone beat her up, kept her tied up.” I lean her towards me, and roll her off the wet bibs.

And drop the cell when I lie her on her side.

Scrambling, I pick it up.

“Wade…she’s got dried blood on her…her…This is bad. Someone hurt her bad.” My stomach rolls seeing the crusted dark red on the butt of her snug jeans.

This is like Sarah all over.

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