Page 19 of One Cry Too Loud
“Why the hell would we do that?” Tag balked. “We know where this guy is. Why not just run out the back? It seems stupid to lock ourselves up together when we could just get away from him.”
“Because there’s more to learn about the world and the way it works than what’s on a computer screen,” I said. “Like the fact that wecansee him and the fact that he’s making sure to stay in view means he’s very likely causing a distraction. It also means that he’s almost certainly not alone. If we go running out the back, I can practically guarantee that there will be someone out there waiting to pick us off.”
“Good catch,” Kat said.
“Okay. So, in that case, why don’t we all just go into the closet and wait them out?” Tag asked.
“That’s what sitting ducks are, buddy,” I said. “We all pile together and they’ll light this place on fire. Trust me, kid. I’ve been through this kind of thing before. Listening to me and doing as I ask will give you the best chance at surviving this.”
“Chance?” Tag gulped.
“Life’s all about statistics, kid. Einstein would know that,” I said. “No, go. Get to Miller and lock yourselves away. Kat and I will come to get you soon.” I shrugged. “Hopefully.”
“Now you’re just trying to scare me,” Tag muttered, though he and the rest did as I asked and scurried toward the counter. Kat shot a time or two for good measure, just to keep the arrows from flying.
“How many of them do you think there are?” Kat asked.
“At least two,” I answered.
“So, what do we do?” Kat mused.
“He’s obviously trying to drive us out the back,” I said, smiling at the woman. “So, why don’t we run through the frontdoor and meet him where he stands. You know, really shock the hell out of him.”
I grabbed my gun as she answered, smiling back at me. “God, I love working with you.”
CHAPTER 13
Kat and I ran out the front door of Miller’s Coffee and Whiskey Sling. The sun, hanging low in the Florida sky, blinded me for just a moment, and by the time I blinked vision back into my eyes, the archer was nowhere to be found.
“He must have seen us coming,” Kat said, keeping pace with me as we slowed to a walk. Swampland surrounded us in every direction. Water, trees, and moss was everywhere. There were plenty of places to hide here, but luckily, that went both ways.
“Get into the trees,” I said, motioning for Kat to move quickly.
She started and then stopped when she saw I wasn’t following. “What about you?”
“We don’t know where this guy is anymore, but one arrow will change that,” I said in a voice I hoped was low enough to keep that information between us. “You get to the woods, and once he shoots at me, you’ll know where he is.”
“Which makes you bait,” Kat said, her jaw clenching tightly. “I’m not okay with you being bait.”
“Look at us, Kat. We’re both bait. I’d just be more overt, and let’s be honest. I’d be that anyway,” I said. “I’m bigger and slower than you. I’m an easier hit. Plus, after everything that happenedlast year, I’m kind of famous. Let’s face it, I’m the easier bait anyway.”I shook my head. “Besides, once this guy takes a shot, we’re gonna know where he is. If I’m being honest, I’d rather you be the one taking the shot than me.”
“Meaning you think I’m a better shot than you?’ She balked. “We both know that’s bull.”
“We don’t have time to debate this. Please, just get into the woods,”
“Fine, but you owe me for this,” she said, trotting toward the trees.
I was risking my lifeandpretending I thought she was a better shot than me in order to try and keep her safe. Her response to that was ‘You owe me for this’. I chuckled just a bit as I turned around. Our relationship was going to be fun.
I stood there in the clearing in front of the coffeehouse. As was standard in swampy areas, the establishment was built a little ways off the ground to keep it away from the water that flowed around these parts. I moved around, sloshing into pockets of water that seeped into my shoes. Like a lot of self respecting Floridians, I had shoes designed for this kind of environment. This morning, if I’d have known I was going to be running away to some hidden coffee shop and bar tucked away in the swamplands, I’d have probably worn them. As it stood though, I was in sneakers, and they didn’t hold up well against this.
I peered around the area. The other side of Miller’s was drier and easier to navigate. The back end though, the end we were being shot at from, transitioned pretty quickly into wetland. We had a few hundred years of land before it gave way to deeper water and matching greenery.
That meant, unless he was in a boat now, our archer was close by. I peered at the trees. He wouldn’t have had time to climb one, not fully. That meant he was standing behind oneof them. There were bald cypress and red maple here, and given that the former was thinner and would provide him less coverage, I had to assume he was standing behind the latter, which was thicker and would hide him better.
I didn’t have to think for too long, though, because a voice shouted out from behind me.
“Put your gun on the ground and turn around slowly. Otherwise, you’ll get an arrow in the neck.”
