Page 23 of Handling Harley Ann
Jesse’s flailing left hand finally touch something hard and metallic, just barely out of reach. His gun. At least he now had a location on it. Maintaining his grip on Green’s arm, keeping the knife away from his body, he strained his fingers in an attempt to tease he gun closer. But the gun was too far away.
“Who’s out there?” Shouted Harley Ann from inside the house. “Help me!”
David Green’s eyes flicker toward the open window at the shout. Jesse had been waiting for just this kind of break. Gathering his reserves of strength, he bucked upward from beneath Green, throwing him off balance with the surprise move.
He jumped to his feet, letting go of the wrist holding the Bowie knife. But, before he could grab his gun, Green lunged at him with the big knife, forcing him to retreat away from the gun.
They circled each other in the scrubby weeds. Locked in a battle that would only end with the death of one of them. Jesse didn’t plan in it being he.
Green kept moving and striking to keep him away from his weapon. He pulled his leather belt from the loops.
Green laughed. “What are you going to do with that? Spank me?”
Jesse wrapped one end of the belt around his hand and swung the end with the metal buckle at Green. The belt combined with the length of his arm gave him enough of an advantage that the metal buckle caught Green in the temple, causing him to stumble.
Taking advantage of the distraction, Jesse ducked low, got past Green and grabbed his handgun. As he straightened back up, he saw Green lunge at him with the knife. His hand came up with the Glock and Green spun away with a bullet in his chest.
He walked over to the body. Green wasn’t moving, but Jesse was making sure the man was dead before he turned his back. Green wouldn’t be the first man to play possum when shot and Jesse didn’t intend to have the Bowie knife land in his back as he stepped through the window to get to Harley Ann.
He kicked picked up the knife from where it had fallen a few feet from the body. Green lay face down in the weeds. Jesse toed him in the ribs with his boot. No reaction. Using his boot again, he rolled Green’s body onto its back. Sightless eyes stared up at him. No possum-playing going on here.
He turned and strode to the open window and looked in.
Harley Ann, shorn hair standing up in ragged tufts, stared back at him with huge green eyes. When she registered who he was, tears streaked through the dried blood and dirt on her cheeks, cutting a path of clean skin through the mess.
He stepped up into the room and rushed to her. Using the Bowie knife still in his hand, he gently cut the coarse twine binding her hands and wrists.
“Where’s David?” She asked in a shaky voice.
“He won’t be bothering you again.”
“You killed him.” She said.
When he didn’t reply, she went on. “I’m glad that bastard is dead. I won’t ever have to worry about him getting out of prison and coming after me again.”
She stood on shaky legs, wiping her face and smearing the mess around. He thought he’d never seen a woman as beautiful as she looked in that moment.
“Can you walk?” He asked her.
She took a few tentative steps.
He could see that it caused her a lot of pain, but she nodded her head and said. “Yes. I can. I just want to get out of here.”
“It’s about three miles back to your aunt’s house.” He informed her. “I can carry you if the walk is too much.”
She shook her head, a fierce light in her eyes. “I’m going to walk out of here under my own power. You may have to carry me at some point. But, by gosh, I’m going to walk out of this hell on my own two feet.”
Chapter 16
Three months later,Jesse leaned against the warm red brick of a downtown Eagle Rock building and watched Harley Ann through polarized sunglasses. The cuts, scrapes and bruises from her ordeal in the woods had all healed, and her shorn hair had been expertly shaped and styled into a shaggy cut that complemented her face and made her green eyes look even larger. He did miss the long tresses though. Maybe someday she’d grow her hair back long.
After she’d walked out of that living nightmare on her on two feet just like she’d insisted, she’d made it most of the way home before collapsing to the ground in sheer exhaustion. He’d carried her the rest of the way.
When he’d brought her here from Mercy, he’d been concerned about her mental state more than her physical one. Good food, rest and exercise would cure her physical problems.
She was one tough lady, but that kind of experience would scar her soul if she didn’t talk it out with an expert. He’d made sure she had that someone.
Having Piper and Ian nearby had been a big help. He kind of thought having Harley Ann here had been a big help with the transition for Piper, too.
He smiled with pride at Harley Ann’s booth at the farmers market across the street. It was six deep with customers wanting to buy her flavored jams. Especially the bacon jam flavored with whiskey.
As he watched, a shaft of sunlight pierced through a small hole in the roof of the open-air market building, setting her short auburn hair on fire. Like the flame in his heart each time he looked at her.
For someone who’d sworn never to love any woman, his heart melted at the sight of her. The crowd shifted just then, and, as though she’d heard his thoughts, Harley Ann looked up. Her eyes met his, searing his soul with the love he saw reflected there. Yes. Definitely time to put a ring on it.
