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Monday, August 17, 2015

78 Born to Make the kill

With Washington State Patrolman Samuel Jenkins stationed at the recent widow’s house until Yolanda’s mother could arrive, Angela had returned to her black SUV and phoned in the APB for the Subaru.

Now, hours later, there were no new leads. Like a poltergeist, the evidence that something had happened was obvious, but the doer of the carnage vanished like steam in warm air. The pull of their presence surrounded her but she was unable to pinpoint the actual direction it tugged. She had driven up and down every country road between ground zero, the spot of the original sighting four and half hours ago and the junction where the roadblock, just south of West Fork, was still being enforced, she had turned up no clues. Finally, fatigued and frustrated, she had drifted back to Magillian Road where Jose` Osorio’s body had been discovered. The investigation at the sight was winding up as daylight faded, so she closed her eyes.



Tony saw Natalie’s eyes move and knew her thoughts. As she lunged for the gun, he stepped back and she missed grasping it by inches.

“So you still want to play games? I’ve got one for you.”

Tony pulled the gun from his belt and aimed it at Rudy. He walked over in front of him. “Get over here,” he shouted at Natalie.



“What are you doing?” Rudy screamed. The tension made his voice crack like he had just entered puberty.

As Tony had ordered, Rudy had sat down next to the post that had been his companion for the last several hours. While the argument between Tony and Natalie escalated, he just wanted Natalie to stop. He didn’t know why she intentionally provoked Tony. His family history was nothing more than a prod to antagonize Tony. Was she working some kind of angle? Was she trying to draw him in close enough so she could attack? Was there anything he should be doing to help her? Was she going to give him a signal?

Now as he looked into the dark abyss at the end of the silver barrel pointed at his forehead, he saw this had been what Natalie had predicted. His short life had come to this final vision. He and Natalie wouldn’t escape to Canada. His last breath would be pleading for his life. And he wouldn’t even see the flash or hear the blast that signaled his death?



“Get over here, Whore.” Tony pulled the hammer back and the cylinder rotated into position.

Natalie watched. She didn’t have feelings for Rudy but didn’t want another death on her account, and she didn’t want to be alone with the beast with the gun. She stepped around the fire.

The white nylon rope that had been used to hogtie Natalie lay beside Rudy. Tony kicked it toward her. “Tie him up, tight.”

If she obeyed, it might buy a few more minutes. She didn’t have a plan yet, so she needed time for an opportunity to present itself. She had grabbed for and missed the gun. Now Tony used it again to heighten his authority.

She stepped toward the two men and picked up the rope.

“Tie him to the post.”



Rudy looked past the muzzle of the revolver, and hoped he had escaped execution for the moment and watched as Natalie circled around behind him. The rope felt snug as she looped it around his arms and chest several times. Disappointment settled over him. If she did have a plan, she had been unable to execute it before she was forced to tie him to the stake.



“Around his neck too,” Tony demanded.

Natalie thought that to be cruel and looked up at the demonic figure shadowed in the firelight. Tony pointed the gun at her. There was nothing she could do but comply. She looped the rope around his neck.

“Again!”

She looped it again and looked toward Tony for approval.

“Now, tie it tight.”

“That’ll choke him.”

“Only if he moves.”

She cinched the rope tight and tied two overhand knots behind the post.

“Move back inside the corral, bitch.”

Natalie stepped around the two men and stood in the five foot gap between Rudy and the fire. Oblivious to the warmth it produced, her sole concentration focused on the terrorist with the gun.

“Now, are you ready for the game?” Tony asked. “How ‘bout Russian Roulette.”

“No!” she shouted.

“What the hell?” Rudy screamed.

“Oh yes and we’ll all get a turn, well except for lover boy, here. I’ll have to take your turn for you since you’re all tied up.” His sardonic laughter filled the barn and hopelessness permeated the stagnant air. “Here is how it works, rather than point the gun at our own head, we’ll point it at each other’s. The way I figure it, there’s only one slug left, so I’ll spin the wheel of fortune and then we’ll see who wins and who loses.”

Tony pointed the pistol into the air and released the hammer. He lowered it again and pointed it at Rudy. With the fingers of his left hand, he spun the cylinder.

Natalie could feel tears begin to dam up behind her eyes and choke her throat. “No please don’t, Tony.”

“You’re the one who wanted to play games,” he said then looked toward Rudy. “Well lover boy, this could be the end of your relationship with the whore.”

“Tony, please don’t shoot me,” Rudy shouted with a pathetic whine. He turned his head away from the revolver.

Natalie stared, though, as Tony’s index finger massaged the trigger.
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