Page 40 of Truth is the Ultimate Weapon

“My niece is the Sheriff and on her way.” Glen hollered. “Either way, you’re screwed. Show yourself.”

“Coy…” Kenzie pleaded.

Coy nodded, “Let me go first. We go slow.”

“He isn’t going to hurt us.” She said.

“He will if he doesn’t recognize us,” Coy warned. “You said it yourself. He’s hurt.”

Coy shouted as he started to reveal himself and step forward. “Glen, it’s me… Coy Stone.”

“Coy?” Glen mumbled, his jaw trembling with emotion. “Is that really you, son? I-I can’t see you.”

Coy raised his free hand, weapon at the ready in the other as he stepped into Glen’s view, “It’s me. I’m not alone.”

Kenzie and the rest of the group emerged cautiously after Coy, their movements slow and deliberate to not startle the older man further. They exchanged wary glances, their senses heightened by the tense situation unfolding before them.

“Kenzie? That you, honey?” Glen shielded his eyes and squinted as if the setting sun was too blinding for him to see clearly.

“It’s me, Uncle Glen.” She moved closer, and the older man's shoulders slumped in relief as he let out a sob. “Oh honey, I thought they got you. He said… He said…”

Kenzie embraced her uncle, relieved to see him safe, albeit injured, and he was clearly just as relieved to see her. “Who, Uncle Glen? Who are you talking about? Who did this to you?”

“He was going to take it all, Kenzie, and I couldn’t let him,” Glen said. “That bastard was going to take the whole ranch and tried to kill me and said… you were next.”

“Who, Glen?” Coy pressed.

A sad look washed over Glen as he looked at Charlotte, “Dear Lord, Charlotte. Sweet Charlotte.”

“Mr. Stoddard,” Charlotte’s voice quaked with emotion. “You yelled out and told the world you killed someone. You announced you’d killed the boss… someone’s… boss. Who did you kill, Mr. Stoddard? Who is their boss? That dead man lying over there, the one you killed –– who is his boss?”

“Oh honey,” he began to weep.

“Who, Mr. Stoddard?” Charlotte yelled. “Who tried to take your land? Who did you kill?”

Glen sniffled, his voice catching in his throat as he struggled to speak, “Owen Bridges, honey. Your daddy.”

18

“There was someone out in that tree line on the front of the property,” Coy spoke as they gathered around the outdoor table, recounting the recent events while Kenzie and Charlotte tended to Glen's wounds.

“That’s the fella over there on the ground.” Glen motioned towards the man he had shot outside the barn while holding an ice pack to his head.

“He’s the one who grabbed you from the hospital?” Nash asked.

“Y-yes. He is.” Glen recounted the event, his voice strained with emotion. “You have evidence? I’m going to need it to prove this was a lawful kill.”

“There’s a video, yes,” Coy said.

“You see him clearly?” Glen asked.

Nash nodded, “Sure do.”

“That’s a relief.” Glen sighed.

“You said you killed Owen Bridges,” Coy inquired, “Where’s the body.”

“Out there in the barn.” Glen hung his head in shame, “I-I didn’t want it to come to that. I thought I’d get the upper hand and this could end peacefully. I guess I just keep forgetting I’m out of practice and not the spritely deputy I once was.”

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