Page 6 of Big Daddy Mountain Man

The older man helped the sobbing Amber to the car, and they drove away safely.

Maybe things will get better in Big Cedar, she thought.

Maybe Daddy is waiting there for me.

Maybe he’ll protect me.

CHAPTER FOUR

Sawyer turned and sprang from the barstool with a determination and reflex he’d honed during his decade as a Navy SEAL.

This wasn’t his fight, sure, but he wasn’t going to watch as Sheriff Quinn Hardin took on these two idiots all by himself. Not that the sheriff couldn’t do it. He was a hardened, tough man who could easily handle himself in a skirmish.

But two against one weren’t fair odds.

Besides, I did sort of add to it with my comment about the dumbass tree,Sawyer thought to himself.It’s only right that I help clean up the mess.

While Tim Rutlidge swiped his knife at Quinn from the front, his loser friend tried to double-up and attack from behind. Quinn didn’t appear to even see him.Understandable,Sawyer thought.That knife demanded his attention!

That’s why it was imperative Sawyer acted.

He moved around Quinn, lowered his shoulder, and tackled the second idiot before the guy even realized what was happening. The whole fracas was over in just a few seconds, and Rutlidge and his friend found themselves laid out cold on that barroom floor.

“Damn. They could make sawdust angles when they wake up,” Quinn said with a laugh. “If they weren’t handcuffed that is.”

He knelt down and checked on both to ensure they didn’t need immediate medical attention. They didn’t, but because there had been a scuffle, he still called it in for first responders to come.

Sawyer figured it would be the town’s three full-time firefighters who responded. Walker, Cane, and Austin were good guys. They’d recently found their sweet girl.

Three more Daddies in Big Cedar had their Happy Ever After.

Would he ever?

He shook such thoughts from his mind and said to Quinn, “They’re okay, huh?”

“Yeah. Just knocked out it seems.” He rolled them on their stomachs, cuffed them, and then rolled them back. “Will you give me a hand?”

Sawyer aided in getting them up so they could breathe good.

“I’m much obliged for the assist,” the sheriff said, extending his hand.

“Don’t mention it,” Sawyer replied, shaking the offered hand.

“Are you okay, ma’am?” Quinn asked as he shifted his focus to Pamela.

“I’m just fine, Sheriff. But I don’t want those two in here ever again.”

Quinn nodded. “Understandable and that’s your right. I suspect they’ll be gone for a while. Pulling a knife and attacking—or attempting to attack—is assault with intent to kill on a police officer. A judge and jury will most likely have something to say about that.”

A siren pierced the air outside, getting louder by the second. Less than a minute later, the door opened and Walker, Cane, andAustin filed in with their medical equipment, ready to give the downed men a looking over.

“What do we have here?” Austin asked.

“They thought it would be a good idea to try and put their hands on Miss Pamela here,” Quinn explained. “And attack me with those.” He aimed his eyes down at the knives on the floor. “I’ll shoot a few pics of ‘em with my phone, then bag ‘em as evidence.”

“You all good or do we need do we need to patch you up?” Walker wondered, scanning the sheriff for visible injury.

“Didn’t get me. Thanks to Sawyer here.”

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