Page 67 of Bullets and Dandelions

“Stop it you crazy bitch. I’m a cop!”

“No, you are not.” Momma Rosa reloaded the shotgun.

“Get away from me! I’m sorry, okay? I’m sorry.”

“I think Doss got the message.” I carefully took the shotgun away from her. “Did you use bird shot, Momma Rosa?”

“No, rock salt. It hurts like hell, and he won’t be able to sit down for a week.”

A giggle escaped me as the squad rushed up. “Momma Rosa has it all under control.”

“Just because I’m old, doesn’t mean I’m helpless.”

Tex grinned. “No, ma’am, helpless you’re not.”

“We will buy more roses tomorrow.” Hector led her into the house.

Two patrol cars pulled up.

“I’ll be right back.” Alex walked over to them.

A short time later, a paramedic unit showed up.

The back of my neck began to itch. Shit! Pops had found me. I pulled my guns and carefully moved across the front yard. He was close. Too damn close.

A sharp pain erupted in my right shoulder. Ouch! I yanked out a tranquilizer dart. Before I could call for help, the world spun around me, and everything went black.

Chapter Fifteen

Water hit me in the face. “Wake up!”

I jerked upright and looked around in confusion. Where was I? What had happened?

“Wake up!” More water was thrown at me. “Did you think I wouldn’t find you?”

My vision cleared and my memory came rushing back. I shot to my feet, only to be jerked back down. I was handcuffed to a kitchen pipe inside the rusty remains of an old travel trailer. “If you have harmed any of them, I will kill you.”

Pops cocked his head to one side and studied me like I was an interesting but odd specimen. “I believe you would try, but that won’t be necessary. I’ve challenged Stone to combat. Winner gets you.”

“No! I’ll never work with you again.”

“Never is a long time,” Pops shot back.

Something beeped. Pops pulled out his satellite phone and smiled. “Your man has come for you. Don’t go anywhere.” He casually strode off.

“Dammit!” I jerked at the cuffs.

Pops called, “Oh, by the way, I removed your lock picks.”

“Fuck!” I reached inside my bra with my right hand. It was gone. I quickly checked my braid. That pick was gone too. I screamed, “You are a dead man. Do you hear me? A dead man.”

Pops laughed.

I scanned the trailer for any kind of weapon. There weren’t any. The windows were gaping holes and through the broken metal door I could see an old, abandoned gas station with two faded red, vintage gas pumps. I rubbed my aching forehead. Where was I? As hot as it was, I still had to be in Arizona.

A better question was: What drug had Pops used on me? Ugh. My mouth tasted like old socks. Think. Think. I knew my father would set booby traps for Alex and the squad. Pops always played dirty, and he probably thought killing them would break my spirit.

A cry of fury broke from me, and I kicked the shit out of what remained of the kitchen sink. I had to get free and warn them. No one hurt my family. I yanked as hard as I could, and the pipe fractured. Oh, my God! It was working! Rearing back, I slammed both feet into the pipe, again and again.Crack!The metal broke in half. “Ha! You screwed up Pops and it’s time I taught you a lesson.” I slid the cuff off the pipe and stood up. The world spun dizzily around me. “Whoa!” The tranquilizer was still affecting me.

---