Page 116 of All You Want
~ Todd ~
The house with the “W” on the gate is exactly where the GPS points me to. I spot it and back up my truck behind a shed so I can make a quick getaway.
I’m shocked to see a well-kept mansion in place of the ruins of an old stamp mill where workers crushed rocks back before hydraulic mining was outlawed.
The property belongs to Laverne Pine, but I doubt she’s even aware of the squatters living on her extended backyard.
“Let’s keep to the shadows.” I signal to Diana. “I need to know how many men we’re dealing with.”
“Justin has at least two uncles, and they’re mean from what I’ve heard,” she says.
“Cover me.” I take my position on one side of the porch steps, while Diana lurks behind the van with the shotgun ready.
The front door opens, and two burly men emerge. One of them has car keys, and the other is looking at a cell phone.
“Police.” I step forward with my gun drawn. “Step up against the wall with your hands up.”
Diana swings from the side of the van and shouts, “Do what he says.”
“Hell no.” The black-bearded man grabs an oil lantern and throws it at me.
The flaming oil spills and hits my chest, but I’m able to get off a shot. The man falls to the porch, as I dive into the snow to roll the fire off my clothes.
“You fucking asshole,” the other man yells. He pulls a gun and opens fire.
The wood splinters near me, and I scramble to raise my gun. Before I can pull the trigger, the blast of a double-barrel shotgun deafens me. Blood, bone fragments, and pieces of my attacker splat on me and redden the snow behind me.
My ears are ringing. Diana yells something and reloads.
Holding my pistol, I swipe the gore from my face with the back of my hand. “There might be others inside.”
She doesn’t answer, so I signal her to stay behind me. The two guys left the door ajar. I kick it open and point my flashlight and gun around the foyer.
“Clear,” I yell, and she enters behind me. The library with the fireplace is clear, but the parlor doors are closed.
I kick it open, and someone screams. “It’s a monster. A monster. Mommy, do something.”
My flashlight beam lands on a girl dressed in white huddled with a woman wearing a black widow costume, complete with fake hands.
Her real hands point a pistol at me.
“Drop it,” I order. “Now. And put all your hands up.”
“He’s covered in blood,” the girl blubbers. “Mommy, I’m scared.”
“You better do what he says,” Diana shouts behind me.
The woman drops the gun and raises her white-gloved hands, almost to the level of her other fake hands.
“Cuff her,” I order Diana. “Where’s Tami and the other one?”
“What did you do? You killed my brothers,” the spider woman yells. “You can’t come in here shooting us.”
“I’m scared, Mommy.” The little girls screams, shrill and high-pitched.
“I’m a police officer.” I lower my voice for the child. “Please tell me where Tami is.”
“No, no! He killed Doug and Bruce,” spider woman yells. “He’s trying to kill us too.”
