Page 117 of All You Want
“Don’t be stupid.” Diana cuffs the woman and shoves her to the ground. “If we wanted to kill you, we would have shot you already.”
“Watch them,” I order her. “I’ll search the rest of the house.”
I reload and head toward the back of the house. The kitchen is clear. The dining room is clear.
The house is a mixture of scents, peppermint and pine, fresh baked bread, along with something fetid—like dead animal. I wonder if they have a rat problem—or more likely, a Justin problem.
There are no electric lights in the entire house, only oil lamps and candles. I’m sure Justin is hiding somewhere, probably inside a closet, ready to shoot me, so I carefully creep upstairs and kick open every door.
They’re not inside the house. Could it be that I was mistaken? That Justin didn’t take Tami here, and I’d shot two men for nothing?
I ask Diana to take the girl and the woman to the car and to use the police radio since there's no cell service.
They whimper as they stumble past the dead bodies, and then it hits me. One of the men was staring at a cell phone. If there’s no service, what was he looking at?
I recognize Tami’s seashell pink cell phone cover as soon as I pick it up. The screen is cracked, but it shows a picture of her tied up in a dark place with Justin’s unconscious face on her lap.
Seconds later, I kick open the basement door and am assaulted by a dank elevator odor—better known as farts.
I’m on the right track, and it hits me. There’s a reason why Justin’s buddies call him Congressman Smellwell.
I point my flashlight beam down the stairs and descend. “Tami, can you hear me?”
“Todd? Oh my God, you’re okay! I heard shooting. Justin’s knocked out. Hurry.”
Her voice is sweet nectar to my ringing ears, and I cover the last few steps as if on clouds or fumes since Smellwell is near. I reach her side, and something snaps, seeing her after thinking she could be injured or dead.
Instead of tending to the unconscious victim, all I can do is pick Tami up and hold her tight against me and kiss her. I can’t stop kissing her, even when Diana clears her throat behind me and says, “Uh, Sheriff. You’re getting blood all over her and contaminating the crime scene.”
“Oh, uh, Deputy,” I stammer. “Take the unconscious man up to the vehicle and call the ambulance.”
“What about the bodies on the porch?” she asks, pinching her nose.
“Call those in too. I cleared the rest of the house. Let’s wrap this mess up.” I check my watch. “Looks like we still have a minute of Halloween left.”
“Todd, is this trick or treat?” Tami asks, still shell-shocked from the blood and gore I smeared on her.
“Definitely treat.” I pick her up and carry her up the stairs. “I took care of all the tricks and threats. Happy Halloween.”
And this time, she kisses me back, locking her lips to mine. In the distance, a lone wolf howls, marking the end of a truly horrifying Halloween that will haunt me the rest of my life if it weren’t for the promise of a lifetime of love with my Tami Terrific.
Thirty-Nine
~ Tami ~
I strip myself naked, throwing my clothes and boots in a trash bag, before stepping inside Todd’s cabin. He ties the bag up and places it in the truck, saying the blood, the stench, the spilled tea, and all the dirt and mud I was dragged through are evidence.
Whatever.
I streak through the living room, past the old rocking chair with his grandmother’s afghan, and step into the shower. The water’s still cold, but I can’t get enough of the relief as it washes over my scrapes and bruises.
As the water warms, I soap up a real lather. Even though I assured Todd I was not sexually molested, only pulmonary assaulted, he still wanted me to go to the hospital.
No effing way.
I breathe in the pure, clean steam of the hot shower and lather Todd’s manly body wash all over me. I never appreciated how delightful he smells, always clean and well groomed, like sunshine and pine on a crisp autumn morning.
The bathroom door thumps open, and Todd’s manly voice booms, “Are you okay in there? Save some hot water for me.”
