Page 151 of Maizy the Bear Charmer

The unnerving rattling sound swelled in the still air again. She whispered, “I’m—I’m seeing stars. Please hurry.”

“We won’t let anything happen to you. Just take nice slow breaths,” Cody said as he slipped down the wall, along the dry-erase board, taking care not to knock anything on the floor. His eyes flared as he caught sight of the snake right before Heath did.

It was a granddaddy, coiled up in the center of the open space in front of her desk. Its rattle stood up straight at attention and its head was lifted, poised to strike.

Her voice trembled as she spoke. “My students just left a few minutes ago. I stood from my d–desk and there it was. I don’t know where it came from. It could have hurt one of them.”

“Shhh,” Heath murmured soothingly. “Help is coming for you through the window. Don’t worry. We’ll keep you safe.”

Spencer lifted the tabs on the window screen and quietly removed it from the aluminum window frame. Heath prayed that the snake didn’t sense his body heat yet.

Cody moved into his precarious position, adjacent to the snake. If it struck at him before Heath could get into position, he might not be able to move to either side fast enough before it nailed him.

The snake turned its head toward Cody and coiled in agitation when he slowly moved his hand out to the side. They were running out of time. Spencer climbed in the window and said, “I’m right behind you, ma’am. I’ve got you. I’m going to lift you in a second. Just relax, okay?”

“Yes.” Her chest rose and fell as though she was running a marathon. “Oh, please be careful.”

Cody glanced at Heath, nodded slowly, then nodded at Spencer. “Ready.”

Heath moved into a crouch and prayed that the rattlesnake’s attention stayed focused on Cody, and that he was able to act before it struck at his brother. Spencer inched up to the woman and whispered to her. She nodded and slowly turned toward him, allowing him to slide one arm around her back and the other behind her knees, preparing to move fast to take her out of striking range.

Heath knew if he grabbed too low, the damned thing would turn its head and strike him and he’d spend the afternoon and evening in the hospital emergency room instead of at home making love to Maizy. If he aimed too high, he’d have a handful of fangs and an even deeper and more dangerous envenomation. Either way, the prospect of failure sucked. He had to grab it just right, at the base of the pit viper’s skull.

Heath held up three fingers and counted down to zero. In a practiced, lightning quick move, he grabbed for the snake as Spencer suddenly swooped the teacher high into his arms and turned, placing his body between her and the rattlesnake.

Heath nailed it perfectly, snatching the snake up as he stood and stepped back from everyone. The rattle beat furiously against his jeans-covered calf, giving him the willies. The snake fought, trying to coil around his arm, its cold, dry scales raking over his skin as he looked at it. This part was just damned creepy, looking at the lethal thing in such close proximity, its jaw gaping and fangs exposed.

“Do it, Heath. I’ve got her,” Spencer growled, clearly anxious to have the snake dealt with and no longer a threat.

The rattling increased as he reached around the back of the skull with his other hand, tightened his grip, and broke its spine with a loud crack.

A high-pitched scream rent the air and the teacher went limp in Spencer’s arms, her head lolling off to the side. Footsteps thundered in the hallway and the receptionist ran into the room. “What’s happening? What’s wrong?”

Heath turned with the writhing snake in his grasp. It was dead but its nervous system could continue to work for hours yet. She clapped her hands to her face, screamed, and collapsed in the doorway in a dead faint, striking her head against the floor tile.

“Well, hell,” Heath muttered. His exit to the back door and hopefully a convenient Dumpster was now blocked.

Teachers crowded the doorway, gasping when they saw the snake. Cody had his phone out and was dialing 911 as he went to Spencer and checked the woman’s pulse and then the receptionist’s. He gave a succinct description of the incident to the dispatcher and asked for assistance for both unconscious women.

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