“I . . . I . . . I don’t know anything. I don’t know what they know.”
“You know something!” Lee/Liam roared, stepping closer and raising the gun.
“I don’t!” She closed her eyes, waiting for the gun to fire. Waiting for the pain.
I’m sorry, Eli.
I’m sorry, Kellan.
I love you both.
She heard the bang and waited for the pain. But all she heard was a strange howling, then someone screaming.
Opening her eyes, she saw that Lee/Liam was fighting off a large dog.
“Horse!” she screamed.
“Arabella! Get down!” Kellan yelled as he dove at Deputy Doofus.
Eli was next into the room and ran toward Lee/Liam who was scrambling for his gun.
“No!” she screamed, running toward Horse.
No! She couldn’t let him hurt her dog.
But she was too late. A shot was fired and Horse fell onto the ground on his side with a whimper.
“No! No!” She fell onto her knees with a scream and then started crawling forward.
Horse. Horse.
She had to get to Horse. She had to save him.
“Horse!” she screamed. “Horse!”
Finally, she got to him, placing her hand on his side which was soaked with blood. Sobs broke free from her.
Don’t leave me, Horse.
Please!
“Arabella! Are you all right? Baby, are you okay?”
Glancing over, she saw that Lee/Liam was lying on the floor with his hands cuffed behind him.
Eli kneeled next to her. He ran his hands over her as Kellan kneeled down on the other side of Horse and whipped off his top, placing it over Horse’s injured side and applying pressure.
“Arabella,” Kellan said sharply. “Are you injured?”
“W-what? No. No. Horse is. Help Horse. Help him.” She sobbed. “He s-saved me. Lee wanted to k-know what you knew about the d-drugs and I said I didn’t know. I k-knew he wasgoing to shoot me. Like he s-shot Ravina. But Horse save me. I can’t live without him.”
“Let’s get him to the vet,” Eli said. “Kellan, pick him up. I’ll keep the pressure on him. Arabella, stick close to me. Do not leave my side.”
She nodded. She’d do whatever they said as long as they saved Horse.
“Is he all right?” Jake asked.
“We’re taking him to the vet,” Eli explained as Kellan lifted him up. “We’ll help process all of this later.”
