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“That’s the first place the fire will jump to when it gets here,” I point out.
The sneer he aims at me tells me he’s well aware, but he makes sure we understand when he says, “I’m counting on that, and I might even help it along.”
For a moment I’m stunned, having a hard time processing the fact this is the same man I may not have liked much, but have known for years, who was twice selected to serve the people of Silence. Hard enough to wrap my head around our mayor wielding a gun, but to have him so callously describe his plans to kill us is bone-chilling.
“Move!” he suddenly barks, shoving the barrel of his gun against the side of my head.
Beside me, Theresa goes rigid and mumbles something under her breath. It takes me a moment to recognize the muttered, “Hijo de puta,” as son of a bitch.
That’s more fire than I expected, but perhaps Rick’s mother isn’t quite as terrified as she presents herself to be. I hope that’s true, we may need all the grit we can muster to get ourselves out of this.
Dropping my arm from around the other woman’s shoulders, I hook it in hers as we start walking in the direction of the other building. I’m trying to slow down the pace, giving me a chance to look around for anything that might help us get away. Something I could use as a weapon, or a distraction to give us time to get away or behind shelter.
I see a pile of rubble up ahead, close to the tree line, and I try to be inconspicuous as I gently steer Theresa a little closer to that side. Maybe if I can get my hands on a large rock, or one of the branches sticking out of the pile, I could overwhelm him.
“Why are you doing this?” I finally ask, hoping to distract him enough he won’t notice the slight deviation in our path. “What are you hoping to accomplish? I don’t understand what it is we’ve done.”
Feigning ignorance seems the safest way to go. If I were to let on that I know more, that he’s already under investigation, he might decide it’s quicker and easier just to shoot us. I figure he’s probably hoping to make our death look like casualties of the wildfire, a tragic accident instead of murder, which would definitely draw more attention from law enforcement, a possibility I’m sure he’d like to avoid.
“What have you done?” he sneers. “You’re holding up plans, that’s what you’ve done. You’re as stubborn as your damn mother, hanging on to that piece of shit property. She wouldn’t budge either, and God knows I tried. When she kicked the bucket, I figured you and your father would be quick to unload it if the offer was right, but no, you fucking move into the place. And I’ve got pressure on me to get this goddamn runaway project back on the tracks, while keeping a low profile.”
“What project?”
“None of your fucking business, but it’s going to change the landscape. It’ll bring the town revenue, allow for substantial growth. New jobs, boosting economy, building new infrastructure. We’d have money pouring in, and I’ll be known as the mayor who put Silence on the map.”
“You’re talking outta your fucking ass,” a new voice suddenly pipes up.
I swing my head around to see a young, skinny guy, blond hair sticking up in every direction, wearing work pants, a black hoodie, and a thick flannel jacket that’s seen better days. He’s casually walking up, his hands in his pants pockets, and appears unfazed by the gun in Merrick’s hand.
“What the fuck are you doing here, Cody?” the mayor turns to him, the gun he had aimed on us swaying slightly off target. “I thought you were supposed to be laying low. Let things cool down.”
“I am laying low. But the boss wanted me to stick close by, keep an eye on things in case there were some more loose ends needing cleanup.”
While the two men seem focused on each other, and the barrel of the gun now aimed at a spot to our right, Theresa slightly pulls on my arm, moving us toward the pile and the length of rebar I spotted sticking out of the rubble. I keep my eyes on the men, listening with half an ear as we inch closer, one little step at a time.
“Things are under control,” Merrick claims.
The younger man snorts. “Sure don’t look that way to me. Not to the boss either.”
Suddenly he darts forward, attacking, and before Merrick can bring the gun around, he’s held from behind, the tip of a lethal-looking blade pressed so hard into his neck it’s broken skin.
Both Theresa and I freeze, startled by the turn of events.
“Drop the fucking gun.”
When Merrick hesitates, the blade pushes in a little farther, a slow trickle of blood sliding down his neck.
“All right, all right.”
He complies, letting the gun fall to the ground. My eyes follow it down, trying to calculate if there is anyway for me to bridge the eight or ten feet that separate me from the weapon.
“Don’t even think about it, bitch.”
My eyes snap up and are met by the guy’s freezing cold ones, and a shiver runs down my spine. As I watch, he moves his head so that his lips are just a few inches from the mayor’s ear.
“Boss got tired of waiting, asked me to speed things along. Kill two birds with one stone, so to speak. A tragic accident, just like you said, except it would include you too. I’m just here to make sure that job gets done.”
Without giving any of us a chance to react, the blade in his hand suddenly slices with blinding speed, clear across the mayor’s neck. Merrick immediately sags through his knees, his hands grabbing for his gaping neck, which is gushing blood no amount of pressure could slow.
