The Terms of Release (14 page)

“Sure thing.” Hell, he could always get hibachi shrimp. “Let’s try.”

“I would like that.”

Christ, how did that happen, where a man was in his thirties and his experiences were damn near fifteen years old? Prison sucked. Win knew that sometimes it was a necessary evil, but God, it hurt him to see Sage be so out of sync with the world. At least the real world. No wonder so many guys went back in.

Sage wouldn’t. He was a good man, and Win would do everything in his power to keep Sage from getting hurt again.

Sage kissed him. “You think I’ll ever get to see your place, Adam?”

“Heck, yes. I feel like a slob compared to you, babe.” He didn’t want Sage to think he didn’t want him coming over.

“Still, I….” Sage shrugged. “I want to know about you. Know what your life is like.”

“Well, how about you come over next time and we grill burgers at my place?” He could so show Sage around.

“That works for me.”

Look at that smile.

If he’d known it would make Sage so happy, he would have asked ages ago. Win kissed Sage’s mouth.

“You taste like good coffee.” Sage winked and dove right back in.

Win chuckled, pulling Sage up and around so those lean legs straddled his thighs. “Hey, baby.”

“Hey, you.”

Fuck, he did love that soft laugh. It made him….

The crack of a shot made them both stiffen, then another sounded, and one of Sage’s windows shattered as the squeal of tires on dirt hit his ears.

“Shit.” He pushed Sage down on the floor. He was pretty sure the shooting was over, but he wanted to be certain. He crouch-walked to the window and checked outside while he pulled out his phone to call dispatch. “I have shots fired at a residence.”

Sage was on his feet, heading straight for the door. “I got to check on the folks, my pups.”

“Wait.” Win reached out and snagged a belt loop as Sage passed him. “Let me clear the scene, first. Just five seconds.”

“Son? Sage? Are you okay? Penny? Sam, oh my God in Heaven! Sam! Someone’s done shot Penny!” Ellen’s voice was like a Klaxon, and the loop came right off on Win’s finger.

Goddamn it.

He sprinted outside, trying to keep Sage and Ellen from getting hurt. Sure enough, Sage’s pup lay on the ground not five feet from the trailer, her tail thumping weakly when Sage knelt next to her. Christ. Who the fuck shot a goddamned dog?

“Come on, baby. I got to get you looked at.” Sage scooped her up and looked at Ellen, standing there in a pink pair of sweats and a T-shirt that said, “Screw you, I’m from Texas.” “You and Daddy good?” At her nod, he started walking. “Where can I take her?”

Win headed for his truck. “Ellen, I’ve got Deputy Allworthy coming out to look around. I trust him. I know a vet in Mount Pleasant. I’ll call her on the way, and she can meet us at her clinic. There are towels in the back. Wrap her up so she doesn’t go into shock.”

“You tell your fucking uncle that there’s gonna be a war in this town, Adam Winchester.” Sam Redding had his rifle in hand, a look of pure fury in the man’s eyes. “Bastard has money, but he cain’t scare us old-timers off their land, no more. I ain’t having it!”

“Sam, honey….”

“We’ll scream and threaten to burn his fucking house down later, after my dog stops bleeding on me!” Shit, Sage could holler.

“Jamison Allworthy will be here in five, y’all.” Win got in the truck and hit Tiffany’s number on speed dial. She was his vet, but she was also an old friend, a sister of an old Army buddy. She’d help them.

“Hey, Win. S’up?”

“Hey, Tiff. I got a dog here that’s been shot. Looks like front right shoulder. She’s bleeding, shocky. Can you meet me at the clinic?” He tore out of the drive, knowing Sage would protect Penny.

“Oh damn. You know it. When will you be there, buddy?”

“Not long, if I have my way. Maybe twenty?”

“I’ll meet you.” The phone went dead, and he stomped on the gas. Sage was murmuring to the pup, a soft, constant sound that was basically “I’m sorry” over and over.

Win wanted to reassure Sage that none of this was his fault, but he knew platitudes didn’t help for shit. All he could do was get them there before Penny bled to death. This was utter fucking bullshit. What if it had been Sage? Sam? Hell, Ellen. His fucking truck was right there. Not that it had stopped anyone.

He glanced over, and even in the dim light he could see Sage’s lips moving. Damn it, the man had lost too much. He couldn’t lose the damned dog too.

“She’s holding on. No blood in her nose.”

“Good. Nothing in her mouth but incidental?” If she licked she’d have some, but that was different than coughing up blood. He’d had a shepherd who’d eaten tinfoil once. Internal bleeding was really obvious.

“She’s going to make it. You got guys watching my folks and sister, yeah?”

“I do. They’ll collect any evidence too. The bullet we get out of her might be our best lead.” Win didn’t want to handle this the legal way. He wanted to go find the guys who’d done this and beat them down.

“You’ll have to look on your family tree. That’s going to be a problem.”

“I know.” He bit off the words that wanted to come out. They were angry and not directed at Sage. “I’m sorry.”

“No. This isn’t your fault. I came back.”

“Well, we’ll figure out who all is to blame later, huh?” He grinned a little, happy when he got a ghost of a smile in answer.

“Yeah. After Penny’s better and I get some coffee.” Sage was trying so hard.

“That’s it.” They were ten minutes out from Tiff’s clinic. “Tell Penny to hold on.”

“I am. She’s calming down, some. Hope that don’t mean she’s slipping.”

“No.” He hit the gas, pushing the truck to higher speeds. “No, she’s just a little shocky, I bet. Warmer, though, with you holding her.”

“Fuckers, shooting my dog. I’m gonna rain some fucking hell down on someone.”

Win almost grinned. It was about time Sage started to get mad. The fatalism wouldn’t help anyone. It felt good to hear him standing firm.

“There it is.” Win pointed over the steering wheel. “Tiff beat us here.” The lights were blazing at the clinic, Tiff’s neon green pickup in the parking lot.

“What kind of vet drives a truck that color?”

He blinked. “It went with her nail polish the day she went to CarMax.”

“Oh.” Sage opened the door and eased out, still holding Penny in his arms. “I’m not sure what’s weirder—that reason or the fact that you knew it.”

“Hey, she’s one of the guys.” Win snorted. “Mostly. Come on.” He led the way inside, where Tiff and two vet techs waited for them.

“Hi. I’m Tiffany Archer. Is she in good health other than her injuries?” Wild red hair framed her face, the woman dressed in a tank top, jeans, and a tossed-on lab coat. She hadn’t changed a bit since high school.

“She’s good. Young. Healthy. I gave her rabies and her other shots September first.”

“Okay. Here, bring her in here. We’ve got a table set up.”

Win stood back and let Tiff do her thing. All he could do now was hope like hell that Penny pulled through.

“So what were you two doing that you got a dog shot?” Tiffany was working, snapping orders to techs to get X-rays ready and sedatives.

“Sitting on my fucking sofa and drinking coffee. Dangerous goddamn business, that.” Sage was fixin’ to lose his shit. Win could read it like a book.

“Someone came on your land and shot her?” Tiff’s dark eyes flashed at him, eyebrows arched up above them.

Win sighed. “Sage has some unfriendly folks after him.”

“Ah. You’re that one, the evil murderer.” Sage got a look, up and down. “Your horns are smaller than I was led to believe.”

Sage blinked, then laughed, the sound rusty as an old gate. “Yeah, well, I take them off at night.”

“Good to know.” She winked at Win. “And you, I bet you are growing horns, little ones.”

“Oh, I have to shave them off every day.” He craned his neck to peer at Penny. “She’s a good dog.”

“I can tell. I’m going to take some films, see how the bones are faring.”

“Okay.” He took Sage’s arm. “Let’s clean you up.”

“Huh? I don’t want to leave her.”

Tiffany shook her head. “Let me do my job. She’s not in any immediate danger. I swear, Sage, I will get you if she starts failing.”

Sage chewed his lower lip. “Promise me? I wouldn’t want her to be alone.”

“Oh, honey, you got my word. Let me work, get her comfortable, and get that damn bullet out of her.” Tiff looked over at Win. “You want it, right? The bullet?”

“I do, as long as it doesn’t do her more harm to get it out than good.” He would keep that fucker until he matched it to a weapon.

“You got it. There’s a coffeepot up front, a bathroom.” She waved them off. “Shoo.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He took Sage’s arm and tugged him to the lobby. “I’ll make coffee, if you want to wash up.” Win automatically checked the danger zones, the windows and corners.

“Okay. Yeah. I’ll call up to the house too.”

“Good idea. Check in on your mom and dad.” Win would call Jamison Allworthy and see if he’d come up with anything, but he would bet there was very little story to tell. Maybe they could get tire tracks. If anyone would care if he did.

He didn’t even have time to dial, the sheriff’s name coming up on his screen. “Jim.”

“A fucking drive-by? What? Is he into drugs again? Are these gangbangers from Dallas? What’s he running, kid? And you? You were there? Are you high? I want a piss test from you. Tomorrow morning. No question.”

Win took a deep, deep breath. Counted to ten. “You can have any tests you want. You know damned well what this was. They shot his fucking dog, Jim. I swear to God, you tell them to back the fuck off, or I’ll start running people in for attempted murder. I’ll call the state troopers in on it.”

“You wouldn’t fucking dare.”

“Really?” He stared out the front door of the clinic, half expecting someone to shoot him. “I think I will. I’m sick of this vendetta y’all got going.”

“You’re going to turn your back on your family? Your blood? For a fucking murdering fag?”

“What has my blood done for me lately, Jim? Shot at me? You swore to uphold the law. People voted for you. You think they will again if they know you let this happen?” His hands shook with anger, his rage growing.

“He
killed your cousin
!”

“He was at a fucking meth house when it blew, man. He lived. That’s what he did wrong. He fucking lived.”

“I don’t understand you, Adam. I swear, I don’t.” Jim almost sounded sad.

“Well, go you. I had to take a dog to the vet to get a bullet removed. You better hope it doesn’t match anyone’s in the family.”

“Shit, like I’m gonna go ride out with a posse and shoot a fucking dog.”

“Someone did, Jim. This is serious. You can’t turn a blind eye forever. Someone is going to get killed, and you may not care if it’s one of the Reddings, but I sure do.”

“I’m not sure you’re keeping a clear head about this, son.”

“No? Well, I guess I’m glad I’m a blithering idiot. I have to make another call. Bye.”

He hung up, so disgusted he wanted to scream. He needed to call Allworthy, though. Get to him before Jim did.

Sage walked through, heading out to sit on the windowsill of the big bay window, not saying so much as a word to him.

“Jesus fucking Christ.” He punched numbers on his goddamned phone, getting Jamison on the line. “Tell me there’s something we can use.”

“A bullet from a .38, a broken gate, a scared pregnant lady that saw a dark blue or black Hemi.”

“Damn.” The .38 they might match, but only if they sent it to the state lab. “Did you make sure everyone else was unharmed? Take statements?”

“Yes, sir. I told them I’d stay here, to keep watch, but you know they ain’t coming back. I’m more worried that they’d follow y’all.”

“Well, if they did, they’ll be in a world of hurt.” Tiffany would kill anyone who came after her clinic. “I’ll be careful. Thanks, man.”

“Anytime, Win.” Jamison sighed softly. “This whole thing, it ain’t right, man.”

“I know it. I hate getting you mixed up in it, but I knew I could trust you. Holler at me if anything comes up. We’re here until we know what’s up with the pup.”

“Those cowards won’t be back, but I’ll be waiting if they do.”

“Thanks.” He clicked his phone off and went to Sage, wanting to—something. Hug the man. Whatever.

Sage sat there, staring at the parking lot, hands opening and closing, over and over.

“Hey.” Win wasn’t sure what to do. They were still feeling their way out in this whole “them” thing.

“Hey. I talked to Momma. They’re okay. Pissed but okay.”

“I bet they are. No one else was hurt?” He meant animal or human, he supposed.

“Not that they’ve seen. I only heard the two shots, but… I wasn’t listening for them.” Sage looked at his hands. “I’m gonna get my daddy killed, no matter what I do, man. I stay here, they’re gonna keep coming. I go, he loses everything.”

Win honestly didn’t know what to say. Sage was damned if he stayed, and damned if he didn’t. The whole situation sucked. “You know I’ll do what I can to keep everyone safe.”

“I know. Thank you for bringing us over.” Sage snorted, the sound humorless as all get-out. “God, this sucks, man. I mean, shit, I should probably be all ‘we should break up,’ but one, I don’t want to, and two, are we in a place where we could break up?”

“You mean are we having enough of a thing to have something to break? Yeah. Yeah, we are, and you’re not breaking up with me, Sage.” He kept his tone level, not wanting to sound crazed or threatening or anything, but the thought of not having Sage in his life left him in a panic.

“Nah. Nah, I’m not. You and the horses, you’re the good stuff, the reason. A man needs a reason.”

He found himself smiling, reaching for Sage. Yeah. A man did need something to go on.

Sage’s hand met his, and he got a squeeze. “You ever wish you were straight?”

“Only for the whole I can’t kiss you in public thing.”

“Yeah.” He thought Sage might have smiled. Maybe.

“I can here.” He bent and kissed Sage lightly, knowing this was more for comfort than anything else.