“Nephew, it is amazing how money can spin a tale many ways and no one bats an eyelash. Just as I was able to play dead for the past ten years.”
“You’re lying,” he gritted and turned to Keiran. “Keiran, what the fuck man? Tell him he’s lying!” It broke my heart to see a tear run down Keenan’s face before he wiped it away with an angry hand. Keiran stood there, silent and unmoving. “You killed her? You killed my mom?” Keiran remained silent but his unflinching gaze was fixed with Keenan’s. “Answer me!” he roared. This was the first and only time I’ve ever seen Keenan, who was usually the joker, so angry. Mitch’s dark chuckle broke the brief silence.
“He can’t. He shot her right in the head and didn’t even blink an eyelash,” he laughed again. A split second later before any of us could react, Mitch was on the ground and Keenan was pounding his fist into Mitch’s face, creating a bloody canvas. I was thrown to the ground as dust and bullets flew. The sound of gunfire was deafening as all my senses went on alert just before shutting down. I couldn’t make out anything or anyone. The lights from the vehicles must have been shot out as darkness and dust mixed.
Where was Keiran?
I didn’t realize I was screaming until someone appeared out of nowhere and clamped a hand over my mouth. Once I quieted, the hand was removed and I heard footsteps running. As the dust settled I could see two large bodies lying still on the ground and under them both was a pool of blood.
Chapter ThirtyTwo
Keiran was gone. I haven’t seen or spoken to him in four days. I visited the hospital frequently, hoping he might be there and to look in on Keenan. After the near fatal shooting, Keenan had pulled through surgery but slipped into a coma due to the trauma of his injuries. After receiving six shots to his body, one near his heart and another causing one of his lungs to collapse, I wasn’t surprised.
Mitch had gotten away while the two men unloaded into Keenan. Keiran managed to shoot both—killing one and wounding the other.
Unfortunately with Keenan being left in a coma and a dead body in the middle of nowhere we couldn’t stop the town from talking. Word spread quickly about what happened Monday night and by Friday, I was more than happy to lock myself away for the next two days.
The only piece of Monday night they were able to keep quiet was my part in the kidnapping/shoot-out. Keiran had called Quentin who was waiting nearby to take me home before the police arrived.
The first night I tried as hard as I could to stay home alone but knowing Mitch was still out there haunted me. My nervousness turned into fear and my fear turned into paranoia. Every sound I heard was Mitch coming for me. He was around every corner. I was afraid of my own shadow before long. Willow knew all about what happened that night and after urging me to call the cops failed she convinced me to stay with her.
As I walked inside the house from school to grab more clothes, my phone rang. I considered ignoring it knowing it wouldn’t be Keiran but since Aunt Carissa wasn’t home I decided to answer just in case.
“Hey, Lake,” Sheldon spoke into the line.
“You sound miserable.” Ever since finding out what happened to Keenan, Sheldon had been living a former shell of herself. She also refused to see him in the hospital.
“Gee thanks.”
“Go see him, Sheldon. It will make you feel better.”
“I can’t,” she said. Her voice crack and she sounded close to tears.
“Why not? He’s your boyfriend, Sheldon. I don’t understand –”
“No, you don’t so drop it, okay?”
“Fine,” I reluctantly agreed.
“So, how is he?”
“Jeez, you just told me to drop it!”
“I know what I said, I –” The next second I could hear Sheldon sobbing on the other end of the line.
“Sheldon what’s going on with you?”
“He fucked her.” I didn’t immediately react because we all knew Keenan strayed often but Sheldon always forgave him.
“Who?”
“Ms. Felders.”
“The new chemistry teacher?” I shrieked.
She sniffled and said, “uh huh.”