“You’re arresting me …?” She looked at the cuffs and knew that wasn’t what he came here for. “How did you even find this place, Wade?”
“Doesn’t matter. I’m just taking you down to the station, that’s all. Some people in Templeton made a complaint. I have to do this, Dani. Just put these on or I will. We can discuss it there.” Blu tried to lunge, continuing to growl. “And get your goddamn dog out of my face, or I’ll take him down!”
“No.” Dani pulled him back. “Who made a complaint, Wade? What people?” Blu almost lunged out of her grip, as if trying to protect her.
Wade’s eyes flashed wildly. “You keep that animal leashed or I’ll shoot him, you understand? Right in front of you.” He pointed the gun as if he was about to fire. “I swear.”
“Wade, don’t! Please. Put the gun away. He’s only trying to protect me.” She thought she could wait this out until Geoff came back. Which had to be in minutes. But then what would happen? Things could get a whole lot worse. The way Wade looked, the erratic gleam in his eye, if someone else suddenly drove up, Dani didn’t know what would happen then. “Wade, tell me what’s going on.”
“Just do what I say, goddammit! For once, just do it. Get the dog inside, or you won’t like what happens. Just get him inside.” He kept jabbing the gun at Blu. “Or I’ll shoot him right where he’s standing, you hear …? I can do that. No one’s gonna ever think twice on it. I swear.”
“Okay. Okay,” Dani pleaded. “Wade, please …” He looked like he might do anything with that wild look in his eye. Her heart was pounding out of control. “I’ll bring him in. I’ll come. I’ll come. Just back off now.”
She dragged Blu around the back. The door to the yard was still ajar. She didn’t know what to do. She could run inside the house with Blu and lock the door. Then what? Wade might do anything. He seemed crazed.
“Put these on,” he said, dangling the cuffs in front of her.
“Wade, please …”
“Put ’em on! Or, so help me God, I’ll shoot him between the eyes. Is that what you want, Dani? You want to see your dog die?” His eyes were wild and fiery. She’d seen him mad many times, but never, ever like this.
“Okay, okay!” she screamed back. “Okay! Blu, go back inside now, baby … please.” She pushed open the door and tried to drag him inside. If she was going to lock herself in, this was the time. But Wade came around and put his hand on the door as the dog went back in, Dani letting him go ahead.
Then he shut it on him. Blu came back up with his paws against the glass, barking again.
Dani looked at Wade. “Wade, you’re scaring me, please …”
“I think I told you to put these on.”
“Wade, I’m not going anywhere with you. You know I can’t.”
“Oh, you’re going … You’re damn well going with me, or else I’ll—” He took her arms and wrenched them around her back and slapped on the plastic cuffs, screwing them tight on her wrists, digging into her.
“Why are you doing this?”
“Because there’s no damn other choice, Dani. There just isn’t. That’s why. Now c’mon.” He took her by the arm and pushed her forward around the front of the house. She left Blu standing up in the window, barking. He pushed her down the driveway, Dani stumbling in the sandals she had on. About halfway down the drive she saw Wade’s white police SUV, parked out of sight on the side. It had what looked like a parasail strapped on the top. She had a feeling of dread about what was going to happen. If she could stall him, Geoff might come back. He’d know this was something bad. Whatever he was, Wade wasn’t a killer. He wouldn’t just shoot them. Though he seemed crazy tonight and maybe he had been drinking, and she didn’t know what he would do.
He said, “Get in,” opening the passenger door.
“Wade, where are you taking me?” Dani demanded, fears springing up. “I know we’re not going back to the station.”
“I said, just get in, girl.” He pushed her inside and slammed the door shut behind her. “You’ll see.”
“You have to tell me, Wade!”
He went around and climbed into the driver’s seat beside her and locked the doors. She was trapped. Then he started the car up and slowly backed down the remaining part of the driveway, then went into a turn and headed back on Snowmass Creek Road toward the main highway. About a half mile down the road, a set of lights came up on them. Dani saw that it was Geoff, coming back, and when they passed she screamed out his name, futilely, pounding the window with her two fists in desperation, yelling “Geoff, Geoff!” as he drove by.
On Route 82, the main road in the valley, Wade turned west toward Carbondale. They stayed silent for the next few minutes, Dani desperately trying to figure out what she could do. Bound. Helpless. Trapped.
When they finally came to the turnoff for Carbondale, Wade passed right by.
“I thought we were going back to town?” Dani said, for the first time a real feeling of fear rising up inside her.
“You didn’t give anyone any choice, dammit,” Wade said.
“What do you mean, Wade?” He had the police radio on. There was a crackle from all the local departments coming in. A bar fight in Snowmass Village. An ailing car off the road near Basalt. “What do you mean I didn’t give you any choice?”
He looked at her. “I told you not to stick your nose in it, didn’t I? How many warnings did I give you? To just butt out.”
“People were killed, Wade. My friend was killed. They tried to kill me up there as well a couple of days ago. And Ty. But you already know about all that, right? That’s actually what we’re doing here, isn’t it?” Her eyes drilled on him. It was like he was being controlled by somebody or something. “What the hell have you gotten yourself into, Wade?”
“Hell,” he said, continuing to drive. “Living hell. Nothing else to call it.”