Good morning and Happy Hump Day! If it's Wednesday, then it must be time for more flash fiction from the Wednesday Briefers! We're a group of authors who bring you our finest flash fiction every week, 500 to 1000 words, inspired by one of our prompts.
Things were looking grim for Dustin and Denver until Roy rode to the rescue in last week's chapter of The Sheriff. See how he deals with the situation of Rusty and Lenny, and everyone wonders where Jordan is. Is Dustin going to be in danger after this? Don't forget to visit the other Briefers and see what they've been up to. Their links follow my tale. Enjoy!
The Sheriff #50 (12.2)
Roy was prepared to carry through with his threat, if
necessary, in order to protect Dustin and Denver—his lover and his friend. But
luckily it didn’t come to that. When push came to shove, the thin man proved
himself to be all bark and no bite as he hastily threw his gun onto the floor
with a clatter and raised his hands high, in the universal symbol of surrender.
“Now you,” Roy said to his accomplice as he drew closer to
the pair.
The heavier man whimpered, “I don’t have a gun. I swear it.
I’m only supposed to carry the merchandise. That’s all. Ask Rusty if you don’t
believe me.”
“Shuddup, Lenny, you dope,” Rusty snarled.
Roy decided to check Lenny’s statement for himself. A quick
pat down showed the man wasn’t lying.
Keeping a wary eye on the pair, Roy hurried to where Dustin
and his cousin were getting up from the floor.
“You okay?” he asked Dustin, sliding his arm around him and
pulling him close.
“Yeah, Roy, I’m just fine, thanks to you.”
“Well, I’ll be damned.” Denver grinned at the two of them. “How
long has this been going on?”
“First things first,” Roy said, never batting an eye. “Then
we’ll tell you all about it.”
At just that moment, Harlan and a couple of his deputies
swarmed through the back door, guns raised. Seeing the situation under control,
they holstered their weapons.
“This all of them?” Harlan asked.
“There’s one more,”
Roy said, keeping Dustin anchored to him with his arm as he turned to face the
sheriff. “That Jordan asshole. He didn’t come in with them, and I didn’t see
him in the car when I passed it by on my way in.”
“Shit,” Harlan swore. “I thought he was supposed to be
here?” He looked to Dustin for corroboration.
“I thought so too. He said he would be. I’m sure Rusty and Lenny know where he is,
though. They’re his stooges.”
“I don’t know nothing,” Rusty quickly said. “And neither
does Lenny.”
Roy snorted. “Tell me something I don’t know.
”
Rusty scowled but made no reply. By this time, he and Lenny
had already been securely cuffed, hands behind their backs.
“I’ll take these two back to the jail and put out on APB on
Lambourne. I’ll send a car to his address, just on the off chance he might be
there.”
“You won’t catch Jordan,” Lenny boasted. “He’s too smart for
you guys.”
“He’s not smart, you’re just dumb,” Dustin said.
“At least I’m not sleeping with him,” Lenny shot back. The
deputy slapped him upside his head and he fell silent.
“Go on, take those two peckerheads in,” Harlan said. “I’ll
be right behind you.” He turned his
attention to Dustin and Denver. “They didn’t hurt you, did they?”
“No, they never got that far,” Denver said. “Thanks to you
and Roy here. You sure saved our bacon.”
“Thank Roy and Dustin. They’re the ones who helped put this
together,” Harlan said. “Well, I gotta get going. Roy, I’ll be in touch. I’ll
see what I can get out of those two. Assuming they don’t lawyer up. I don’t
think they have the brains to do that, but you never know.”
“Okay, catch you later, Harlan.”
“Dustin, if you like, we can talk about you joining the
department.” Harlan winked, then turned and headed out the back of the store.
“Somebody better tell me what’s going on and damn quickly,”
Denver said. He put his hands on his hips and looked from Dustin to Roy
expectantly.
“Tell you what,” Roy said, “you lock up the store, and then
we’ll go grab a drink or something, and tell you everything. That okay with
you, Dustin?”
“Sounds great to me. What about you, cuz?”
“Yeah, let me finish writing out the night deposit and I’ll
be ready.” He headed toward the back office, leaving Roy and Dustin alone. No
sooner had he closed the door to the office, than Roy had his lips pressed
against Dustin’s, holding him tight, as if he intended to never let him go
again.
to be continued
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