Hide No Secrets (Lawson & Abernathy 3)

Brian reached out a meaty left hand and shoved Burt. “You turning yellow on me, boy?” he growled. “You want me to drop you dead where you stand?” Brian aimed his M-16 straight at Burt’s chest.

“No, Brian, just… we need to be smart is all.”

Brenda listened to the conversation taking place outside. A town full of a bunch of brain washed farm boys. Shouldn't be too hard to fight our way out of here.

Brenda crawled away from the walk-in cooler, poked her head out into the front of the diner, and motioned for Mack to join her. “The three shooters out back shouldn't be a problem. Two are scared and one is a cowboy.”

“Shoot our way into the corn?” Mack asked, respecting Brenda's diagnoses of the situation.

“We better act now before more show up.”

Mack put a hand on Josh’s shoulder. “Listen, Josh, we're going to clear the alley. As soon as I yell for you, come running. We're going into the corn—”

“No way—”

“Yes way,” Brenda spoke to Josh in a stern, motherly, tone. “Josh, I know you're scared, but if we stay here we're all going to die. We have to get into the corn.”

Josh gulped. “But I'm scared of the corn.”

Mack reached out a firm hand and patted Josh on his frail little shoulder. “There comes a time in life, son, when we have to man up and face our fears. Now is that time.” Without saying another word Mack pushed Josh into the kitchen and hurried him to the walk-in cooler. “Stay here,” he ordered. Josh hesitated and then did as told.

“Here,” Brenda handed Mack the M-16 she was holding, speaking in a low voice. “I like my gun.”

Mack tucked his Glock 19 back into his trench coat and took the rifle, then followed Brenda to the back door. “I'll duck and roll,” he whispered.

“I'll run high and fire low,” Brenda nodded, slipping a fresh clip into her Glock. “I'm ready.”

Brenda snatched the back door open. Mack dived into the alley, rolled toward the corn, and found a secure low prone firing position. He covered Brenda as she broke out into the alley, firing while running straight for the corn.

Brian was taken completely off guard. When Brenda burst out of the diner and began firing at him, he nearly peed himself. Tough talk, bullying a weaker man, drinking—that was all easy stuff. Bullets were real business. “Down!” he screamed, shoving Burt to the ground. Before Brian had time to dive behind a flimsy metal trash can, Mack caught a clear shot for Brian. He was dead before he became afternoon trash.

“Don't shoot!” Burt threw down his rif

le off to the side and raised his hands. “Don't shoot!” he yelled, crawling to his knees. “Don't kill me!”

Wilson followed Burt's lead. “I surrender! I don’t want to die! ” he cried, dropping his M-16.

Brenda ran up to Burt and Wilson and ordered the two men to place their hands behind their backs and face the corn. Both men quickly obeyed.

“Why are you trying to kill us?” Brenda snapped.

“Mr. Frinton wants you dead,” Burt answered in a shaky voice, trembling as he clung to the back wall of the diner.

“I told my cousin not to,” Wilson struggled to speak. “I don't like Mr. Frinton, but Brian”— Brenda followed Wilson’s eyes as he stared at Brian’s body—“he made me join the cult—”

“It's not a cult!” Burt yelled at Wilson.

“Is so,” Wilson insisted in his scared voice. “Brian was crazy. All of you are crazy. Nothing but a bunch of alcoholic farmers who can't handle life.”

“Like you can?” Burt scolded Wilson. “I don't see you married and living the good life, boy!” Burt shot a hard eye at Wilson.

“Shut up!” Mack ordered Burt in a hard tone. “One more word and I'll beat you senseless.” Mack looked out toward the corn. “Brenda, we can run and find support, but by the time we get back—”

“Frinton and his boys might be long gone,” Brenda finished for Mack. She pressed her gun up against Burt's right cheek. “What’s going on? What is he running here? Why does he want us dead” she demanded.

“No way,” Burt answered, nearly wetting himself. Talking tough to poor Wilson was easy. Standing up to two deadly cops was another story. “Mr. Frinton don't allow drugs. Brian… he did some marijuana… but that was all.”

Mack glanced at Brenda. “There has to be a reason...”