Ben (The Sherwood)

I walked to the SUV and waited for the guy in front to get out and explain himself. I was shocked when Ron Parson climbed out of the back seat and shut the door. Only then did I realize that there was a window blocking the front seat and the back and I couldn’t see through it, so I hadn’t known that anyone was there in the SUV besides the driver.

“Ben Hatfield,” he declared.

“Ron Parson,” I replied. I wasn’t afraid of this man only what he could do to my life. He could take away the only woman I would ever love.

“I want Lilah back. You can keep Merci.”

I scuffed my toe around on the asphalt trying to decide what to say or do. I was a damn good poker player and now was the time to use that ability to call his bluff and win.

“Ron, I know who Merci is, Disa’s younger sister.” I sighed. “I’m sorry, I don’t know who this Lilah person is you want.”

Ron rubbed his hand over his jaw. “Benjamin, I know either Heath or AJ Hatfield took her and Merci from my home. Matt was with one of them.”

He had it all wrong.

“Why do you think that Ron?”

“Because Matt has a score to settle with me. He knows my compound pretty well.”

I laughed at him. “Elder Ron, you are so wrong about this. So, so wrong.”

“One of your brothers was shot. I’d love for you to prove me wrong about that.”

I shrugged. “Easy enough. Wouldn’t there be a police report? Hospitals have to report that don’t they?”

He chewed on the corner of his dark mustache. Then he took a step closer to me. “You see, Ben. That’s the mystery I’m trying to resolve. No gunshot victims were reported that night. Damned if I know how that bullet got removed.”

“Probably because my brothers didn’t do it,” I responded with a big smile on my face, staring him in the eye without flinching.

My palms sweated, giving me away but he didn’t know that. My body trembled. Another giveaway but my face revealed nothing. I had years of practice lying to Rachel that was coming in handy right now. I didn’t break eye contact with Ron Parson no matter what. He didn’t believe me, but he didn’t have to. I wasn’t giving him anything.

Then over Ron’s shoulder I saw the cavalry. Matt’s truck was flying down the road towards the church followed by AJ’s right behind it. I didn’t know if it was Disa or Heath who had called them. I glanced over my shoulder and saw my woman with my phone to her ear and knew it was her. She must have called Heath.

AJ screeched to a halt on one side of us and Matt on the other. Both climbed out of their vehicles, leaving their doors open, with rifles drawn. Shit this wasn’t good. Soon, the entire parish of Mom’s church was going to be arriving and this isn’t what they needed to see. Rachel Hatfield’s sons with weapons being trained on one of the Elders of Babylon First Church of God. I scrubbed my hand across my face and groaned.

“Ron, I thought we had this conversation once,” Matt said.

He glared hard at Matt. He hated my brother with

an intensity that wasn’t good. Matt was going to get himself killed irritating this man.

Ron’s man slipped out of the SUV carrying an assault rifle. I shook my head at the overkill of his weapon. An assault rifle in Sherwood?

“Listen fellas, soon this parking lot is going to start filling up with people intending to worship God. Let’s put the rifles away and take a step back before somebody gets hurt,” I suggested.

Then I saw Elijah and Jenny’s car arriving for Sunday services and I shook my head. Mom wouldn’t be far behind them.

My six feet five brother, a powerful man without a weapon parked a distance away. He got out of Jenny’s little vehicle and strode across the parking lot to where we were all standing. He entered behind the man that was with Ron who was surprised by my brother’s size.

Elijah surprised him all right. He grabbed him around the neck and smashed his face into the SUV. Then he took the assault rifle out of his hand.

“That was easy,” he said. “Now, what the hell is going on? This is a place of worship. Rachel will be here shortly. She’s about five minutes behind us. Unless you all, and I’m including you, Elder Ron in that statement want your asses handed to you by her I suggest you get into your vehicles and get the hell out of here.”

Ron’s man was staggering from the head wound that Elijah had given him. My brother shoved him into the back seat and shut the door. “Elder Ron,” he said motioning towards the driver’s door.

“I’ll take his weapon,” he said to Elijah.

Elijah looked at the weapon in his hand then he looked at Ron. “Nope, I don’t think you will. Get out of here.” He glanced over his shoulder. Our mother’s car was turning into the drive. “You have five seconds to get your ass out of here then the wrath of Rachel will come down on you. You have no idea,” he informed Ron Parson.