Claiming the Enemy: Dustin (Porter Brothers Trilogy 3)

Dustin peeked between his brothers, warily watching their father stare grimly down at them.

“That might be a small cub that Dustin let get away, but it’ll come back when it’s older and hungry for the food it found here tonight. It knows it got away tonight, and it’ll do it again—that’s a fact.”

“Only one got away—”

Greer’s words were brought to a stop by the back of their father’s hand across his mouth.

“That’s one too many. You don’t leave one enemy standing. Not one! You hear me?”

“The whole mountain hears you.”

His eyes jerked toward the front door to see their mother standing in the doorway. Her unhappy features were highlighted by the shining light of the porchlight.

“The boys have school in the morning. If they are too tired go in the morning, then I’m not going to clean Mrs. Langley’s house for her,” she warned, shooing their sister back inside. “Rachel, get in your pajamas. I’ll be there in a minute.”

“Yes, Mama.” Rachel docilely went inside.

Their father threw a disgusted look at them before going to the door. As much as he wanted to give them an ass whooping, the fact that he wouldn’t have the money his wife would bring home after cleaning the large home was more important.

A shot rang out in the dark night, making everyone jump unexpectedly. Then there was a loud yelp from the dark woods, causing concern to fill their father’s face as he turned from the door.

“Duke! Here, boy!” Calling for the coon dog, his father ran down the steps in the direction the yelp had come from.

Dustin ran behind him, with Tate and Greer trying to keep up.

Dread filled Dustin’s heart when he realized they were heading toward the Hayes’ property that bordered the back of their property. Then anguish clogged his throat when he saw Greer bend down to the coon dog that they had grown up with. The lights surrounding the Hayes’ yard allowed him to see his brother shaking his head at their pa, letting him know they were too late.

“Son of a bitch! Why’d you shoot my dog?” their father shouted out to the man standing in his yard with his two sons standing next to him, all of them pointing rifles at them.

“I’ve told you to keep that mangy dog away from my house!” Frank Hayes’ formidable expression would have any man, other than their father, backing away. Their father was the only one in town who wasn’t afraid of the man, because he was just as mean-tempered.

“Duke was just chasing a damn fox!”

“How was I supposed to know that? From all the shooting going on at your place, I’m surprised one of your boys let it get away.” Frank’s sly grin mocked them, sending their father’s anger soaring. “Jessie already called the cops. You better get your ass off my land before the sheriff gets here and arrests you for trespassing.”

Dustin’s eyes went to the front window where the little girl was staring out at them.

“And take that dog with you. I don’t need it stinking up my front yard.”

“You’ve fucked with me for the last time, Hayes.”

Dustin shivered at his father’s words.

“Are you threatening me, Porter?”

“No, it’s a promise.”

The men stared at each other until Tate took their father’s arm, forcing him to lower the gun he was pointing back at Frank Hayes. “Let’s go, Pa. I see lights coming up the hill.” Tate nodded toward the dirt road that led up the side of the mountain.

Dustin released a shaky breath when their pa lowered his rifle.

“Another day, Hayes.”

“I’ll be waiting.” Frank spat a gob of tobacco into the dirt as Greer raised the limp dog into his arms.

Retreating in silence, Dustin walked somberly beside his family as they returned home through the dark woods. His father’s stony silence had him fighting back tears as he remembered the many times Duke had gone hunting with them at their sides.

When they got back in their own yard, their mother came outside, telling Rachel to stay inside before closing the door.

“What happened?” she asked, crying out when she saw the dog.

Ignoring their mother, his father’s voice stoically rang out in the cold night air. “Tate, go get me two trash bags.”

As Tate ran inside, their father walked into the barn without looking at the others, returning at the same time as Tate.

When Greer gently laid the dog down on the ground, Dustin tore his eyes away from Greer’s when his brother used the sleeve of his shirt to wipe his tears away.

“Ma, take Tate and Greer inside. Boys, you better be in bed when I come in.”

“What about Dustin?”

“Woman, get your ass inside now!”

Dustin manfully shook his head at his mother when she would have taken a protective step toward him.

Her tear-filled gaze turned to Tate and Greer, who went to stand in front of him, trying to guard him from their father’s temper.