Fire at Dusk: Part 31

Shirley Sue watched Mike as he peered around the door and scanned the room. He gripped both the stock of the rifle and the flashlight with one of his hands, while the index finger of his other hand hovered over the gun's trigger.

Their eyes met. “You can never be too careful,” he said to her. “Ya never know when someone is lurking 'round the corner.”

Still watching the duo, Mike balanced the rifle against his arm as he palmed the wall. The sound of a click echoed through the room. Several overhead lights sprang to life, bathing the room in a yellow tinted glow.

Shirley Sue squinted as her eyes adjusted to the overhead lights. She fixed her gaze on Mike, waiting for an opportunity to escape or attack.

“Now, like I were sayin' outside. I ain't got nothing personal 'gainst you two. 'Sall business ya see.”

Mike set the flashlight and bag down on a table beside the door and leaned the rifle against the same table. In addition to the bag and flashlight, there were several ropes which lay on the table. He grinned at Shirley Sue and Buck.

“In case y'all get any funny ideas,” he said flashing them the butt of a pistol which hung at his side in a holster. “It's loaded, and you better believe I'm a quick draw.”

Shirley Sue stiffened as she watched Mike pick up a couple of the ropes. He kept his eyes on the duo as his hands went to work on the cord.

“Shirley Sue go sit down at that table,” he said to her. “Buck, watch yer girlfriend and put yer hands behind yer back.”

Shirley Sue glanced around the room, looking for any sign of the deputy as she made her way to the table, which was about ten feet in front of her. She shivered as she saw the all too familiar shelf of skulls. She felt her stomach lurch as she noticed the woman. Motionless, her body dangled by arms which were fastened into place by bloody steel cuffs. The chains only provided enough slack for her legs to tilt toward the ground bout not quite reach, leaving her knees floating around six inches above the hard concrete. Around her was a pool of blood. Her body looked badly bruised and cut with long trails of dried blood flowing down her arms and staining her cloths.

Shirley Sue reached the chair and sat down. She turned and looked at Mike as he put the rope around Buck's wrists. With a quick pull, the loops tightened around his wrists. Mike's hands moved quickly as he worked on Buck. After he was finished, he pushed Buck over to the table and motioned for him to sit. Buck obliged without resistance.

“Yer turn,” he said looking at Shirley Sue. Before she could process what he was doing, he had already grabbed her arms and placed them in similar loops to those of Buck's. She let out a yelp as the rope clinched around her wrists.