Page 125 of Cowboy Heat

If Grant and the sheriff were working with someone who wanted Guidry’s hold fromLa Lumiereand was trying to use Kissy against him? Well, wasn’t it in my best interest to pull that thread right along with him to get to Kissy myself?

But I couldn’t let Guidry take the sheriff, throw him out in the middle of a neighborhood, and tar and feather him until he may or may not draw out that person pulling the strings either.

Or could I?

I guess I’d never find out which way I’d go since Alice Dean and Kissy came barreling in.

And that brings me to one of the things that Alice doesn’t know about me.

In this once instance, I believe Guidry.

He didn’t take Kissy or order the attacks on her, he didn’t kill Dan, and someone is trying to take his territory while all he’s trying to do is keep it by, it seems, way of blackmail.

“What in the devil’s name you yelling that for. I never shot you, Alice,” Guidry yells. “I went lookin’ for the sonuvabitch who did and found ’em. Redheaded fellah Bailey here was makin’ nice with!”

This is what puts me at odds with Alice Dean now.

I believe Guidry.

Which means Alice either is misremembering.

Or she’s lying.

“You can’t use your words to get everything, Guidry,” she seethes. “It’s about time you realize that.”

Alice is close enough that if she shoots, even poorly, Guidry is done for. He tenses, and I’m guessing, like me with the truck, he’s seeing his end and knowing there’s nothing he can do about it.

Kissy’s timing is still as impeccable as ever.

The door must have been open on the driver’s side because she’s made it around the front of the truck without any of us knowing. She’s banged up, empty-handed, and throws her body against Alice hard.

I guess none of us ever really see Kissy coming.

She tackles Alice like the best defensive lineman in any football game I’ve ever seen. Alice’s brain must not register that she’s in the process of falling and that her aim is now off. She squeezes the trigger while her arm flings up. The rest of her goes to the ground.

We’re not far behind.

Guidry ducks, and I go a foot shorter while trying to get to them. My leg is still acting up, and Kissy is still too far away. She’s on the ground with Alice, and Alice still has the gun in her grip.

Micah is a baby bat out of hell. He’s around the truck and on the women quick.

I yell, “No!” just as Kissy yells for him to get away.

He doesn’t listen, and his knees hit the ground next to the struggling women. All of his focus goes to Alice’s arm holding the gun. His hands act like a vise, attaching her limb firmly to the dirt. She still has the gun, but she can’t do much with it now.

Which makes me grabbing it that much easier.

The second it’s in my hand and I’m standing tall, Micah releases his hold. Kissy scrambles off of Alice. In the process, she pulls the boy with her. She doesn’t meet my eyes. Instead, she yells down at Alice, who is just as fast to get up to her feet.

“What in the double hell do you think you’re doing, Alice?” Kissy yells. I think she’s talking about her almost shooting Guidry, but she digs deep and angry, and it’s my name on her tongue. “You almost killed Beau! Hehelpedyou! What were you thinking?”

It’s like I’m not there.

Guidry either. He’s at my side, not even asking for one of the two guns I now have.

Alice has dirt all up on her. She’s wincing and clutching at her waist.

It’s like no one is here but Kissy.