Free Beneath the Tombstone (The Tombstone Series) by Martin Cogburn Page A

It was a
bit humiliating that they thought the little guy’s size would do justice to
Jason’s abilities. Just for spite, Jason decided he was going to put a little
realism into his acting. If the doctor couldn’t respect his strength any more
than this then Jason was going to show him what happens when he sends a child
to do a man’s job.
    Stepping
forward for the element of surprise, Jason threw a hard, looping right towards
the little guy’s head, anticipating that wonderful feeling of his fist making
connection... but it never came.
    With
no impact to counteract his swing, Jason was left strung out. Lights exploded
in his head as a solid fist struck his jaw. The ground blurred, seeming to
spin. His legs turned to rubber. Several seconds ticked by as Jason staggered,
trying to put the world back into proportion. His assailant walked around
behind him, placing himself between Jason and Misty. And there he stood
patiently. What was happening? No one was supposed to get hurt. The doctor had
promised.
    Jason
turned and faced his attacker, but behind the short young man, something else
caught Jason’s focus. Misty. The other two men were approaching her.
    “Leave
her alone,” Jason shouted.
    The
next few moments went by in flashes of darkness and light as his attacker
stepped forward and struck him in the face, again and again. Jason stumbled
backwards in an attempt to escape the blows… but they kept coming.
    “What
are you doing?” Jason heard himself scream as he raised his hands in a desperate
attempt to protect his head.
    Crash! Jason smashed into something behind him and went down
on top of it. Cold steel. The merry-go-round. It shook and rattled as he felt
his attacker land on top of him. He lifted his head. It was slammed back down by
a fist – bounced up – was struck down again… and again… and again in brutal
double action.
    Screams
coming from his wife registered through the brutal fog.  “Jason! Please
no… Jason!”
    He
heard her struggling. They had her. “Let me go,” she screamed like an enraged,
wounded animal. One of the men cried out in pain. The other grunted like he’d
been hit.
    “Stop
it!” Jason heard her cry. She sounded closer. “Stop hitting him!”
    Her
blurry image appeared as she latched onto the kid’s shoulder and began trying
to drag him off. Jason felt his head finally come to rest. The attack had ended
as abruptly as it began. His assailant slowly rose from his position where he
had been straddling Jason’s chest then calmly turned and walked away a short
distance.
    After
a moment, Jason could feel his wife run her hand under his head, lifting it up
slightly. “Jason, Jason, please baby, please be okay,” she cried.
    He
groaned in response and tried to lift his head on his own but was unable. His
limbs didn’t respond to the commands he gave. He was limp and useless. His
pride and his strength were gone.
    Now
his attacker seemed to have the manners of a perfect gentleman because, with
arms folded politely behind his back and with the sobriety of a funeral
director, he stood quietly by. Yet, when the ugly one approached and cocked his
foot back as if to kick Misty, his calm composure shattered. “Hey!” he yelled
with a wild, threating look in his eyes. “You hurt her, you answer to me!”
    “But
she bit me,” the ugly one defended, holding up his wounded thumb.
    “Well,
if she’s got rabies we’ll vaccinate her but probably just shoot your worthless
hide,” the leader spoke harshly.
    Blood
covered Jason’s face and as Misty tried to wipe it away with the bottom of her
shirt, she was talking to him. “Come on, baby. Sit up. Please – talk to me,”
she begged.
    He
could feel her tears landing on his face as her pleas fell on his ears. Her
arms circled around him. He felt her try to lift him up. He had to get up. He
felt her necklace dangling against his cheek. She was tugging on him. He could
feel the desperate tension in her body. She was forcing him