Free Strengthen What Remains (Book 2): A Time to Endure by Kyle Pratt Page B

get here they are going to run Hansen, Olympia and….”
    Locking
eyes with Caden he asked, “Where do you live soldier boy?”
    Caden
could hear Maria’s breathing but she had stopped in mid-sentence. He decided to
continue. “I’ll ask the questions.”
    “Lo
voy a descubrir, te voy a matar, y me voy a quedar con
tu mujer y tu casa. Todo lo que sea tuyo pronto será mío. Muy pronto.”
      No translation came from Maria. Anxious to
find out what was happening he stepped toward the door.
    “¿Y
si tienes mujer, gringo, o te gustan los hombres?”
    Caden
didn’t understand the words, but he heard the venom. He looked back at Cruz
with a calm, cold stare.
    “Y
al que me pego con esa fleche, le voy a pelar el cuero vivo.”
    Both
the doctor and Hoover walked toward the door. Caden looked at Cruz. “Keep him
here for now.”
    “What’s
the charge?” Cruz shouted.
    Caden
paused at the door. “See, you do know English.” Memories of the previous night
flew through his mind, the explosion, hitting the ground, the dying soldier and
this thug waving a gun and shooting. “For starters, the murder of Private
Richard Collins.”
    Cruz
smirked. “Is that the guy who landed on you?” He made an arching motion with
his free hand that ended with, “Splat.” He laughed, but then locked eyes with
Caden. The thug’s face grew dark and angry. “I want a lawyer.”
    The
three walked from the room and returned to Maria at the nursing station.
    Only
as they approached did Maria lift her gaze from the floor. Tears welled in her
eyes.
    “What
did he say,” Caden asked.
    Her
eyes darted between Caden and Hoover. “Cruz promised to kill both of you and
skin Zach alive.”

 

Chapter Twelve
    Hoover’s
eyes widened. “How did Cruz find out that Zach shot him?”
    “He
hasn’t, not yet anyway, but he sure wants to know and then…do what he said.”
    Caden
sighed deeply. “I’m sorry you heard his sociopathic rant, but I’m glad he
didn’t see you. I have a meeting with the general staff tomorrow in Olympia.
While I’m there I’ll see about getting help tracking down the rest of the
gang.”
    Minutes
later as they exited, Maria stopped and looked up at Caden. “Cruz hates you. He
wants to kill you and destroy everything you have…the farm…me.”
    “He
threatened you? How did he know… . ”
    “Not
directly. He threatened, ‘your woman.’”
    He
smiled that such an independent person as Maria considered herself his woman.
Caden put his arm around her and together they walked toward the car. “Cruz has
already committed crimes that warrant death under the martial law edict. I want
to hold him now and see what intel we can get from
him, but if he tries anything, we’ll hold the tribunal and carry out the
sentence.” He hugged her. “You’re safe.” But as he looked across the parking
lot at the cars, RVs and trailers filled with people more desperate with each
passing day, he knew that Hansen was on the knife edge of violence and chaos.
    She
gave him a long look. “He scares me, but I’m worried about all of us.”
    He
unlocked the car door, and scanned the edges of the lot where a dozen people of
varying ages milled about.  
    Most are probably the
families of patients, with nowhere to go now that Seattle is gone. All looked tired,
gaunt and poor, in clothes that had been worn too long without a wash. Looking
at a group of men around a fire, he thought of desperation and anger. When
several turned and stared at him, Caden said to Maria, “Let’s get home.”
    As
they approached the farmhouse Caden squeezed her hand. “So, when are we getting
married?”
    “I’ve
been thinking about it, but…well, you haven’t agreed to a date.”
    Caden
parked and stepped from the car. “Tomorrow.”
    “What?”
Maria said with a chuckle and exited the car. “You said there were meetings and
a supply run to Olympia on Friday.”
    He
walked to her side. “The next day then.”
    She
laughed. “Let’s give