Free Janet McNulty - Mellow Summers 06 - Where Trouble Roams by Janet McNulty Page A

didn’t see any sign of P oppy.
    Once I reached the middle of town, I dismounted and tied my horse to one of the rails.  Carefully, I placed the bags on my shoulder and walked into the middle of the dirt road.  An image of two cowboys with cigarettes hanging out of their mouths meeting at high noon for a duel filtered through my mind.  Where was Poppy?
    “Hold it right there,” said Poppy as he appeared from an alley.
    Well that answered that question.
    I stopped.  I watched him strut out into the middle of the road dragging Jackie behind.  The look of pain in her face told me that her ankle had gotten worse during this ordeal.
    “You alone?” demanded Poppy as he held a gun to Jackie’s head.
    “Yes,” I replied.
    “I don’t believe you.”
    “My aunt is in her sixties and can hardly move that fast.  And you have the third member of our party so you do the math.”
    “Toss the bags to me,” said Poppy.
    “Let Jackie go first,” I said.
    “Toss me the bags or say good-bye to your friend.”  I heard the click as Poppy cocked the gun.
    Knowing there was nothing else for me to do, I threw the bags to his feet.  ”You have the gold, now let Jackie go.”
    “You must think I’m really stupid,” said Poppy.
    Actually, I had a few other words in mind for what I thought of him.  “Look, you have what you wanted now let her go.”
    “You know I won’t,” said Poppy, “No witnesses.”
    My heart sank.  Things were happening exactly as Jedidiah had said they would.
    “Your aunt will probably die out there in those canyons.  You and her though will be another matter.  By the time they find your bodies out here, there won’t be much of them left.”
    Suddenly, a series of pops that sounded like gun shots went off.  It turned out to be firecrackers, but it served as a big enough distraction.  Poppy whirled around in surprise.  Using this chance Jackie smashed her fists into Poppy’s face at the same time that I tackled him.
    Quickly, I grabbed Jackie and yanked her to her feet ignoring her yelps of pain.  Poppy fired his gun at us.  Bits of wood splintered in our direction as the bullet hit a nearby building just as I pulled Jackie around the corner.  I searched for a place to put her until we could subdue Poppy.  It turned out, that I needn’t have worried.
    Sirens echoed around us as a bunch of cop cars careened into the town.  Sheriff Judson spilled out of the lead car dazed and a bit confused.  I noticed Rachel in the driver’s seat.  The car itself had a crumpled hood, a flat tire, and a broken windshield.  Way to go Rachel.
    Poppy turned and opened fire upon the sheriff and his deputies who promptly returned fire.  Then, out of nowhere a flying feather coat headed straight for Poppy.
    “Shoot my Mellow, will you?” shouted Aunt Ethel as she crashed into the stunned Poppy and knocked his gun out of his hands.  She wrenched him off the ground, placed him over her knee, and spanked him.  I don’t know how she did it, but that woman had some muscle.
    Rachel walked up with a metal bar and placed it in my aunt’s hands.  Of course, all Poppy saw was a metal bar floating through midair to my aunt.  His wide eyes said it all.
    “I’ll teach you to attack my Mellow,” scolded Aunt Ethel as she hit Poppy with the metal bar.  “And what about that Michael Evans, did you kill him?”
    “Yes!  Yes!  Let me go you crazy old bat!”
    Poppy managed to knock my aunt over and sprinted for freedom.  He didn’t count on Rachel, however.  She tripped the man and he crashed into Sheriff Judson who quickly put him in handcuffs.
    “Poppy, I’m arresting you for the murder of Michael Evans, for kidnapping, and attempted murder.  You have the right to remain silent…”
    The sheriff finished reading Poppy his rights as Jackie and I walked over.  Well, Jackie hobbled while leaning on my shoulder.  I handed her over to Aunt Ethel as I picked up the bags with the buried