Chapter Thirty-One
Bethany
My heart was in my throat as Colton bravely wrestled with Frank over the knife, splashing in the cold river in a battle of life and death. I had to help him. He was risking his life to save mine, but I couldn't live without him if Frank killed him.
Fearing for Colton's life gave me the strength I needed to finally lift the heavy pile of rocks and debris that had ensnared my foot. With a mighty heave, I lifted it off my foot and threw it far into the water. At long last, I was free.
I bolted forward several feet and reached for the gun still lying on the riverbed. I'd never held a gun before and was surprised by how heavy it felt in my hand. I cocked it back, praying I'd done it right. My heart was pounding in my chest so rapidly, I thought it might burst.
I turned around just in time to see Frank lean over and grab Colton by the collar of his shirt, jerking him up out of the water. The knife glinted in Frank's hand as he moved to slit Colton's throat.
Without thinking, I held the gun high above my head, closed my eyes, and pulled the trigger. The barrel was pointed straight up in the sky, and the gun kicked back with surprising force as the bullet fired through the air with a deafening bang.
It startled Frank enough to let go of Colton, dropping him back into the water.
"Now take it easy," Frank said to me with his hands held up in a position of surrender, still gripping the knife.
"Are you all right?" I called out to Colton.
"I'm better now that I know you're okay" He smiled at me with relief. I had the gun pointed right at Frank's chest, and Colton removed the knife from him handily, saying, "I'll take that."
"What do we do now?" I asked, still pointing the gun at my father. My knees were shaking, but my hands were surprisingly steady, giving a false impression of confidence and calm. The sky had to turned to dusk around us, giving the moment a magical feel…or perhaps I was experiencing an adrenaline high.
"I'll tie him up, and we'll take him to William," Colton said. He tucked Frank's knife into his own belt loop while my father groaned with misery. Colton slapped him on the shoulder as he guided him out of the river and onto the shore, saying to him, "My brother will arrest you for attempted murder."
Following them onto the shore, I pitched in, "Not to mention cattle rustling and arson."
Colton's eyes grew wide with surprise. He looked at me and said, "If he's smart, he'll make a deal and tell my brother where the missing cattle are. If not, he'll get the harshest sentence the law will allow. Either way, he's going to spend a long time behind bars."
"He sold them already, but I think I know where stashed the cash. We spent a lot of time together these past few weeks, and he always got nervous when we'd pass by one particular tree. I have a feeling if you search there, you'll find it." I could tell from the glare in Frank's eye that I was right, and Colton kissed me with gratitude.
Colton found Whiskey standing on the river's edge and pulled a length of rope from the quarter-horse's saddlebag. As Colton prepared to tie the rope around Frank’s wrists, I finally let myself relax. My knees felt watery, and I collapsed onto a fallen tree log with the gun in my lap and my head in my hands.
Colton fumbled with the rope, and within a fraction of a second, Frank took advantage of the situation, just like I'd done to him earlier. He grabbed the knife from Colton's belt loop, grabbed him by the throat, and held the deadly blade to his neck, twisting his arm painfully behind him so he couldn't fight.
"I've got a better plan," Frank snarled, pressing the knife against Colton's tender flesh right below his Adams apple. "How about I kill the two of you, take that horse, grab my money, and go someplace far away? No one will ever know what happened when they find your dead bodies, if they ever do."
"Don't forget, I still have this." I pointed my gun directly at Frank, but he held Colton right in front of his body like a shield and I was afraid to shoot. The chances of hitting Colton were just too great.
"Drop the gun or I'll slit his damn throat right here,” Frank shouted.
"You're going to kill us both anyway," I said in a shaky voice.
"If you put the gun down, I'll let you both live. I'll tie you to a tree and just take off," Frank promised. Colton struggled in his grip, but Frank twisted his arm until it nearly broke, forcing him to be still, and pierced the tip of knife deeper into his neck until a drop of blood appeared.
"He's lying," Colton choked.
I knew he was, but what choice did I have? A thin line of blood was now trickling down Colton's throat where the knife pressed.
"Okay," I said. I bent forward as if I were going to set down the gun. When I got low enough, I had a clear line of sight of Frank's boot. I pulled the trigger and fired.
Frank screamed in pain and surprise as the bullet pierced through his foot. The knife fell from his hand as he collapsed onto the ground, screaming out and clutching his bleeding foot. Colton grabbed the knife, removing it from Frank's reach. It was clear that Frank had lost.
Colton turned and looked at me with love shining in his hazel-green eyes. He held out his arms, and I ran into them.
"Are you all right?" I asked him.
"You saved my life." He pulled me into his arms and kissed me with a passionate embrace.
It had been a terrifying ordeal wondering if Frank would kill me, Colton, or the both of us. We'd made it through alive, and I knew now that nothing else mattered in this world besides our love for each other. With tears of joy in my eyes, I wrapped my arms around him and kissed him back.