I know you've been anxiously awaiting the release of The Missing Piece. The publish date will be sometime winter 2021/2022 as promised. Probably more 2022 than 2021.
How about another teaser to whet your appetite?
The Missing Piece
Rob expels every explicit you can think of as he tries to free himself from my trap. Each spear isn’t heavy, but tie eight of them together in two rows, and I couldn’t lift it. I had to drag the assembled pointy objects into place. I’m a weakling compared to Rob. I stand by and watch the big man as he tries to lift his legs off the ground. A sloshing sound escapes his wounds as he tries to lift one, then the other. With each attempt, suction pulls his legs back down, sinking the weapons deeper. At least four are now deep into his thigh muscles and probably hitting bone.
His face gets redder with each attempt to free himself as he continues to come up with creative names for me. He squeezes his eyes so tight, the slits are full of nothing but wrinkles. I’m sure it’s partly because of the pain. Then there’s probably a bit of pissed-off mixed in as well. Like, ‘How dare you spoil my plan, bitch.’ Only bitch is too nice a word for him to use.
His hands slip out from under him multiple times as he tries to lift himself. I’d never see him do a push-up when we were together. Maybe he should have done a few while he was on his medical leave. He’s stuck—he can’t move. I guess you could say I spearheaded my problem. LOL, I crack myself up.
I know I shouldn’t laugh, but I just can’t help it. Maniacal hysteria? Have I gone mad? As I double over, trying to catch my breath I begin to wonder. My eyes would most likely be fountains about now if I weren’t so dehydrated. They do cloud over though. As I wipe them, I see Sanford slithering toward me. I lay my hand on the ground. He makes a beeline for it, curling up comfortably as I gently close my fingers around him. “You did so good. And you didn’t get hurt. Thank God. I didn’t want to think about it—two animals dead because of me is already two too many.”
As I run my fingers from his head down his scales, I catch Rob’s wide eyes looking up at me. His jaw would probably be two inches lower, but the strange angle he finds himself in makes it impossible to look me in the eye and open his mouth at the same time.
“Didn’t think I had it in me, did you? You made me a promise thirteen years ago to get even—and you have. I don’t have that long. Hell, I don’t have thirteen hours. So let me make a promise of my own. Your only chance of surviving is by helping me get our kids, and Suzie back. Tell me where they are and how to get out of this godforsaken place to rescue them. If you don’t, I’ll let you bleed out here for the animals to feast upon. I’ll even leave Stanford here to keep you company if you like.” I push my hand towards Rob, causing him to flinch and look away. Another loud ‘slurp’ comes from one of his legs in another feeble attempt to escape. The scream that hits the air is enough to send the birds from the surrounding trees in flight. Guess his endorphins are wearing off. That’s what I need—him to be in pain.
Even though I’m pretty sure he can’t reach me, I step far around him and into the shack. His shotgun is sitting up in the corner in its usual spot. I grab it and pull back to chamber a bullet as I step outside.
Rob lifts his head, narrowing his eyes at me. “Bitch, go ahead, kill me. You may think you’ll survive this. There’s no radio and no vehicle. You ain’t getting out of here alive. I’ll go to my grave knowing I sent your brats to a lifetime of hell and there’s nothing you can do about it. You’ll never see them again. You’re right—I fulfilled my promise.”
This isn’t exactly how I planned this part to go down. “They’re your fucking kids too, asshole!” I pull the gun back and slam it against the side of his head. As I stand there, watching blood seep from the wound I just caused, I realize I’ve stepped within the danger zone—just inside his reach. I jump back quickly, thanking God he’s out cold. I can’t make that mistake again.
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