Westly and Oliver rushed to the Supra. Westly snapped his phone shut, sliding it back into his pocket.

“She’s not picking up,” he barked.

“Maybe Yan is messing with you. That is his-”

“I wasn’t certain before, but I am now. He wanted to see my face. He wanted me to know what he did. Son of bitch.”

Westly held his hand up as Oliver tossed him the keys. The two of them boarded the Supra as Westly tore out of the parking lot.

“Get Buckley on the phone, I want to know if he’s with Holly.”

Oliver quickly punched in the number. Westly white knuckled the steering wheel, holding his breath, trying to break free from the marijuana, even though it had grasped his brain. They were barely out of the parking lot. Oliver motioned to him.

“Ethan it’s Olivier list-” Oliver started before Westly took the phone from him.

“Buckley is Holly with you! No? Where is she! Goddamn it. Alright, where are you? Someone just poisoned Pike’s kid. Yeah, no shit! Just keep Brandon safe till I get there! Also call in officer support on the Olenick Estate!”

Westly hung up the phone and tossed it back to Oliver. Oliver looked at him with concern.

“Wes…perhap-”

“Lucas needed Pike to exact revenge on Olenick. When Pike took the high road, he needed to up the ante. Pike isn’t going to let this slide and anyone in the crosshairs is fair game. Call her again!”

Oliver nodded as Westly violently turned the car onto the highway. Westly’s head was spinning from the dose of weed that was flooding his system, clouding his thoughts. He needed to stay out in front. He bit his lip and slammed the wheel hard. Oliver looked at him timidly.

“Who is Jet Matsui?”

“Not now!”

Turning off the highway, he wove in between the lanes carelessly, ignoring the barrage of horns and screams. Spotting Buckley’s car nested in a motel parking lot, he parked the Supra up on the curb, jumping out and rushing the car. Buckley followed suit and stood in the way.

“He in there?!” Westly shouted.

“Hold up Wes! Yes. I have him. He copped to beating his brother. Seemed proud to admit it too but he didn’t admit murdering. I just got off the phone with an officer who just stopped by Pike’s they are said all their kids are healthy. You must have heard a prank!”

Westly pushed past him and headed for the car.

“Open your eyes Buckley! They don’t want to tip off the cops if they plan to kill the man they think did it.”

“Wes! Oliver, talk some sense into your client before I arrest him for wasting police resources.”

“Wes thinks the person who gave him this information purposely did it as a taunt,” Oliver begged.

“An who might that be?” Buckley asked.

“Well it came in the form of a letter.”

“So, you don’t know?”

“No, we know it is just…there is no way to prove it.”

“Great. Hey!”

Westly pulled open the car, grabbing Brandon by the collar and throwing him on the pavement. Brandon laughed.

“Something wrong Straight Razor?”

Westly picked him up and pinned him against the car.

“How’d he do it? How is that asshole one step ahead of me?”

“Wow took you long enough to get there.” Brandon giggled.

“Listen you little shit! I don’t know what he promised you but it’s a joke.”

“Is it? I get everything I want! Once Pike kills my parents guess who gets the entire estate. Go on guess. I’ll give you hint he’s the only one here who isn’t a complete idiot.”

Westly kicked him in the ribs, sinking him to his knees. He laughed.

“Please keep it up. It will help my claim of admission under duress. “The crazy man started punching me I had to admit to what he wanted.” Give it up Straight Razor, he won,” he said mockingly.

Westly lifted his foot to kick him again when Oliver called out to him.

“Wes! Leave him! We need to find Holly!”

Brandon smiled.

“He knew you were creature of habit and you played your part perfectly. So, thank you.”

Westly snarled and walked away. Buckley picked up Brandon and put him back in the car. Rubbing his head, he approached Westly.

“Great job, he’s going to say I gave him those bruises. He’ll be out on bail by the end of the week. I’ll take him to lock up, I suggest you confer with your lawyer on how you are going to explain this assault.”

He patted Westly on the shoulder.

“I hope she’s okay, I really do.”

Buckley got into his car and drove out of the parking lot. Westly rushed back to his Supra with Oliver quickly behind him.

“Wes what do you want to do-”

“He’s right. I am creature of habit; he knew once I found the Hunter’s Moon, the first person I would call is Holly. It’s how he knew about our conversation in the Wolves’ Den. It’s how he knew where to tip off Pike when we were discussing him in Genesee. Son of a bitch bugged his own daughter, knowing full well I would take her everywhere except to him. He played me.”

The two fell silent save for the loud rush of cars whizzing by. Westly gripped his hood tightly, staring at the tires.

“He needs Olenick dead,” he said finally.

“What?” Oliver chirped.

“He didn’t pull out of the land deal. He decided to remove the obstacle. He told Brandon he could kill his father if Brandon agreed to sell him the land at his price.”

“That is a big leap Wes.”

“It finally makes sense. All we have to do is keep Olenick alive.”

Westly inhaled and walked to the back of the Supra, clicking open the trunk he pulled out a double barrel shotgun. He walked back to Oliver.

“Take an Uber back to Colorado Springs. This ends tonight.”

Oliver nodded reluctantly.

“Please bring her back in one piece.”

“She’s probably thinking the same of me,” Westly joked.

The two shook hands and Westly stepped back into his Supra and pulled away. The sun was starting to set, and he knew it was a matter of minutes before the world would be completely dark. Turning back on the highway, he ran over the steps to get to the Olenick’s estate. He was coming down off his high. He kicked himself, as he knew Lucas was aware of that habit as well. He pulled out his phone and tried for a third time to reach Holly. The phone rang and rang but nothing. He growled under his breath as he dialed again. The empty echo was drowned out in his ears by the ever-rising fear. The ringing stopped.

“Yeah, it’s me I need a favor. You call on me in the next year. No matter what it is I will do it for free. Please,” he pleaded.

Westly closed his eyes, opening them weakly

“Thank you. I need support at the Olenick Estate. How soon can you get there? Okay,” he nodded and hung up

He pulled off the highway back to the well-manicured lawns and rich facades. Unlike that morning the darkness created a weird sinister feeling around them. Spotting the sign for the Olenick’s Estate, he turned down the road down into the groves, spinning down into their large mismatched courtyard. Halfway down to the courtyard he spotted a sight he hoped would not be there. Taking up the entirety of the courtyard was 3 Ford F-350s. One white, one red, one blue. To the right of the courtyard were two police cars. The doors open but no one in sight. He put the car in park and exited.

Moving slowly down the hill, he took cover behind the modern art statue. A large chunk had broken off like it was shot off. He held his breath, peering ever so slightly around the back hedges. Changing his view to the entryway, he could see the door was knocked off its hinges. Several windows were broken, and the landing was littered with shells; holding his breath he headed for the door. He made it to the frame, crouching down, he stared into living room. From his position he could see three to four bodies draped over the furniture. Guns, knives. and clubs filled the room but Westly couldn’t see anyone. Holding his breath, he stepped in. Roxie and Graham were lying dead on the floor. Four of Pike’s men were dead on the couches and chairs. One of the officers was dead against the bookcase. Large volumes had fallen out, creating a pile around the corpse. Westly turned his head to the kitchen. Two more officers lay dead on the kitchen floor. The loud sound of stabbing clicked against the tile.

Westly moved into the kitchen. As he looked over the counter, he spotted her. Pike’s wife Bethany was stabbing Olenick’s wife in the throat. She was clearly dead and seemed to have been for some time. Bethany’s right leg was broken and dripping blood. She turned her cold green eyes up to Westly.

“They hurt my little girl. They all needed to pay.”

“Where is Zackary, Bethany?” Westly growled.

“He’s outside…finishing it all. No one hurts my baby.

She dug the knife in again, severing off more and more of the flesh. Westly held his breath and moved towards the door. The glass door was cracked, Olenick’s putter wedged in the middle of window. He slid the door open, walking slowly outside to the putting green at the base of the property. Pike’s well-fitted suit and burly beard stood out on the grass like the grim reaper, slowly putting a small number of golf balls towards the hole. Instead of a hole there was Olenick hogtied with his mouth open. The golf balls would roll slowly until they clicked against his teeth. Holly was thrown on the base of the rough, hogtied as well, with an American flag bandana lodged in her mouth. Pike putted one last putt before turning to Westly, pulling a long revolver out of his belt as he did.

“She said you would come. Please put the shotgun down Mr. Gibbons,” he said in a slow, drawn out tone.

“Yeah I can’t do that Zack.”

He smiled slowly, turning the revolver to Holly, and fired a single shot. The bullet met the grass next to her temple, causing her to roll quickly away from the area. Westly threw up his hands.

“Alright!”

He slowly leaned the shotgun on the ground, not taking his eyes off Pike, who continued to kick golf balls at Olenick while spinning the revolver around carelessly.

“My little girl is in critical condition…Did you know that Mr. Gibbons?”

“Yes.”

“If you would. Inform me how you are aware of that information.”

“The man who poisoned her told me,” Westly said, exasperated.

Pike turned to him with a glare, pointing the revolver at him.

“I don’t believe you…she was poisoned with Sunshine. MY SUNSHINE! You’re the only one I can think of who is slippery enough to pull that off,” he growled.

Lowering the revolver, he walked over to Holly, standing over her with the barrel just above her eye.

“Either it was you or it was him. I don’t intend to waste my time with either of your lies.”

He pulled the hammer back and tightened his grip. As he prepared to pull the trigger, the familiar sound of a Harley Davidson roared in the darkness causing Pike to jerk his head up. Westly smiled.

“I may have tipped off one of your rivals to your locations. From where I am standing, you don’t have a lot of support. You could perform a last stand, but I don’t think that is your style, is it Zack?” He mocked.

The roaring grew louder as lights lit up the front of the house. Pike’s lower lip curled, his hand shaking on the gun. With one final huff he ran into the darkness, disappearing into the foliage, dropping the club as he ran. Westly ran to Holly and quickly untied her. Three motorcycles came around the bend. Myron atop his Fatboy with Kane next him and a third rider whose face was covered. Westly pointed into the darkness.

“That way.”

Myron nodded to the other two and they kicked their bikes in gear and rode into the foliage after him. Myron stared at the house. A look of genuine horror flashed briefly on his face.

“Pike did all that? Goddamn Jesus,” Myron muttered.

Pulling a knife from his belt, he cut Holly’s bonds. Her eyes grew wide and she extended her finger towards the house. She ripped the bandana out her mouth and screamed.

“Behind you!”

Before Westly or Myron could turn, the shot rang out in the darkness making both them tumble backwards. Westly hit the sod, rolling over to see where the attack came from. As his gaze met the house, he saw Bethany aiming a pistol. She was using the frame of the door as a crutch. Myron out of reflexes, brandished his Sig out of his side holster and fired. Given that he was off balance, the bullet met Bethany’s good leg sending her to the ground. She screamed with pain and delight.

“I got the bastard,” she howled.

Westly looked over to the hole. His heart sank when he saw. Olenick’s eyes were wide and empty with blood filling them as it drained from his forehead like a faucet. Bethany rolled on the grass screaming and laughing with every turn. The loud echo of sirens filled the cold dark night. Myron rushed to his bike and hopped on. He glared one final time at Westly.

“You owe me Straight Razor,” he bellowed.

Kicking the kickstand up, he followed his men into the trees. Soon the entire area was filled with police surrounding the house and all the inhabitants. Bethany was rushed to the hospital, still gargling the words “I did it” as she was taken away. The paramedics threw a shock blanket around Holly, taking her in to apply salve to her wounds. Westly gave his statement, reluctant as the police were, they did not arrest him, but he knew he wouldn’t leaving anytime soon. Slowly walking to the sculpture in the main courtyard, he leaned his head against it and fell asleep.

He was not sure how long he was out. The loud sound of his phone buzzing woke him up. He opened it up to see it was a blocked number. He answered.

“I am amazed you are still alive,” came the hollow voice from the other end.

“Lucas,” Westly gargled.

“I have three reasons for my call. The first was suggest you learn the importance of making an appointment. Perhaps then you wouldn’t have to swear in my lobby. The second is to give you some bad news. Brandon Olenick hung himself in his cell about an hour ago. Poor kid was distraught with guilt of the news of his parents, he couldn’t face the world anymore.”

Westly fought the urge to cry, holding the phone tight to his chest.

“Westly are you still there?”

“What’s the third thing?”

“The third is to thank you. Without your help I don’t think all of the Olenicks would be dead. It really was a godsend, thank you. You see Brandon, who, rest his soul, was troubled. So troubled in fact he was willing to sell me the entire estate at the time of his death for the promise that his brother, his father, and his mother all died. I was hoping someone like him would have gotten help, but I guess those demons got the better of him. Anyway, rumor has it the police will find information on his person which will lead them to his uncle’s stash of Sunshine, which in turn should lead them to Pike’s surplus. Not the one he and Myron keep at my factory that Patrick, or as you call him, Turnip, was nice enough to procure, but enough to keep DPD satisfied with your work. A treat for a job well done.”

“Fuck you!” Westly blurted.

“Westly, don’t mistake your familiar relationship with my daughter as compassion. I hoped you wouldn’t make it out tonight. Next time you won’t be so lucky. So, in the meantime enjoy life and a very nice payday. Sleep well.”

The hollow voice vanished as the call ended. Westly let the phone fall out of his hand onto the grass.