Chapter 12 #3
"Holy shit!" Doug's voice cracked. "Are those real?" His hand shot toward my palm.
I snapped my fist closed and jerked away from him. "Back off."
Doug's face twisted. "They're not yours."
My jaw tightened. I stood, clutching the pouch. "This is Branson land. Anything found here belongs to me."
Doug rose too, his movements jerky and aggressive. His expression turned feral, lips pulled back from his teeth. "Oh yeah? That man didn't die naturally." He jabbed a finger toward the crack in the skull. "Maybe you put him here."
Heat flared in my chest. "Watch your mouth."
Doug took a step back, his hand flying to the rifle strap on his shoulder. He gripped it tightly, knuckles white. "How do we know you didn't kill him, huh? Convenient, isn't it? Body shows up on your land, holding a fortune."
"I’m warning you!"
Charlie darted between us, her hands raised.
"Cut it out, Doug!" Her voice cracked like a whip.
She gestured at the skeleton. "Look at those bones.
The discoloration, the deterioration. That body's been here at least thirty years, probably longer.
" Her eyes blazed. "So, unless Mitch was a child murderer, he couldn't have killed that poor man. "
"You defending him now?" Doug's jaw clenched, veins standing out in his neck.
"I'm stating facts," Charlie said coldly.
"You're a bloody idiot, mate," I said, forcing my voice to stay level, though my fist was clenched. Every muscle in my body screamed to punch the bastard in the throat.
Doug's hands trembled as he swung the rifle off his shoulder. The barrel came up, wavering between me and Charlie. His pupils were blown wide, his breathing ragged and shallow. "We all found that jewelry. We share them. Equal split."
My heart hammered, but I kept my voice flat. "We're not sharing a damn thing."
Doug's finger moved to the trigger. The gleam in his eyes turned desperate. "Then I'm taking them."
"Doug? What the hell!" Charlie's breath caught in her throat.
"Put the gun down," I said calmly, the way I'd talk to a spooked horse.
In the corner of my eye, Charlie stiffened. Her hands curled into fists at her sides.
"Don't do it, Doug." I adjusted my stance, ready to tackle the stupid bastard.
There was no reasoning with him anymore. Whatever grip he'd had on sanity, he'd lost it.
The rifle steadied in his hands.
"Doug, please." Charlie's voice shook, but she didn't move.
"Everyone, calm down." I raised one hand slowly, keeping the other closed around the jewel pouch. "Nobody needs to get hurt here."
"Give me the goddammed jewels," Doug said, voice cracking. "Now."
I met Charlie's eyes. She was terrified. Her chest rose and fell too fast; her hands shook despite her clenched fists. Yet she didn't back down.
"Doug," I said carefully. "Think about what you're doing."
"I have thought about it." His voice pitched higher. "I need those jewels."
"What? Why?" Charlie asked, her voice high-pitched.
Doug's gaze flickered between us. Sweat beaded on his forehead. "I owe people. Bad people. And if I don't pay them back—" His voice broke. "My daughter and I are dead."
The desperation in his voice was real, but so was the rifle pointed at my chest.
"We can figure this out," I said. "Just put the gun down."
Doug shook his head. "No. Give me the jewels, or I'll?—"
"You'll what?" I took a step forward. "Shoot us both?"
"Mitch, don't," Charlie whispered.
"He's not going to shoot anyone," I said, not breaking eye contact with Doug. "Are you, mate?"
Doug's hands trembled harder. The rifle barrel dipped, then jerked back up.
"You're not a killer," I continued, voice low and steady. "You're scared. I get it. But this isn't the way."
Doubt flickered across Doug's face. Then his jaw set. "I don't have a choice."
"There's always a choice."
"Not for me." Doug's finger tightened on the trigger.
My muscles coiled, ready to shove Charlie out of the way, and charge at the stupid bastard.
"Stop!" Charlie's shout echoed off the cave walls. "Just... wait."
Doug's attention snapped to her.
"When we get out of this cave and get back to civilization, we can figure out what to do with the jewels then. Together."
"You think I'm stupid?" Doug released a bitter laugh. "You'll call the cops."
"No," Charlie said. "We won't. I promise."
"Your promises don't mean shit."
"You want the jewels?" I asked. "You can have them when you lower the damn gun."
"I'm not an idiot," he yelled so loudly the tendons in his neck bulged.
"Doug." Charlie raised her hands, trying to calm him. "The storm isn't over, and the cave could still flood, remember? You want to navigate these caves alone in the dark?"
Doug's gaze shot to the tunnel we'd come through. Water still echoed from somewhere beyond.
Charlie pressed on. "We need each other to get out of here. All three of us. So, let's just get through the night. Please."
The rifle wavered.
I stayed perfectly still, barely breathing.
Every instinct screamed at me to go for the gun now, before things got worse.
But Charlie's eyes pleaded with me to back down.