The Hum (24 page)

Thinking the two women and children already dead, Amanda sat in between them, holding the heads of the kids in her lap. Rocking gently back and forth, she prayed they’d somehow make it through this nightmare.

CHAPTER
39

Pulling out her phone, Amanda thanked God she now had service and dialed 911 to report the horrible scene that was now embedded in her mind forever.

“Wise County Sheriff’s Office. Is this an emergency?”

“Yes! You need to get the police and fire department here immediately.”

“Please calm down, ma’am. Where are you located?” Bonnie asked.

“I was driving through the area and happened upon a fire.  The address is 294 Lonesome Pine Road.  You have to hurry.  Only two of the six people are still breathing.”

“Oh, no.” Bonnie said, realizing Russell’s address. “We’ll get someone there right away, ma’am.  Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.  Just hurry!” Amanda replied.

*         *         *

The light felt like it was piercing its way into Russell’s very soul. His head ached, and his lungs felt like they were on fire.  He coughed, and noticed the oxygen mask covering his face.  And then it all came rushing back in on him.  “Sam? Sam? Mom? Dad?”

“Relax, Sheriff.” The seasoned doctor said.

“Where’s my family?  My kids? Are they okay?” Russell asked, knowing the answer.

“They didn’t make it, Russell.”

Recognizing  the  voice,  Russell  looked  around the  doctor  and  noticed  Bonnie  standing  near  the door.  “They’re dead?  All of them?”

“I’m afraid so, Russell. I got the call from a woman who happened to be passing by the area and saw the smoke coming from your home.”

“My dad?  He was alive when I pulled him out of the house.”

“He’s gone too, Russell. He made it to the hospital, but died shortly thereafter.”

“He lost a lot of blood, Sheriff Jent.  We tried to save him, but...” The doctor added.

The room started to spin around him.  Russell’s mind clouded over with anger.  They took his family, his only reason for living. He yelled, “No! Why?  Why would they do this?”

The doctor slowly backed away, afraid to get too close to him.  Two orderlies rushed into the room and secured him arms. Satisfied that the Sheriff wouldn’t wrap his hands around his neck, the doctor hesitantly moved in and stuck a needle in his arm. “This will help you get the rest you need in order to recover, Sheriff.” Russell felt his vision begin to blur, and Bonnie’s face started to fade into oblivion. Before he knew it, sleep took him. But it wasn’t a peaceful sleep. He kept rehashing the attack from Sheriff Bowman and Kevin Black. In the dream, he tried to jump in front of his family, to take the shotgun blasts for them, but they somehow managed to shoot around him. He felt helpless, as he watched them fall to the floor, one by one. He awoke with a start, but slowly calmed as he realized it was only a dream—wasn’t it? He prayed it was.

Removing the mask, Russell sat up and looked around his small room. He noticed the IV needle sticking out of his hand and yanked it free. Slowly and with the aid of the side of the bed, he helped himself onto his feet. The walk from the bed to the closet was harder than he thought it should’ve been, his stomach feeling like it was stretched to its limit.  Looking down, he noticed the bandage there. Remembering the round of buckshot he’d taken, he wondered how much damage had been inflicted on him during the attack.

Disregarding his pain, Russell grabbed his boots from the closet and pulled them onto his feet.  He assumed they’d burned his clothes, the blood and bullet wounds making them no longer fit for wear.

The door suddenly burst open, and in rushed the doctor with Deputy Ramos on his heels.

“And where do you think you’re going, Sheriff?” The doctor said.

“Back to work.” Russell said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“You can’t leave yet, Sheriff. You took in a lot of carbon monoxide.  Your lungs aren’t strong enough yet.”

“I’ll be the judge of that, Doc.”

“Can you talk some sense into him?” The doctor said to Deputy Ramos.

“You really should rest, Sheriff.  Your body is still recovering.”

“I’m fine, Deputy.” Russell said flatly.

Heading out the door with the doctor and Deputy Ramos on his heels, Russell had only one thing on his mind: Find Sheriff Bowman and Kevin Black and put a bullet in each of their heads.  He no longer heard their protests.  His mind was elsewhere.

Outside, Deputy Ramos jumped in front of him and said, “Sheriff, there’s something else you should know. They also killed your friend from the FBI, Dean Mason.”

The words didn’t immediately register to Russell.

“What?”

“The manager of the hotel he was staying in called and reported it two days ago. Your friend was found murdered in one of the rooms in the hotel. They slit his throat.”

“What?” Russell asked in shock.  “Dean is dead too? They’re all gone.”

“All? What do you mean?” Deputy Ramos asked. “Sam, my kids, mom, dad. All of them.”

“What are you talking about? Sam and your kids are alive—they’re still recovering from their wounds in the intensive care unit.” Deputy Ramos said.

Russell was dumbstruck. He couldn’t believe it; they’d made it. Earlier had all been a dream. He quickly turned and headed back inside towards the ICU. Ramos was saying something behind him, but Russell wasn’t hearing a word. He was on a mission: he had to find his family, be there when they woke up.

Later, Russell would learn that his mother and father hadn’t made it out alive, that the attack by Kevin Black and Sheriff Bowman had taken both of their lives. He’d make it his life’s mission to take them down, to burn the entire town of Taos down to the ground if he had to.

For now, he was content just being with Sam, holding his kids and being thankful they were alive.