“My sister...Rhonda Knight,” Ron said, hoping the good doctor would save him the trouble of searching each and every patient room. He was certain the lawmen had warned everyone to be on the lookout for him, but something about this man told Ron that he was in the clear. The doctor didn't strike him as the type of person who cared for humanity.

  “Room 109,” was the reply as he turned, and walked away, completely ignoring what the state police had told him. He wasn't the type of man who liked cops and certainly wasn't going to take orders from them.

  Ron grinned and hurried away. When he reached the nurses’ station he spotted a woman looking to be in her early thirties reading a newspaper. The woman relieved a very exhausted Jessie and was engrossed in some article. She didn't even notice Ron slip into room 109. “Time to die,” Ron hissed with his gun at the ready. A single light was on in the room, casting a dim beam down onto a hospital bed that appeared to be holding a sleeping person. Ron eased over to the bed, grabbed the sheet, and yanked it back. “What!” he yelled.

  A pile of pillows greeted Ron. One of them had a note attached to it. Ron snatched the note off the pillow and read: “Come back to Gold Peak. We're waiting.” Ron's eyes began dripping with lava. “No,” he ground out through his teeth, ran out into the hallway, and snatched the newspaper away from the bored nurse. “Where is the patient in room 109?” he demanded.

  The nurse, shocked at such a violent attack, stared up at Ron. “Should be in her room. I just checked on her,” she insisted without confessing that her way of checking on a patient was simply peeking her head into the room—and Jessie knew this; and depended on it.

  “She's not in her room,” Ron voiced and slung the newspaper at the nurse, and then, realizing he had let his temper cause him trouble, knew he had to silence the nurse. He raised his gun into the air and pointed at a supply closet. “Move,” he ordered.

  The nurse's eyes grew wide with fear. “Please—” she began to beg.

  “I'm not going to kill you,” Ron tried to calmly say by reducing his tone, “now move.” The nurse nodded her head, did as ordered, and walked to the supply closet. Ron locked her inside and vanished back outside into the rain. He ran to the Dodge Charger, jumped into the driver's seat, and sped away with murder in his eyes. “You're all going to die...in the mine...a dark and watery death...you're all going to die,” he promised.

  Far away Rita opened her eyes, saw Rhonda asleep next to her, and drifted off back to sleep. Billy, bless his heart, sat fully awake in the passenger seat. He was busy thinking about Gold Peak.

  Chapter Nine

  Ron called Rhonda's cell phone as he raced down a dark highway. Rita picked up. “Hello,” she said, waking up from her sleep. “I'm assuming you've found your note?”

  Billy, who was now sitting on the bed close to Rhonda and Chester, leaned forward and listened. “You're all going to die,” Ron threatened Rita. “Maybe not tonight...but I'll strike when you least expect it.”

  Rita glanced at Billy. Billy waited. “Go back to Gold Peak and we'll finish your sick game,” she told Ron in a calm voice.

  “I'm not stupid, cop,” Ron growled. “I don't walk into traps.”

  Rita assumed Ron would resist her request. However, she was prepared for his objection. Whispering away from the phone said, “Okay, Billy, do your stuff.”

  Billy took the phone, nodded and went to work. “Boy, are you turning yellow on me?” he asked in a mocking voice. “You ain't got enough guts to face me but you can go and bully a woman? Why, you're nothing but a yellow-belly loser.”

  Ron felt his cheeks turn red with rage. “Shut your mouth!” he yelled.

  “Now mention Samantha...hit him where it hurts,” Rita whispered.

  Billy sighed sadly. He didn't want to disrespect the memory of a dead woman but knew he had to lure a snake back to its hole. “Samantha sure was a sweet girl,” he said. “She sure didn't like the smell coming from you, though. No sir, she sure thought you were one disgusting skunk. That's why she took my arm instead of yours. Yes sir, that sure must have stung you deep,” Billy said and then added a cherry on top of the cake: “After I knocked you silly, of course. My fists sure didn’t taste good, did they? Nah, I wouldn't reckon they would...but you would know better than me because you tasted them first hand.”

  Ron spotted an exit, zoomed down the off ramp, raced into the dark parking lot of a closed gas station, and jumped out of the Dodge Charger. “I'm going to kill everyone on your farm, Billy Boy! I'm going to stalk them...hunt them down...and kill them, do you hear me!” he screamed.

  “Sure, sure,” Billy said, “cause you ain't got the guts to come and fight a real man. Nah, you sure don't. Instead you're going to continue crawling in the dirt like the real snake you are.” Billy closed his eyes and saw Jose appeared in his mind. These next words ain't real, son...just words to catch a killer, he thought and then said: “I reckon I care more about my own life than I do the people back at my farm. Reckon you'll go on killing but you'll sure never find me if you do. And it's like my gal said...it's me you've been wanting, but if you go on killing you'll spend the rest of your filthy life empty handed. I'll make you chase me all over the world and run you into the ground doing it, too. And in the end, boy, you'll go into your grave empty handed and defeated. It's best if you just go back to Gold Peak and fight me face to face cause if you don't I'll vanish into the wind and only show my face when I want to toy with you a bit.”

  Ron kicked the car. Billy Northfield now had the upper hand—and worse, Ron thought, the man wasn't as stupid as he looked. Ron knew Billy was fully capable of vanishing into the wind. “If I lose him...I lose the game,” he hissed. “I have to show everyone that Ron Bufford beat them all!”

  Billy opened his eyes. “What's your answer boy?”

  “I'm not walking into a trap,” Ron replied.

  “No trap,” Billy promised. “No cops...except the two gals I have with me.” Billy lowered his eyes and looked down at his work boots. “Cops mess things up...cops with no sense, I mean. Those two fellas back at the hospital are a prime example. No sir, you and me need to finish our fight man to man. That is if you've got the guts.”

  “Oh, I have the guts, Billy boy. I'm not a scrawny broom stick anymore. I've grown some muscles,” Ron promised Billy and began slowly pacing back and forth beside the vehicle. “How do I know you're telling me the truth?” he asked.

  “Cause I don't lie,” Billy snapped, surprising everyone in the truck. “And I'm mighty tired of running up and down these roads. I swear if you hurt anyone I love I'll make you suffer in ways you can't imagine. I'll go on every television show there is and run your cowardly name into the mud...I'll make sure every newspaper in this country turns your name into a laughing stock...and even worse, I'll begin hunting you down like the dog you are. But trust me, when I find you, I'll let you live and just leave a few crumbs behind for you to follow me.”

  Rita stared at Billy in shock. She didn't see a sweet man anymore. Instead she saw a fierce warrior. “Good for you, Billy,” she whispered, raised her hand and gave him a thumb’s up sign.

  Ron wasn't so pleased. The idea of spending the rest of his life playing cat and mouse while his name was being turned into a laughing stock sent rage through his dark heart. And even worse...he was beginning to feel trapped...and panicked. Suddenly Ron Bufford, the killer who was always in control, was losing it. “I'm going to kill you.”

  “Then come on and do it,” Billy growled. “I can assure you this fight won't involve no one but you and me. The best man wins.”

  Something in Billy's voice—a deep anger—told Ron that his opponent was actually speaking the truth. “You're mad because I killed Samantha...yes, that's it,” Ron revealed. “You really did like her.”

  “I barely knew the girl,” Billy growled. “She was a sweet girl with a good way about her and sure didn't deserve to die by the likes of you. So yeah, I'm mighty angry that you killed that sweet girl.”

  “Then let's finish this, Billy Boy,” Ron said with confidence. “You and me...alone...at Gold Peak.”

  “Not alone,” Billy informed Ron. “Three people will be with me. My two gals and a friend I just made. I'm telling you this because I ain't no liar.” Billy looked up at Rita. “My friends will stay near the town and I'll go to that old gold mine alone. We'll do our fighting there.”

  Ron felt that Billy—the hillbilly farmer from Georgia—was telling the truth. He grinned. “When I kill you, Billy, I'm going to finish your friends,” he promised.

  “Change the record, punk,” Billy snapped. “You sound like a pathetic piece of trash.”

  “Don't you ever say that again!” Ron screamed. “Don't you ever insult Ron Bufford--”

  “Oh shut up and get your backside to Gold Peak,” Billy sharply said and ended the call. “I reckon that should lure the snake back,” he said in a tired voice.

  “You did good, Billy,” Rhonda said in a sweet voice and gently patted Billy's side with her good hand.

  “Yes, you did,” Rita assured Billy. She looked deep into his eyes and...fell in love. “You're a good man.”

  “A good man,” Zach agreed. “I don't call many people my friend because I don't trust hardly anyone. But Billy, I know that I can trust you.”

  Billy blushed. “Well...” he said and nervously dropped his eyes. “I ain't much.”

  “We'll see,” Zach said as he got behind the wheel and back on the road. A short time later, feeling zonked out from so much happening he parked in the same dirt parking lot Rita and Billy had parked in. “Here,” he said.

  Billy, patted Zach's shoulder. “You did good,” he said and peered out into an early morning sky that was cold and blue. “Goodness...sure is pretty, ain't it?” he asked. “I mean, I know it's all desert and all, but the Good Lord makes everything mighty pretty in its own way.”

  “The desert will be much prettier once Ron Bufford is taken care of,” Rita said. “Rhonda, do you think you can walk?”

  “I can walk,” Rhonda hesitantly replied. “I need fresh air.”

  Zach yawned. “Me, too,” he said, jumped out of the truck, and began helping Rita assist Rhonda. Billy whistled at Chester and climbed out into the cold morning air. Chester flapped his ears and followed.

  “Okay,” Billy told Chester, “your job is to stay with our friends. Got it?” Chester flapped his right ear. “Good,” he said and eased around the front of the truck and watched Rhonda climb out.

  “I'm...okay,” Rhonda moaned. She wrapped her arm around the hurt rib and looked at Billy. “Are you sure about this, Billy?” she asked in a worried voice. “Ron Bufford isn't the type to play by the rules.”

  “It ain't time to play by the rules people make up and force others to follow,” Billy told Rhonda as the cold winds ripped at his baseball cap. “No ma’am, it's time to just be a man and do what's right without a bunch of referees screaming foul in your face.” Billy looked around at the landscape. “My daddy said it ain't fitting for a man to get in a fight and be told how he has to fight in order to please a hungry crowd. No sir, my daddy said when you get into a fight you better do all you can to win because the fella you're fighting will be doing the same.”

  Rita walked over to Billy, took his hand, and placed her head down onto his shoulder. “Then let me come with you,” she begged.

  “I can't,” Billy replied in a miserable voice. “I done told that skunk that I ain't no liar and a man has to live by his word. Besides, Billy Northfield knows what he's doing.”

  Rita felt the cold winds grab at her hair and dress and shivered. “Okay Billy...go...do what you know how to do.”

  Billy pointed north. “I reckon that trail leads to the old town...somewhere the trail forks. The old mine, if I remember right, forks off to the left.” Billy looked into Rita's sweet eyes. “You get on to town, okay. I'll go to the old mine and wait.”

  Rita felt tears swell up in her eyes. “Be careful,” she begged and hugged Billy.

  “Aw, no need for tears,” Billy said not sure what to feel? Why was a beautiful woman crying over him? Why, he had a farm belly for crying out loud. He sure wasn't what some women called a 'Stud Muffin'. “I reckon I better get my feet moving. Chester, you stay with our friends.” And with those words Billy hurried off like a brave warrior.

  “Are we really going to let Billy go alone?” Rhonda asked, holding her hurt rib.

  “No,” Rita said watching Billy walk away into the desert. “We're not playing by the rules anymore, sis.” Rita turned around. “Now it's time to catch us a killer and make sure Billy returns home safely.” Rita focused on Zach's tough face. “Take Rhonda to town and put her inside of a building, then stand outside that building and make it seem like your standing guard.”

  “Hey...wait a minute,” Rhonda objected.

  “Go,” Rita ordered. “Ron Bufford will surely investigate the town before he goes to the mine. I want to make him believe we're all in the town.”

  Zach looked at Rhonda. Rhonda was in no shape to be standing on her feet. “You trust me with your sister?”

  Rita pulled out her gun and handed it to Zach. “I have no other choice,” she said and looked at Rhonda. “I'm not being very practical, am I?” she asked. “I'm falling in love with a farmer and going bare handed to catch a killer.”

  Rhonda felt a tear drop from her eye. “No, you're not being very practical at all, sis. But I think that means you're learning something.”

  “What?”

  “That sometimes taking a leap of faith isn't as scary as it seems,” Rhonda smiled. “Now...go to Billy and get out of here before I change my mind and come with you.”

  Rita quickly kissed Rhonda on her bruised cheeks, patted Zach's hand, and hurried away into the desert. “Come on,” Zach told Rhonda. He took her arm and helped her begin walking.

  Rhonda slowly began walking. Chester, the brave dog that he was, stayed right beside her. “I'm very grateful,” she told Zach. “You've been very nice.”

  Zach sighed. “Yeah,” he said watching Rita vanish down the desert trail. “I just hope this mess doesn't end up even worse,” he finished and walked Rhonda to an old town that was full of wooden buildings that were barely standing. A dusty street ran in between the buildings and then vanished back out in a desert full of boulders, dirt, and snakes.

  Rhonda studied the town with curious eyes. She listened to the cold wind howl through the old buildings, heard wooden shutters flapping, saw little clouds of dust dancing in the air, and shook her head. “Just like the movies,” she said.

  “Yeah,” Zach said and then lifted his left hand and pointed. “I think that building is the Sheriff’s office. Come on.”

  “That's right,” Ron hissed, “go on in,” he said watching Zach and Rhonda through a pair of binoculars. “I'll be back for you later.” Zach lowered the binoculars and slithered away toward the old mine. He stopped on a small hill, moved behind a wide boulder, and began searching for Billy. Only Billy was nowhere in sight. “Did you go into the mine?” he asked. Rita appeared in his vision before he could find an answer. “Ah,” he said and began watching Rita search for Billy. Rita peeked her head into the opening of the mind and looked around. “Yes, that's right, go inside.”

  “Oh,” Rita said and entered the dark mine on scared legs. “Billy, where are you?”

  Ron grinned. “Time to play,” he said, left his secure position, and hurried down to the mine, assuming that Billy and Rita were both inside. Ron drew out his gun when he reached the opening of the mine, grinned, and stepped into the darkness.

  As Ron moved into the mine Billy rose up from the ground a few yards from the mine entrance, covered with dirt. “Daddy said in order to catch a snake you have to think like as snake,” he whispered and carefully moved forward.

  Rita didn't hear Ron enter the mine. She pulled out a small pen flashlight she had purchased at a travel center Zach had stopped at for food and gas. “Billy, where are you?” she whispered, turned on the light, and aimed it down a long, creepy, cold tunnel. The tunnel looked just like one you would see in an old western movie. Only, in the movies real life killers weren't living in the tunnels and slowly creeping up behind you. “Billy--” Rita began to whisper again but froze when she heard the sound of heavy breathing. She spun around and flashed the light into the face of a deadly killer.

  “Not a word,” Ron warned and pointed his gun straight at Rita. He snatched the light from her hand and pointed down the tunnel. “Move.”

  Rita knew she had a choice: Obey or die. “Okay,” she said, turned around, and began walking. “Where are you taking me?”

  “Billy is somewhere in this mine,” Ron hissed at Rita, pushing her further down the tunnel.. “I saw him standing at the entrance before I went to check on your friends in town. He had to have entered the mine.”

  Rita feared that Ron was speaking the truth. “Billy--”

  “Is dead...you're all dead,” Ron growled. “Now shut up and walk.” They moved deeper into the mine and then came to a sudden stop. “The mind splits off to the right and left,” he said. “This way.”

  Rita felt Ron push her to the right and began walking down another long tunnel. She stopped when her ears heard the sound of running water. “Water?”

  Ron frowned. Billy wasn't down the tunnel he had prepared, which meant he would have to go back to the left tunnel and search for him. “Water,” he hissed and shoved Rita over to a large, deep hole in the ground. “There's an underground river,” he explained. “That leads down to the river. It is fifty feet deep.” Ron studied the hole. “Once a man falls into the hole the river swallows him alive,” he grinned.

  Rita looked into Ron's hideous face and saw that he intended to throw her down the hole. She felt fear and panic grab her heart. But then, out of nowhere, she felt a strange calm begin to resist the fear and panic digging at her with ugly claws. “Billy is going to kill you,” she promised. “You may kill me but Billy is going to kill you.”