I felt terrible for bringing his dad up. “Wow, I’m sorry. That must have been horrible.”
He nodded. “It was. Good news is that the wife survived a gunshot wound to her chest. It barely missed her heart. They both had little kids at the time.”
“What happened to your dad and the shooter?”
He looked me in the eyes. “My dad made a bad decision that cost him his life. He thought he could stop the husband from killing his wife, all by himself. The negotiator had pissed the shooter off and would no longer answer any phone calls. So my dad snuck into the backyard to try and get in. What he didn’t realize was that the man had hidden surveillance cameras and he was shot before he even made it through the window.”
“I’m so sorry,” I replied softly.
He smiled sadly. “It’s okay. It’s been awhile and I’ve learned to accept it.”
“What happened to the husband?”
“Well, he thought he’d killed his wife and blew his own brains out.”
I shuddered. “How…tragic.”
“Yeah it was pretty tough to handle back then, especially for a fifteen-year-old kid. That’s about the time I really got into the martial arts, to help me focus on something other than my old man’s death.”
“And now you also have a passion for guns like he did?” I asked.
“They’re impressive, what can I say? I still have my dad’s collection, but nothing compared to this assortment. But I still go to the firing range a couple times a month, have friends in the military who keep me up-to-date on the latest gadgets, and I have a magazine subscription to Gun Digest.”
I laughed. “So you’re an expert on both firearms and the martial arts. Kind of a deadly weapon yourself, aren’t you?”
Bryce smiled wickedly. “I’m an expert on other things as well. Let’s just say I’m not just a fighter, Ms. Wild.”
“Okay, lover boy,” said Kristie, walking down the stairs, an unlit cigarette dangling from her mouth. “Keep your mind on the weapons.”
He saluted her. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Pick out a gun, Kristie,” I said, attempting to change the subject.
Kristie walked over and grabbed a Smith and Wesson handgun. “I’ve shot one of these before at the gun range with Dan. This will do; just load it for me and show me how to remove the safety.”
“Wow, that was easy,” I said.
She nodded and smiled “I’m a no-nonsense kind of gal, Cassie. I just need a gun to shoot and a target that’s less than twelve inches away.”
I shook my head and giggled.
We loaded Kristie’s SUV with the guns and ammunition. She yawned and stretched her arms. “I’m bushed and it’s still pretty early. I’m going to lie down for a while if that’s okay?”
“Go ahead. You’re driving and we need you alert,” I said.
Kristie left and it was just me and Bryce staring at each other.
He yawned. “I’d better get some rest, too,” said Bryce. “So…care to join me, Wild?”
It was tempting but I knew it probably meant trouble. “No, I’ve got to watch Megan. You can sleep in my room though. There won’t be any distractions there,” I replied, thinking of Eva.
“Thanks. How about tucking me in?” he asked with a little smile.
I blushed. “Maybe…next time.”
“I’ll remember that,” he said, yawning again. He then brushed my lips quickly with his own and both of us parted, smiling.
Chapter Twenty-One
“This is going to be tricky,” said Bryce as we stood in the garage several hours later. There were still a number of zombies stumbling around the driveway and we didn’t want to let them in. “I’m going to have Kristie drive and then I’ll take out any zombies that try to get into the house through the garage.”
“Don’t forget to toss that rotting one out with them too. The horrible smell is starting to get into the basement,” I said.
Bryce sighed. “Fine, I’ll drag it out…if you cover me.”
I nodded my head. “Sure.”
“Okay, are you feeling all right, Sara?” asked Bryce.
Sara looked both frightened and determined at the same time. It had been almost two days since she’d spoken to Kevin and we all knew the chance that he was still alive was pretty slim.
“I’m fine,” she said. “Let’s just do this before I change my mind.” She’d been nervous about leaving Megan but Kristie had reassured her that the zombies would never figure out how to get inside.
“My hair looks so dull,” complained Eva looking at herself in a mirror she’d pulled out of her tote bag. I couldn’t believe she was worried about her hair while we were worried about making it out of the garage alive. Although, truthfully her red hair looked so shiny it was grating.