" Steve interrupted "You thought what? We were friends? -- Your not my friend, you're just a stupid mother fucker I met in a bar that spilled his guts... about his personal life. Everything you told me about yourself makes you a perfect candidate for one of my parties." He went on, "You are married with k**s, have a good job and work with guys who I am sure you brag to about all the strippers you fuck around with while you're away on business. It leads me to believe that you would not be too quick. The dear wife came running back to them as they spoke and the ever obedient Fred leant his well belaboured ear to be near her darkly moustachioed mouth as it spoke out its latest enthusiasm."Oh! Fred!!! There's this adorable great hall with a parquet floor! Just think about the grand balls that must have been held there in times past! I just want to see that floor shining so that I can see my face in it! At present it's a rather sorry sight, but a bit of elbow grease will have it sparkling like. She called again and again, calling out their plight: the abandoned barn, the cold night, laying naked and bound in the stall. Long minutes, long into the night, she called. It calmed her. Somehow she knew. He would hear her mind’s plea. He would come. She fell asleep. And the dream came.Graydon fell asleep, physically exhausted and emotionally distraught. He blamed himself for failing to consider the threat to Madeline, to Marilee. He tossed about, the sheet and blanket wrapped around him,. I winged him hard enough to make him drop his rifle. Before he could do anything else, I put two bullets into his chest and gut.Without pausing for thought, I grabbed up my rifle with my right hand and took off at a dead run for any other part of the arroyo. I found a place with brush at the edge of the bank, so I reloaded my pistol and rifle and climbed up the bank for another look. I was looking around for the other guy when I heard rapid hoof beats racing off in the distance. I got a glimpse.