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Sky was intoward his fallen cousin, when a second shot rang out Sky reeled and cru his side

The firing stopped Sky was crawling across the far a trail of blood in the dust Too much blood

For Beau, the shots had triggered an avalanche of nightht now he had to get to Sky even though that was exactly what the ether in the open and finish theht?

Sky saw Beau start toward hi betords “I’ll befine Go up that hill Get the bastard!”

But Beau knew he couldn’t do that If he went after the shooter, Sky would likely bleed to death He cliine The cab wouldn’t be h-poweredHis plan was to race into the open, haul Sky onto the seat, and make a run for the far side of the concrete silo Froet a bead on them—and maybe expose himself

Who the hell was up there with the rifle, anyway? Who would have known they’d be out in the middle of nowhere?

I’ll phone the sheriff

Bernice’s parting words, which hadn’t really registered at the time, burst into his memory Suddenly he knew

Axelrod Lord, it had been Axelrod all along

Ducking low, Beau stoas pedal, shot out into the open farmyard, and screeched to a halt with the truck between Sky and the shooter A bullet shattered both side s,him by inches as he bellied across the front seat, opened the passenger door, and dropped to the ground next to Sky, who looked as if he was going into shock

“Sorry, this’ll hurt, buddy” He seized the wounded man under the arrunted with pain but didn’t speak as Beau vaulted back behind the wheel and gunned the truck the last few yards behind the tall concrete barrier of the silo

Protected for theopen the back door of the truck Sky lay on the seat, his face ashen, blood soaking his shirt Beau had seen sie-caliber bullet hadn’t hit any vital organs, but it had blasted an ugly hole in Sky’s body Sky was bleeding out fast Without

Stripping off his soot-streaked shirt and wadding it inside out, he pressed it hard against Sky’s wound With his free hand, he dialed 911 on his cell phone, requested Life Flight, and gave directions It was the best, perhaps the only, chance of saving Sky The helicopter would take fifteen, et here Meanwhile he had to keep Sky alive and deal with the sheriff

Sky opened his eyes His led to speak “Axelrod,” he muttered

“So you figured it out, too”