Chapter Thirty-One

Savage Sanctuary Island, Misty

T ime slowed. Even Misty’s scream sounded long and drawn out, not quite real. Simon slammed into the hunter, and they both fell on Paige, who still hadn’t moved. A moan sounded, and she looked down to see Jerry lying on the floor with a hand to his chest, his eyes filled with pain.

“He had to kill all of us or he would go to prison.” He coughed. “Couldn’t let that happen.” Blood pooled beneath him.

A cry of rage filled the apartment, and Misty turned. The hunter had managed to get away from Simon and now had the gun pointed at him again. His sneer would stay with Misty for a long time. His arm lifted an inch higher.

“Everything here is mine, and I’m taking it. You and your precious cats can rot in hell.”

Dale slammed forward, Indra on his back, his large teeth going around Dale’s neck. His scream held terror and knowledge. Bones crunched, the horrible sound filling the room. The scream died suddenly, and all that was left were the sounds of the hurricane.

“Indra,” Simon said softly, drawing the cat’s attention toward him. “Are you okay, boy?”

The tiger growled, his mouth still around Dale’s neck.

“Don’t move,” Simon told Misty and Sarah.

“What about Paige?” Misty whispered.

“I’m squished like a pancake but awake,” Paige said. “I’m not moving.”

Slowly, Simon approached Indra and placed his hand on the tiger’s back. Almost carefully, Indra dropped the hunter and rubbed his head against Simon’s side.

“I need help,” Jerry said, his voice cracked with pain.

Simon’s eyes landed on his boss. This was the man who rescued him so many years before. He’d given Simon responsibility and taught him to care for the cats. He’d also abused them. Simon remembered the mothers’ and babies’ cries when they were separated. He remembered the sounds of gunfire when the hunters came to the island. After their pictures with the savage beast they murdered, they left the body and took the head. How many headless cats were buried here?

Jerry had needed someone who wouldn’t ask questions or challenge his illegal activities. He’d found that person in the huge man who couldn’t read or write and was slowly starving on the streets. Jerry was a horrible person. Simon bent down and scooped up Dale’s gun.

“Misty, Sarah, Paige, go into the bedroom and close the door.” He leveled the gun at Jerry.

“You don’t want to do this,” Jerry said, the whine in his voice turned on high.

“You are a very bad man. You hurt the cats. The cubs are taken from their mothers; other cats are hunted. You lied to me from the beginning, and I didn’t understand what an evil person you were. You wanted more money just for you. You could always feed the cats, but you like hurting them.” Simon shook his head, his grip steady, his entire being focused on Jerry and what had to be done.

A hand landed on Simon’s wrist, and he looked down into Misty’s eyes. Her soft smile made his heart clench.

“Please go into the bedroom,” he said.

“It’s okay, Simon. I have an idea.”

“He’s a bad man,” Simon repeated.

“I know he is, but you said he had money.”

“He does. He’s rich, and his wife is rich. They own a big house that twenty people could live in. ”

Misty squatted close to Jerry. “Do you need this island?”

“What do you mean, do I need it? Are you stupid?”

“No, Mr. Jerry, I am not. You are. Simon is going to kill you, and we will watch. When the authorities come, we will say the hunter shot you. We will also tell them that you sold us to the hunter and you also sold Simon.”

“What the hell?” Jerry said with a moan. “I saved you and now I’m going to die of this damn gunshot wound. What do you want?”

“We want you to give Simon the sanctuary.”

Jerry laughed and then groaned again. “That will never happen,” he coughed out.

Misty took a step back, turned, and looked at Simon. Very directly, she said, “You can shoot him. We won’t tell.”

“Wait,” Jerry screamed. “You can’t just shoot me. What about your precious animals?” He laughed again. “My wife will get this place and let it go to ruin. She’ll sell off all your cats for the money.” He looked at Misty and then back at Simon. “We can work together. You can be my business partner. I won’t take money from any more hunters. You have my word.”

“His word is no good,” Paige said. “You’re right, Simon. He is a very bad man. I agree with Misty. You need to kill him. We have time to plan a story. ”

“No, stop,” Jerry begged. “I’ll do anything.”

“Give Simon the sanctuary, and you can live,” Misty said.

“Okay. If that’s what you want. I can’t believe you seriously think this dumb shit can run this island.”

“Thank you for the great idea, Mr. Jerry.” It was Sarah’s turn now. “You can write a large check to give Simon a chance. I think he should shoot you, though.”

Paige laughed softly, and Misty grinned. They’d gone through too much together, and they were on the same page. She didn’t think Simon would shoot Jerry but the threat worked with her help.

Misty brought Jerry pen and paper after he told her where to find them. His checkbook wasn’t necessary because he had money in his safe. He said it was over $50,000. Simon said very little as Jerry wrote out the agreement to turn the sanctuary over. He signed it and fell back onto the floor. He had a shoulder wound, and even though he cried like a baby, he wasn’t going to die.

“You helped him,” Jerry pleaded to Misty. “You can help me. If I die, no one will believe that paper.”

“What about the hunter?” Paige asked, ignoring Jerry. Indra sniffed around the body and started to drag it outside.

“In the wild, Indra would eat him,” Simon explained.

“He deserves it and so does Indra. I say let him do what comes naturally.”

Simon’s gaze met Misty’s and she shrugged.

“I’m okay as long as I don’t need to watch.” She knew exactly what she was saying. Her time at the school and on the island had changed her. She never wanted to be the na?ve girl who stayed quiet out of fear for her parents and brother as she was carried out of her house by strange men again. If she had to return to the school, she would be like Paige and run as soon as she got the chance.

“When Indra is finished, I’ll throw the rest of him down the rocks where the other hunter landed.”

“I’m okay with it too, but I’m with Misty and don’t want to watch,” Sarah said. “He was a bad person, and Indra deserves a treat.” Her eyes held a hardness that hadn’t been there before.

Misty understood completely. They were now like Paige. They had realized the hard way that life wasn’t easy, but to make it, they had to be brave and take chances.

“He’ll drag the body away before he eats,” Simon told Sarah. Indra proceeded to leave with his prize. Simon pointed the gun at Jerry again. “He’s lying. He’ll make up something and tell the police we’re responsible. They’ll believe him.”

“That’s not true.” He held his good arm up. “My wife and I were selling this place,” Jerry said desperately. “There’s paperwork in my desk. I’ll tell her I sold it to you. I’ve hidden all the money the hunters paid me, and I’ll put it in our account.” His eyes grew more desperate. “She won’t know where it came from. I hate it here. I hate the cats. You can have it,” he cried as he begged.

Misty’s hand went back to Simon’s wrist. “You don’t want to do this. We’ll back you, but killing is a sin, and you will pay the price for eternity.”

Simon didn’t really know anything about sin, but he liked Misty and he lowered the gun.