Every Precious Thing

CHAPTER EIGHTY

The first thing Harp saw as he and Barney neared the other car was that Alan was not there. Unfortunately, he didn’t have time to worry about that at the moment, because the second thing he noticed was Markle pushing himself off the ground.

“Oh, no, you don’t,” Harp said, rushing forward.

He raised the tire iron he’d taken out of the back of the Cherokee.

“Go to hell, old man,” Markle said. He started to stand, not taking the threat seriously.

Harp clenched his jaw, hesitated a second, then swung.

The tire iron slapped the side of the man’s head. He twisted toward Harp, dazed, his eyes trying to focus on his former captive before he dropped to the ground.

“Harp!” Barney said.

“What?”

“You hit him!”

“Yeah, I did.”

“You…you might have killed him.” Ever the doctor, Barney dropped to his knees and checked the man’s pulse.

“Well, he and his friends wouldn’t have hesitated to kill me.”

“He’s alive,” Barney said, relief in his voice. He looked back at Harp and smiled. “Good thing you’re not so strong, huh?”

“‘Good thing you’re not so strong,’” Harp shot back like a sixth-grader. He thrust the tire iron into Barney’s hands. “Take it.”

“Why?”

“Next time it’s your turn.”

“I can’t hit him. My oath.”

“Oh, good Lord. Give it back.”