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"Sure, Willy," interrupted Jessie. "Why do you want to get rid of her?" "Shut up, pig." Willy's hands hovered near a bulge under his shirt, where a gun might be stuck in the waistband of his jeans. Jessie saw the move, prayed to God he wouldn't have to shoot his gun. Melanie wasn't that far from the punk. "Did he get you pregnant, Mel? Is that it?" "What's it to you?" the girl hurled back defensively, wavering between the two sides. "He's going to marry me and take me back to Vancouver, out this goddamn place." "Sure he is. Just like Brenda Freeman. And the other two girls." "I told you to shut up, pig. I am going to marry her." "Why, Willy? Why kill her? Did she insist on marriage?" Jessie pressed his attack. If he let up now, he'd lose Melanie. "Wouldn't she get an abortion. Maybe if you didn't marry her she'd press you with a paternity suit. And then the courts would be looking into your finances. And you'd have to explain all that drug money. Maybe she knows enough about that to really put you away for awhile. So you wanted her dead. Make it look like a tragic accident. GIRL SHOT BY HUNTERS. Something like that?" "Go away." Mel screamed at the officer. "Please, go away." "I think the RCMP will want to see that coat." Jessie continued, ignoring the girl. "And that gun you've got, too. You're going to spend some time in prison, Willy. I think the wedding's off." Willy drew his pistol, a .38 revolver. He waved it at Jessie. "Get out of here! Get out!" His hand yanked the coat, a cheap rabbit fur piece, from Mel's shoulders. "I'm out of here and you're not going to do anything." "Willy?" Melanie turned with begging eyes. "Aren't you --" "Later, babe. Things are a little too hot right now. I'll send for you." "You'll never see him again." Jessie proclaimed. Pini moved a little further from the girl. The coat hung in one arm while the other ended at the .38 he had used to scare off Brent McIntyre. "Go to hell, Roland. I'm walking out of here. You ain't going to shoot me." And he was right. Willy had tried to kill Melanie, a girl who was carrying his child, insistent on marriage, by making her wear the coat on their little liaisons. He had been dropping off the salt blocks, probably at night, in an attempt to attract more game, dropping hints around town to attract more hunters. Eventually one guy with "buck fever" would happen along and ... As horrible as it all was, it was not sufficient cause for shooting a man. Even a man with a pistol. The massive .30-06 would look grossly over-size next to the street shooter in any self-defense plea. Willy laughed when he saw Jessie's face. He turned with arrogant glee, coat tucked under his arm and ran. Mel called one last time, before bursting into tears. Jessie sighed, popped the cartridge from his gun. Damn, it looked like Willy Pini would beat the rap. It was his word against Jessie. What court would believe such a terrible plan when Willy poured on the tears of love for his sweet Melanie. When he told how he only wanted the best for her, including a nice coat. Of course, he couldn't let her wear it in town. Her uncle didn't approve of them . . . . And for one second, Jessie had almost convinced himself that he was wrong. One second until the loud report of a deer rifle tore through the air. The sound of the end of Willy Pini. *** THE END ***
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