The people and places appearing in this book as well as the story are fictitious. Any resemblance to real people, living or dead is entirely coincidental.
***
Table of Contents
Prelude
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Special Thanks
Sources of Information
Other Books by Ron L.Carter
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Prelude
When Jed and Chelsea left Red Mountain they were still grieving over the recent loss of Jed's brothers, Joshua and Justin. Knowing that the Sherriff department may also be looking for Jed, they didn't waste any time in getting out of town. They only took some of their clothes and a few other personal belongings with them as they left. They then headed east toward Tennessee.
While they were driving, Jed voiced his anger and frustration about the way Joshua and Justin had been so violently killed. He said to Chelsea, "I'm not just angry with the people that killed them, I'm angry that they didn’t listen to me when I told them not to leave the property at night."
Even though Jed didn't know exactly what had happened between Joshua and the Sheriffs deputies he felt like the deputies should've just captured him instead of killing him. He said, "I know Joshua didn't have a gun or any other type of weapon on him so why would they kill him?" During his grief, Jed had selectively forgotten that Joshua's dog Mister was very much of a walking weapon for him. He would attack an animal or a person on Joshua's command. Chelsea tried to talk to Jed and bring him back to the reality of the truth when she said, "But he did have a weapon Jed, he had Mister. You know what he did to the Mexican and the neighborhood watch guys? He had Mister kill all of them." Jed knew what she was saying was true, but he didn't really want to face it. He wanted his time of grieving and anger regarding Joshua's death.
He was also angry that the neighborhood watch guys took the law into their own hands when they killed Justin. Justin didn't carry any kind of weapon on him so why would they shoot an unarmed person for just looking through a few windows? He felt the vigilante group didn't have to put out an order to shoot first and ask questions later. He felt they should've captured Justin and turned him over to the Sheriff department. He didn't feel they were justified in killing him. Although he didn't say anything to Chelsea, he was glad that Joshua had killed three of the vigilante group members for their part in Justin's death. He felt some satisfaction when Joshua had gotten his revenge.
Jed said, "They knew the dangers they each faced outside our property walls. I told both of them that people wouldn't understand what they were doing out late at night and might try to kill them.” Chelsea tried to reason with Jed, “I know Jed, and you did everything you could to protect your brothers. They both had some psychopathic behavior problems and for that reason they didn't want to follow your orders, or maybe they just couldn't. Right now it doesn't really matter why they did what they did, because they're both dead. They each had deep mental issues they couldn’t cope with." Jed lashed out in anger, "My brothers weren't crazy. Why would you say such a thing like that Chelsea?" She replied, "I didn't say they were crazy Jed. All I'm saying is, watching someone in their home without their knowledge made Justin feel powerful. It made him feel like he was in control over those women's lives. Also, when Joshua killed the Mexican he didn't have any remorse about it, even after you confronted him about what had happened. You told me he seemed proud of what he and Mister had done. They didn't understand or respect other people's boundaries or the law. They never would've been able to fit in with normal society. Because of their unstable psychopathic actions, sooner or later, something bad was bound to happen to each of them. You couldn't protect them forever. From now on, we just have to try and put all of what happened to your brothers behind us and concentrate on our own family."
Jed instantly backed off from his anger toward her and with almost a defeated attitude, he took his right hand off the steering wheel and wiped away tears with the sleeve of his shirt then reached over and held Chelsea's hand in his. He said, “I know you’re right Chelsea, you and the baby are all I have left in my life right now. I know I have to try and forget about everything that happened to my brothers and go forward with our lives. I just miss them and it's hard.” Chelsea smiled, “Yeah, I know Jed, but we’re leaving my dad, two brothers and all the rest of that ugly past behind us at Red Mountain. It’s just you, me, and this baby from now on.”
In his heart Jed knew Chelsea was right and he had promised her that he was going to raise his kids different than his parents had raised him and his brothers. He told her he was going to get a real job and be a good husband and a father for Chelsea and the baby.
During all his promises Jed never dreamed that his tangled life would make a full circle and eventually take him right back to Red Mountain where all the nightmares had begun for him and his brothers.
Although it was something he swore to Chelsea he would never do, Jed's tormented soul would also fall victim to a life of alcohol and drugs, just like his parents. No matter how hard he tried to fight the evil forces, they slowly took control and smothered everything that was good in his life. As time passed, those evil demons that once plagued Justin and Joshua, would also rear their ugly heads once again in him and his sons.