[Buzzard County] Chapter 4

Mike loses his shit-Coop has another beer-A farewell and a promise

Mike Hunt held the note in his hand. He read it. Then, he read it again.

"What the fuck?!"

"What is it?" Anita asked. Mike handed her the note.

"This is just someone funning with you," Anita said. "Ignore it."

Anita recognized the handwriting. She knew it was Coop's handwriting. He had written her before. Anita wished she hadn't fucked him, but she did. She was weak just like she was weak last week with Big Troy. She knew Coop was in love with her, but how can you build a life with a man from the sawmill? She knew Eric liked Coop. But he always reeked of beer.

"What are you doing?" Anita asked.

Mike was opening the trunk of his BMW.

"Fucking hillbilly rednecks," Mike muttered.

Mike pulled out the shotgun. He started putting shells in the gun.

"Mike, don't do this."

"Who wrote this note?" Mike asked. "You know this person?"

"I'm not going to tell you," Anita said. "You need to put that gun back. He didn't mean nothing by it."

"So, you know this guy. Who is he?"

Anita darted a glance over at Coop's trailer.

* * *

Coop woke with a start.

"What in the hell. . ."

Another blast.

"Goddamn. . ."

Coop came out of his trailer and saw as buckshot peppered his truck. The windows were blown out. The tires were flat. The body was pocked with pellet holes. Mike pumped the gun and fired again. He was out of ammo. Anita was sitting on the ground crying.

Coop was stunned. His truck was destroyed. All for a goddamn note on a man's car. His mind raced. Should be blow the man's brains out with his .45? Should he beat his head in with a tire iron? Should he just knock his teeth out with his fist? Then, Coop cracked a smile.

"Yeah, that truck ain't much. But at least it don't smell like shit."

Coop laughed and went back inside his trailer. He pulled a beer from the fridge and went back to bed.

Mike dropped the shotgun. He felt ashamed. Anita was still crying.

"What the fuck is wrong with me?" he asked himself.

"Why did you do it, Mike?" Anita asked.

"I'm just tired of other people's shit. That's not it. I just want to blow her fucking brains out is what I want."

People were peeking out of their trailers to see what the commotion was about.

"The law will be here in a bit," Anita said. "They will take you to jail. I can't clean this shit up for you."

Mike didn't want to go to some redneck jail.

"I'm leaving," Mike said. "But I'll be back. Tell your neighbor I'm sorry about his truck, and I will pay for it when I get back."

"Where are you going?" Anita asked.

"I'm going back to Connecticut to finish my business there. Then, I will be back."

"Are you gonna kill her?" Anita asked.

"I don't know," Mike said. "But if I don't come back, you will know that I did. I just know my life there is over."

"Why would you come back to Buzzard?" Anita asked.

"I don't know," Mike said. "But your neighbor was right. My life looked good on the outside, but it was total shit on the inside. My best friend and partner fucked my wife while a stranger let me blow his truck to pieces."

"You need to let it go, Mike."

Mike kissed Anita.

"I'll be back. I promise. Tell your neighbor I'm sorry."

Mike got into his BMW and left. Anita watched him drive away.

"I'll never see that son of a bitch again," she said.

Chapter 5

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