Chapter 24
An eternity passed while the officers from Wolf Branch searched and cleared the rest of the stores across from the middle school and the sugar barn. Iris stood hand in hand with her mother and Gena, struggling to hold on to what little reserves she had left.
Mrs. Williams waited close by, gripping an openly sobbing Jessie Estep in her arms. When Lucy Blevins’s lifeblood splattered his chest and face, Jessie had grabbed one of the rifles and fired back. He’d stood by pale and silent while the police dragged Matt Nelson’s lifeless body from the store.
When they’d carried Nancy Nelson out, wounded and wailing for Matt, Jessie didn’t know how to stay strong anymore.
Bob Kaiser only managed to cry for help a few times before it was too late. Iris’s former teacher and new friend L
