Chapter 46

“Fuck!” Randy shouted, eyes watering. His hand went up, Lyle stumbled back, and though Randy couldn’t make out what was happening, the voice he heard cleared the matter up instantly.

“Let go!” Vaughn growled. “Let him go!”

He wasn’t talking to Randy but to Lyle, who had fisted the scarf so tightly that Randy staggered every time Lyle lurched.

“Let him go now!”

Vaughn’s voice filled the yard, and everything, including Randy’s skull, reverberated with the sound.

Lyle dropped his hands. Once they were free of each other, Vaughn tugged Lyle away as though Lyle weighed no more than a doll. Lyle hit the frozen ground hard—too hard.

Randy wiped his face. “Vaughn, relax. Don’t—”

“Don’t tell me don’t!” Vaughn hollered. He turned to Lyle and pointed. “Get back to the house.”