The Woman Next Door Page 8

  “It’s over here, ma’am! My cell phone don’t work up here or I’d call 9-1-1.”

  It was Craig, and Elizabeth did her best to turn off her emotions and just deal with the situation in the manner she was taught. It was easier said than done, however, and she had tears running down her cheeks as her trembling fingers opened Wally’s emergency medical kit. Thankfully, there was everything she needed to help Craig. The bullet had grazed his head. She cleaned the wound, and Craig moaned, which was a good sign. She applied pressure until she stopped the heavy bleeding, applied an antibiotic cream, and then she put another gauze pad over the wound and wrapped a band around his head to hold the pad in place. Then she took a capsule, broke it and put it under Craig’s nose.

  Craig immediately woke up, saw Elizabeth, grabbed her and pulled her down. “Get down, Lizzy. Someone is shooting!”

  “It’s all right, Craig! We’re safe. It was an accident.” She felt her lower lip trembling as her emotions took over. “Thank God you weren’t killed!”

  “You know him, ma’am?” The young boy wanted to know.

  “Yes… We’re together,” she answered.

  “I must have scared you something awful!” he said, and she was surprised to see tears on his freckled cheeks. “Mister, I sure am sorry. I saw you moving, and I thought you were a deer. I just got this gun for my birthday and wanted to try it out, but I’d never shoot a human being. I feel sick,” he confessed, and then, as if to give proof of his words, he turned and lost the contents of his stomach.

  “Are you all right now?” Elizabeth asked him, offering him some water that was in the bag.

  “I don’t know if I’ll ever be all right again.”

  “It was an accident,” Craig said, sitting up. “I’ve been hurt a lot worse,” he told the teenager.

  “But not shot,” the kid said.

  “Shot,” Craig corrected him. “I’m a police officer.” If it was possible, the kid’s face turned even paler. “And those shots were intentional. I guess I don’t need to tell you to make sure you see your target clearly?” he asked.

  “I learned that the hard way.” He shook his head, and then told them, “Pop taught me better. I just wanted to try out the gun; now I want to give it back.”

  “It isn’t the gun’s fault, son. You need to take a deep breath, and learn from this situation.”

  He nodded, and then asked, “Before you take me to jail, could I stop by home and tell my folks what happened?”

  “I’m not taking you to jail,” Craig told him. “I’m impressed that you owned up to your actions and you did your best to get help for me. I am going to ask a favor of you.”

  “Anything at all, sir.”

  “I need your promise you won’t tell a soul that we’re up here. This lady is a witness and her life is in grave danger. She wasn’t supposed to answer the door!” He gave her a meaningful look that promised retribution.

  “Geesh!” The boy looked at them and then said, “I won’t tell anyone at all, including my folks. I sure wish I could help in some way.”

  “Silence is the best help of all.” Craig held out his hand, and the youngster shook with him, sealing the deal.

  “I’ll get you back to the cabin,” he said.

  “I can’t go back until I make a call, and my phone still isn’t working,” Craig said.

  “It won’t work until you reach the main road.”

  “You can’t drive, Craig. You need to lie down.” Elizabeth was worried about him. By rights he should go to the hospital and be checked over, but she knew he’d never consent to that. “It isn’t safe for you to drive right now. I’ll take you.”

  “You are going back to the cabin, young lady, and you are going to stand in the corner and wait for me to come back and paddle your butt for disobeying me.” He was angry with her.

  “You’re welcome!” she said, hurt by his comment. “Do you think me such a poor judge of character that I couldn’t tell this young person truly needed help?”

  “That doesn’t matter, Lizzy. You were told not to do what you just did.” He was getting angrier by the second.

  “I will drive him, if he’ll trust me with his keys after me shooting him?”

  “That’s a good idea—I don’t know your name?”

  “It’s Randy Wilson.”

  “Randy, I’m Craig, and you’ve met Elizabeth. I appreciate your offer. I need to get Liz back to the cabin before I go anywhere, however.”

  “I’ll walk her back and make sure the cabin is safe, but believe me, if anyone else was around here, they would have heard me screaming my head off for help!” Randy insisted. “You just sit there and rest.”

  “Will you go with him, Elizabeth, and this time lock the damn door and keep it locked?”

  “Yes!” she declared in exasperation. “And you are welcome for the expert patch job on your head, you big bully!”

  “You’d better be in that corner when I get back, your butt bare, and a wooden spoon in your hand for me to use to spank you!”

  “The next time you get shot, I’ll let you bleed to death, you ungrateful lout!”

  “No you won’t, even if it gets you killed!” He said that with confidence, and he looked at her intently. “Please, Lizzy… Your life is precious to me. You had no clue if Randy was dangerous.”

  “I meet people every day, Lieutenant. I can read them well. I knew Randy was genuine, and I was right. Now, I can get myself back to the cabin. You two go on.”

  “No, ma’am. I’ll walk you back and make sure it’s safe. You helped me, and I’m going to help you. Come on, so I can get back and take Craig to a place where he can use his phone.”

  Elizabeth bent down to kiss Craig, and he put his hand on her cheek. “Thank you, sweetheart,” he whispered the words she needed to hear.

  “I was so scared,” she admitted, tears suddenly stinging her eyes.

  “I’m sorry for that, but you are going to get your rear paddled, and you’d better be waiting where I told you, exactly as I told you. Hear me?”

  “Craig, don’t be ridiculous.”

  “You’ll think it even more ridiculous if you don’t obey me, little girl,” he warned.

  “You make me furious; do you know that?”

  “Ditto.”

  “Oh!” She turned on her heel and started stomping toward the cabin, refusing to say another word to the man. Didn’t he know that the word ‘ditto’ was a line in a famous movie? But it always followed an “I love you!” Geesh! She heard Randy trying to keep up with her and slowed down for him. “I’m sorry, Randy. My walk is a run for most people. I’m a nurse and used to rushing around for twelve hours straight some shifts.”

  “I’m glad you are a nurse. You knew exactly what to do to save Craig’s life,” he said. “I was so scared. I know better than be so careless. My Pop and Gramps taught me better, and I really let them down today. I promise you that I’ve learned my lesson.”

  “I believe you, Randy, and you need to stop beating up on yourself now. Okay?”

  “I’ll try.” He looked at her. “Is Craig really planning to tan you for coming to help him? That just doesn’t seem right… or fair.”

  “I don’t think so, either, but Craig is freaked out over keeping me safe.”

  “Don’t you worry. I’ll have a talk with him,” he said as they reached the cabin. “Let me go inside first.”

  Elizabeth rolled her eyes, but allowed the teen to check out the cabin. He was back in short order.

  “It’s safe, Elizabeth. You lock the door now, so I can tell Craig you’re safe.”

  “I will. Thank you for coming for me to help Craig. He really could have bled to death from that wound, even though it wasn’t all that serious. You did the right thing, Randy.”

  He smiled at her and then took off running to get back to Craig. Craig was standing right where he was left, waiting impatiently. He sighed in relief when he saw Randy.

  “Don’t worry, sir. The cabin was safe,
and Elizabeth is locked inside.”

  “Thanks, Randy. Here are my keys. It’s not much farther to my car.” They walked the distance, and Craig checked his phone often. They were nearly to the main road when he saw bars pop up on his telephone. “Stop here, please.”

  They stopped and Randy listened in awe as Craig made the call. He realized that he was being entrusted with information that could get Craig and Elizabeth killed, and he knew he would keep his mouth shut and his lips sealed. When Craig hung up after the lengthy conversation, Randy said, “You can trust me all the way, Craig.”

  “I already figured that out,” Craig replied. “You’re well on your way to being a good man. If you decide you’re interested in becoming a police officer, I’ll put in a recommendation for you.”

  “Thanks, but I guess I would rather ask for another favor more…” When Craig looked at him questioningly, he said, “I’d prefer it if you didn’t spank Elizabeth for my fault. I really needed her help, and she could tell I was scared witless. It just wouldn’t be fair to punish her when you aren’t planning to turn me in.”

  “It’s not the same thing, Randy. You had an accident; Lizzy disobeyed me. What I need to impress upon her is that a hit man could come up to the cabin and tell her I was shot, and she’d come running. I cannot let her get away with risking her life.”

  Chapter Seven

  Elizabeth tried to stay busy while she waited for Craig to return. She hoped that he was using the time to calm down and realize that he’d overreacted to her leaving the cabin to help him. She didn’t do it to be defiant, but because she was convinced that Randy truly needed help, and because she was fairly positive it was Craig he’d accidentally shot. By the time she finally heard a key in the lock, Elizabeth was a bundle of nerves and her head was pounding again!

  “I thought I told you to stand in the corner, young lady?”

  “Don’t be ridiculous, Craig! You’ve been gone for nearly two hours! I was hoping you would use that time to calm down. You know I wasn’t being defiant. I could tell that Randy was seriously upset and that he needed help. It is what I do, and you would have bled to death if he hadn’t come for me.”

  “You disobeyed me, Elizabeth, and I’m not going to let it pass. Do you think all mobsters look big and mean? They don’t, and I am going to impress that fact upon you in such a way you will remember. You cannot pretend I am wrong, Elizabeth. You have to use your brain and at least try to help me keep you alive!”

  “I want to keep you alive, too! How could you possibly expect me not to help you when you needed my help? That is unreasonable of you!” she insisted.

  “Go and get me a wooden spoon and get back here.”

  “No!” She wasn’t being defiant, but she was frightened of the pain a wooden spoon could inflict on her already sore bottom!

  “Yes. We’ve dealt with this issue before and you seem to think there is always a good reason for you to disobey me, and we are done with this attitude. You are going to get your fanny set on fire, and then you are going to stand in the corner for a while to think, and then you’ll get the rest of your spanking. Get the wooden spoon, Elizabeth and come to me, or I’ll take off my belt and you’ll get extras for defiance.”

  “I don’t think I can tolerate a wooden spoon, Craig!” she insisted. “I can’t handle that much pain.”

  “You should have thought of that before you disobeyed me, sweetheart. Get the spoon NOW!”

  Elizabeth was shocked to realize that she wasn’t going to be able to talk Craig out of spanking her! He fully intended to punish her for opening the door and helping Randy to help him! It didn’t seem fair to her, but in a perverse sort of way, she realized that Craig did have a point. “I’ll get the spoon, but I hope you will be cautious, darling. I truly wasn’t being defiant… I wanted to help, and you must know that your safety is as important to me as mine is to you!” He didn’t answer her, and she went to the galley kitchen and checked the wooden spoons in the ceramic jar on the counter. There were three of them. One was heavy duty, and she immediately ruled it out. The other two were lighter, and made of bamboo. Elizabeth had no idea which one would sting less, so she took the smaller one, hoping Craig would be careful with it.

  Craig almost grinned as he watched Lizzy study the different spoons to find one that wasn’t going to hurt. She immediately discounted the heavy spoon, and he wouldn’t have used it on her anyway. It was too heavy and would leave bruises everywhere it landed. He wanted to punish her, not inflict serious bruises. She picked the smaller of the remaining two, and he knew it would sting enough to get her attention.

  Elizabeth approached him, her green eyes downcast. She was thoroughly embarrassed, and she was positive she was going to regret choosing the horrible spoon. He held out his hand, and without giving the matter due consideration, she slapped the spoon on his outstretched palm! His brown eyes flashed, and she knew that she’d made a horrible mistake. “I shouldn’t have done that! I don’t know why I did, and I am so sorry!”

  “You will be sorry because you earned extras for that little tantrum.” There was no wavering of his eyes to indicate he wasn’t serious. He saw her pale and wondered if he would have the fortitude to carry out the extras once she received the punishment he had planned for her. “Take off those jeans and your panties, Elizabeth,” he ordered. While she was doing what he said, he pulled out a stool from the breakfast bar at the granite counter. “You can bend yourself over this stool and grab the legs with your hands. It will keep them out of the way.”

  Elizabeth considered begging, but she had some pride, she reminded herself. She wanted to cry as she took off her jeans and panties. The next few minutes or so were going to be very painful and she didn’t know how to stop Craig from punishing her as he saw fit. Her bottom was still tender from the spanking he gave her earlier, and the last thing she wanted to do was bend over the padded stool! It was going to make her feel exposed and vulnerable!

  “Stop stalling, Lizzy. Your butt is mine, and I’m going to spank it thoroughly… until I am sure you have learned a firm lesson”

  “I’ve already learned that I have greatly displeased you, darling, and I promise I won’t do it again!” she tearfully proclaimed.

  “No, you won’t. Over the stool unless you want to end this spanking with another for not accepting your spanking the way you should?”

  “I don’t want a spanking at all, much less another one!” She moved to the stool, and it was as she feared. The seat of the stool served to separate her thighs and offer her bottom for a spanking. She did indeed feel extremely vulnerable as his hand patted her cheeks and reminded her that she needed to hold onto the legs so she wouldn’t fall off the stool, and so she wouldn’t put her hands back and get her fingers broken with the wooden spoon. “Please, Craig… Don’t be harsh with me! I couldn’t handle it.”

  Her answer was the crack of the wooden spoon against her right cheek. There was an immediate sting, followed by another. Craig kept it up until both cheeks, her upper thighs, and the sit spots in between were a rosy red and stinging like fire!

  “No more! No more!” she pleaded with him, crying as she tried to catch her breath. Her poor bottom was beyond sore.

  “You must be kidding, Lizzy?” he said. “We aren’t one bit finished with this spanking, but it is time for you to stand in the corner and do some thinking.” He stood her up and then hauled her to an empty corner across the living room. “You keep your nose in this corner and you think about what the word ‘obey’ means, and you ask yourself why I am insisting on your obedience.” When her hand went to her bottom to rub, he stopped her and then gave her five hard spanks. “No rubbing, Lizzy. Keep your hands in front of you.” He walked away then, feeling a bit guilty for being so firm with her, but positive it was necessary.

  Elizabeth was miserable. Even though the cabin was heated, her bare feet and legs were freezing. Her butt, however, was the exception; it was burning and stinging, and she cursed the bamboo spoon he use
d to spank her. How could he expect her to think when she was in so much pain, and when she was fairly certain that he intended to add to her misery!

  “Stop fidgeting, young lady!” His voice was like a lash, wrapping around her and bringing her to her toes.

  “I can’t stop! I am in pain, Craig, and it hurts so much I can’t stand it! Please, let me go!” she begged of him.

  “Go where?” he asked.

  “To bed with one of my pain pills!” Surely they would help her bottom, too?”

  “Absolutely not. You are going to wear this spanking until it wears off. The whole purpose is for you to regret earning a spanking, and for you to resolve not to earn another one.”

  “I won’t earn another one, ever! Not ever in my entire life! I can’t stand it!” she sobbed, leaning on the wall.

  “Elizabeth, you are quickly earning another spanking on top of what I’ve already decided to give you. You need to accept the consequences you’ve earned, or you are going to earn additional ones.” He let his words sink in, and he said, “Stand up straight and think about what you are to be thinking about. Your corner time has started over. No more wiggling, either.”

  She did her best to stand still, but it took all her willpower to do that. The burning was now coupled with an itch that was driving her mad! She was going to go crazy if she didn’t get to rub soon! “I need to go to the bathroom, Craig,” she announced.

  “Not until we are finished with your punishment.”

  “What if I wet all over the floor?” she asked, shocked that he wouldn’t let her go in the bathroom.

  “You won’t wet on the floor because all you really want to do is rub your behind, and I’m not going to give you the privacy to do that. Instead, you are going to tell me why you got this spanking.”

  “Because you are upset with me for opening the door to Randy,” she told him, biting her tongue to keep from saying something smart that would get her spanked again!

  “Why am I upset with you over that?” he questioned.