Chapter 48: Moving Forward

The gun goes off, but it doesn’t hit anyone. Jim, the bartender, was close enough to grab Dustin and force the gun up in the air. A struggle ensues between Dustin, the Sheriff, and Jim. It takes both large men to force Autumn’s ex over to the patrol car and cuff him.

Sheriff Baker gets Dustin into the back of his car and slams the door behind him. He then returns to the porch to collect the gun, as well as a flask that had fallen out of Dustin’s pocket.

“I’m so sorry about all this,” he says to the stunned group before him. “I assume you all want to press charges?”

“Yes,” Autumn says without hesitation while Blake and Lana nod in agreement.

“I’ll give you a call later when I get a list of charges made out. You all have a nice day,” he adds with another tip of his hat.

The Sheriff returns to his car and gets in while Jim ushers the mob back to their own vehicles. Karen can be heard complaining about the verbal attack Dustin had made on her all the way back to her car.