She’d gone out onto the porch, and was feeling a little awkward about being there, since the man named Nash and the woman named Tess were having something of a heated discussion. “I don’t care,” Tess kept saying, occasionally throwing in an absolute “Yeah, well, I don’t believe you!” But before Eden could slink back into the cabin, an explosion echoed and Tess staggered. Just a little bit. And for a moment, time seemed to stand completely still. But then Tess looked down at her shirt, at the blossom of red that had appeared just above the waist of her jeans, and staggered again—as Nash grabbed her and started to shout. He had his gun out as he pulled Tess back toward the cabin. “Get inside!” He was screaming at Eden, but she couldn’t do more than crouch by the porch swing, arms around her belly, in a futile attempt to protect Pinkie as a second gunshot boomed and a second bullet hit the side of the building, as a third crashed and shattered a window. As a fourth struck Nash and brought him down into the dust at the edge of the porch.
