This time, Natasha was almost one-hundred percent sure that Randal had been checking her out, although like the other times she barely saw in time. Whether out of embarrassment or for the sake of propriety, he didn't look long enough for it to be considered staring, which Natasha appreciated as much as she liked receiving his attention itself.
She felt pretty silly for assuming that Randal was volunteering to pay for all of it, but his well-meant teasing put a smile on her face regardless of the slight embarrassment as she moved forward to pay for the motor oil. In response to the teasing, she gave him an easy-going smile and shrugged. "I'd say sorry, but a girl's got to take opportunities however they come these days, you know."
She took her change from Rosco with a smile that she tried not to let grow too much in the face of his blatant matchmaking. She gave him a nod as she pulled away from the couter and answered the older man as if she didn't notice what he was doing. "Sure, I feel secure already. Thank you for your help as well, Rosco."
As they left the store, Natasha shot Randal an amused and knowing look. "Seems like you've got quite a few cupids routing for you in this town."
A grunt left Mike as the deputy suddenly attacked, stepping on his foot and driving him backward via the butt of the shotgun into his stomach. He hadn't even the time to recover before she fired on him twice. At such a close range, the blasts from the shotgun had him stumbling back with the first shot and then clear off of his feet with the second.
For a moment Mike's body lay still as life quickly escaped it. His heart had stopped beating almost immediately, the shot to the chest having made the effect feel like an explosion, and the a bit of the breath from his lungs expelled from a moment later. After closing his eyes and taking the moment after the breathing ceased to grow accustomed, Mike moved into action, getting to his feet.
"You're causing more trouble than it's worth it to be, Renee. You should know better. I'm very disappointed. " Mike spoke once he had managed through the pain to get back upright. Though he now stood, he swayed slightly on the spot. Even though he could still talk and move, Mike's body wouldn't be of use for much longer, given the holes in his abdomen and the fact that his body would now begin decaying in Mike's death. "I don't suppose you'll drop the gun now, will ya? Pretty soon this talk will be over, with or without that gun."