JACK KNIFED (27 page)

Jack held his left hand up and out. “Alice…”

“I won’t. Now. Toss them NOW,” Dennis ordered.

Jack threw his pistol into the water, and Tank glared at him. Jack nodded and glared back.

“Sorry,” Jimmy mumbled and then tossed his rifle into the water.

Kenny’s knees wobbled, and Dennis pulled him closer.

“Man up, you sissy.” Dennis growled as he dragged Kenny backward.

Kenny looked at Jack. The young cop’s expression changed. Jack could see the resolve in his eyes.

Don’t do it, kid…

Kenny’s jaw clenched.

You’re not fast enough.

Jack could see Kenny’s body tighten up as he prepared to move.

Dennis must have felt the change in the body he was using as a human shield.

He sees it coming…

Adrenaline flashed through Jack’s system, and everything slowed. Kenny reached up for the gun. Jack pushed forward off the balls of his feet. The gun discharged. Kenny’s head kicked back, and he screamed.

Two steps.

Jack’s hand moved to his pocket. His right foot pressed onto the rock, and he continued his lunge forward. His fingers closed around the handle of the jackknife still in the evidence bag. Kenny was falling. The chief’s arm with the gun was coming back down and toward Jack.

Grab it and force it up. Replacement and Jimmy are in the line of fire.

Jack’s left hand caught the chief’s right wrist and shoved it up. The gun fired again. Jack’s right hand shot forward, and he felt the blade sink into Dennis’s fat belly. The chief screamed in pain and Jack ripped the gun from his hands.

“Status?” Jack yelled.

“Good.” Jimmy was next to Jack and in an on-guard position.

“Status?” Jack bellowed again, and he quickly swiveled his head to glare at Replacement.

“What the hell does that mean?” She ran behind him. “Am I okay? Yeah.”

Kenny rolled away from Dennis and struggled to get to his feet.

“Jimmy.” Jack nodded toward Kenny.

Sirens wailed in the parking lot.

“Easy.” Jimmy checked Kenny’s head. “It missed. Powder burn.” He grinned at Jack.

“I’m dying.” Dennis coughed and held his stomach. His white shirt now had an ever-expanding patch of red.

“The rust might kill you, but for now, you’ll live,” Jack snarled.

Jack watched as Kenny got to his feet.

“You okay, Kenny?”

Kenny’s lip trembled, and he shook his head slightly. Jack looked down at his stained pants and then back to the sound of the approaching sirens.

“Kenny,” Jack snapped. “Get my gun in the pond.”

“What?” Kenny whined.

“In the water. Get my gun.” Jack raised his eyebrows.

Kenny’s face lit up, and he raced into the pond. Replacement smiled at Jack. Dennis groaned as he straightened his legs out.

“Don’t move.” Jack glared down at him.

“I’m stabbed and sitting down. What can I do?”

“Shut up. I didn’t hit anything vital, just fat.”

“Jack?” Dennis coughed.

“I said, shut up.” Jack kept the gun pointed at his head.

“She kept the valentine?”

“What?”

“Patty? She still had the valentine I gave her?” Dennis leaned on one hand and smiled. “Will you tell her something for me? Tell her I love her. I always did. I just couldn’t…she was damaged goods.”

Jack’s hand trembled as he raised the gun. Dennis looked up at him, and Jack could see the confusion in his face.

Let’s see who’s damaged—

Replacement’s fist slammed into Dennis’s face, and his head snapped to the side. The blow knocked the chief out cold,
and
he landed on the rocks with a thud. Jack glared at Replacement, but as she shook her hurt hand, a smile spread across his face.

“She’s a keeper.” Jimmy laughed. “Damn.” He suddenly yelled, turned, and jumped into the pond.

Jack, Replacement, and Kenny ran over to look into the water.

Jimmy surfaced a moment later, cradling his rifle. “Sorry, baby.” He held it up and kissed it.

“What is with guys?” Replacement thrust both hands out and pointed at Jimmy. “That’s just weird.”

She looked at Jack, Jimmy, and Kenny. The three men shrugged.

“Whatever.” Replacement tossed her hands in the air.

Miss Ultra-Hypocritical

Jack tossed another bag in the Impala and headed back to the inn. The sky was a brilliant blue, and the air was crisp but not too cold. He wanted to break into a run and feel the air on his face as he walked along the gravel path. He’d just spent the last three days being grilled by the state police and Internal Affairs. Dennis was alive, and Jack was surprised he confessed to everything, including killing his own father. Still, Jack stabbed a police chief, so he was the one who got raked over the coals.

Jeff Franklin was in his glory, and the story went national. The television crews were headed to Hope Falls, but Jack was going back to Darrington. Sheriff Collins had wanted him to come back the day before, but Jack had stalled by saying his car wasn’t ready yet. Collins responded by saying if he didn’t come back by Friday, he’d send a car to get him.

There goes that job. Damn.

Jack broke into a run. He couldn’t wait to see Replacement’s face. As he pushed through the door, three women turned around. Kristine had her arm around Jack’s grandmother, and Replacement stood next to the old woman and held her hand.

“Jackie.” Mrs. Ritter smiled and held out her arms.

Jack obediently went over, and she embraced him once more.

“You promised.” She patted his cheek and rubbed his back.

“I’ll be sure to visit. Let me get things settled, and I’ll be back. It’s not that far.”

“I’ll make sure he calls,” Replacement offered as she rose up on her toes.

She had on her pink “I Love Hope Falls” shirt and matching hat.

“When you come, you’ll always have a room here.” Kristine hugged her.

“Oh, nonsense.” Mrs. Ritter huffed. “Next visit, they stay with me.”

They laughed and exchanged another round of hugs. Kristine kissed Jack’s left cheek and Mrs. Ritter his right. Loaded down with homemade sandwiches and drinks, they waved and walked out to the parking lot.

“I’m really going to miss it here.” Replacement kicked the ground before she twirled around. “I watched the sunrise from the widow’s walk this morning after you left. I don’t think I’ve ever seen one so pretty. Where did you go?”

“I had to get a few things. I want to make a pit stop on the way home,” Jack advised her.

“Where? Crud.”

Jack followed her eyes to the parking lot.

“What?” he shrugged.

“Look.” She pouted and pointed.

Jack looked again. There were only three cars parked there: his Impala, a green sedan, and a blue Beetle.

“What’s wrong?”

“Someone rented my car.” She scooted over to the Beetle and gave it a hug.

“Wait a second, Miss Ultra-Hypocritical. You gave Jimmy a hard time when he kissed his rifle, but you get to hug a car?”

“This is different.” She stood up and pouted. “It’s so cute.”

Jack tossed a set of keys to her and smiled. “I’ll follow you so you don’t get lost.”

Replacement caught the keys but just stood there, staring.

Jack shrugged as he went to get into the Impala.

Replacement stared down at the keys as she tapped her foot.

“Are you serious? You didn’t? You did. How can I repay you? You did? Mine? I never had my own car. Ah!”

She hopped up and down and raced over to the Impala. She frantically hugged his head through the window and rocked him back and forth.

Replacement let him go and danced over to hug the car.

“I’m telling Jimmy,” Jack yelled.

She laughed and wiped her eyes. After she hugged Jack again, she raced over and jumped in the car.

Replacement giggled as she lowered her window and leaned over.

“Where are we going?”

“I need to go see her before we go home.”

What’s My Name?

Jack carried the small box over and set it down on the table. Patty rocked back and forth and looked down at her hands. The doctor stood in the corner of the room, with Replacement next to him.

“Hi.” Jack smiled as he sat down.

She gave him a quick wave, and her eyes darted to his face and then away.

“I wanted to stop by and see you again.”

“Patty, this is Jack. We talked about him this morning.” The doctor nodded his head and smiled.

Patty looked over, and she let her eyes stop on Replacement. As she stared over at her, Replacement squinted and then slowly smiled.

“Hope Falls,” she whispered.

Jack nodded and leaned closer. “We were just there. You grew up there.”

Patty nodded and scooted forward in her chair. She leaned closer and turned her head so the doctor couldn’t see what she said. “Steven…why did he call you Jack?”

Damn. This is going to be hard to explain.

He shrugged and opened the box.

“I picked up a couple things for you. I have some more, but they said you can only have two for right now.”

Jack reached in and pulled out a stuffed animal. It was a dog, and it was missing an ear.

“Alphie?” Patty rose partway out of her chair, and her hand hovered over the toy. “It’s my Alphie!” She looked up at Jack, and he nodded.

“It’s yours.”

She snatched it to her chest and buried her face against it. Jack watched her as she rocked back and forth, cradling it. After a few minutes, he heard the doctor step forward, but he held up a hand.

Give her some time.

Jack watched and waited. After a few more minutes, she looked up and her eyes darted to Jack and then to the box and back down. Jack reached inside and took out the picture frame. Patty’s mouth fell open before he even turned it over. Her hand flashed out and stopped as it touched his. Jack looked at her, but her eyes darted away, and she pulled her hand back.

He set the picture frame down on the table and turned it around.

Patty inhaled and sat up straighter. She leaned down close and smiled. “Momma.”

Jack nodded.

“Momma and me.”

Jack looked up to the ceiling and then put his hands on the table and shut his eyes. He felt her hand cover his. Slowly, he opened his eyes; she leaned on the table with her head on her arm and stared at him. “I’m sorry I wasn’t a better mother to you.”

Her words were so clear and sharp they slammed into him.

“What?” His voice broke.

“I’m sorry I sucked so bad at being a mother. Dragging you all over. Everything.” Tears rolled down her cheek, but she kept looking at him.

Jack swallowed.

“What’s my name?”

She wrinkled her nose. “Steven. Like your father.”

Jack could hear Replacement softly crying. His mother stroked the back of his hand, and he sat there.

“Thank you for bringing these.” She held up the dog and picture that she clutched in her other arm.

“Sure.” Jack nodded. “Next time I’ll bring you some more stuff.”

She smiled and squeezed his hand.