My Brother's Keeper (10 page)

Jon ran down the hill toward the truck. The tires spun on the wet grass pumping out blue smoke. Just as Jon closed in, the truck found traction and lurched toward the road. The front end bottomed out in the gully at the shoulder and wads of dirt and grass were shoveled up by the bumper.

The pickup fishtailed. Black lines cut a mark across the asphalt and gas cans tumbled out of the bed, vomiting fuel all over the asphalt. The vehicle straightened out and sped away. It took a right at the end of the street and disappeared.

Jon roared in frustration and slammed the bat into the mail box post adding a second dent. He was close. So close. And without a doubt Jon would have killed the mother fucker.

The vicious thirst for revenge sobered Jon. He looked down at the bat in his hand.

Blood painted the metal and made a speckled pattern up the length of Jon’s arm. More was on his shirt. He wiped his cheek and his hand came away smeared with red.

Jon glanced back at the house. The front door was still closed. Ellis was in there and more than ever Jon needed the comfort of his presence.

With the adrenaline gone the grinding in Jon’s knee turned to shards of glass with every step. He leaned on the bat but it was too short to make a decent crutch.

He passed the guy with the crowbar. Watery exhales pushed crimson bubbles out of his gaping mouth.

The pain in Jon’s knee crawled to his hip. He stopped at the second man and shoved him over with his foot. Blood pooled in the empty orbital socket above the wad of cartilage that had been his nose. The bat shaped crater went from the man’s dangling jaw to the top of his forehead.

He wasn’t breathing.

The front door opened. “Go back inside.”

Ellis stopped at the edge of the porch. “I called George, he’s on his way with a couple of deputies.”

Great. Just great. Jon limped to the porch.

Ellis gave a wary look at the dog before coming down to meet Jon at the bottom step. “Hang on and I’ll help you.”

“I thought I told you to go back inside.”

“You really think you can make it up the steps by yourself?” Ellis put an arm around him. “Lean on me.”

Jon did. Every step created a new fire across his nerves. They reached the top. “Put me down.”

“It’s just a few more feet.”

“Just let me sit here and wait for Sheriff Marsh.”

“Come inside, you’re hurt.” Ellis’s gaze went to Jon’s neck then back to his face.

“Rudy doesn’t need to see me like this.”

“I’ll bring you a change of clothes.”

“No. This is evidence. They’ll probably want to collect it.”

Ellis glanced at the men. “Why would they need evidence?”

“I just killed one, possibly two men. They’ll probably take me in to get a statement.”

“You mean they could arrest you.”

“Hopefully not.”

“They came here with gas cans. There’s only one reason someone would do that.”

Jon reached up to touch Ellis’s cheek, but there was blood on his hand. “I know, but they have to do their job.”

“If they’d done their job in the first place that asshole would be under the jail.”

Jon slumped. “Help me sit and then go inside with Rudy.” Ellis lowered him to the step.

“I’ll be right back.”

“No, just stay inside.”

“I said I’ll be right back.”

“You need to be with Rudy. They’ll probably want a statement from you and him.”

“I can’t take Rudy back to the sheriff’s department, he’d panic.”

“I’m sure George can do it here. You weren’t involved in the…” Killing. “Don’t worry, it will be okay. Please just go inside.” Ellis hovered for a moment before disappearing inside the house. He said something to Rudy, but the throbbing in Jon’s head made it hard to hear.

If they took him in, he’d need a lawyer. Did he even know one? His scrambled thoughts refused to produce a name. He could call Mike, he’d know who to contact.

What about Ellis? Someone would have to stay here to make sure Lenny didn’t come back.

George’s sedan turned onto the driveway tailed by two police cars and an ambulance. They parked behind Ellis’s truck.

George got out. “Any of you hurt?”

“Not really. Guy in the middle of the yard was still breathing a bit ago. You might need to have EMS check him out.”

George’s gaze stayed on the dead dog until he got to the steps. “I’m asking about you. Are you okay?”

Jon nodded. “A few bruises and a little rope burn.” He held up his hand. The lines on his fingers were purple.

“That mess around your neck looks worse than a rope burn.” George clenched his jaw. “Lenny has some nerve.”

“Do you think you can keep him in Jail now?”

“More like under it.” George looked back at one of the deputies. “Paul.”

The redhead stepped away from the body. “Yes, sir?”

“Call in a BOLO for Lenny, then you and Ned head out to his place.”

“You really think he’d go home after this?” Jon rubbed the cramp pulling at his ribs.

“Lenny’s a not a very bright son-of-a-bitch. So yeah, it’s possible. If he isn’t there my men will find him.”

“What if he runs?”

“The staties will cover the highways. He won’t get far, Jon, I promise.”

Jon laughed and a sharp jab needled his side. “You know for a retired sheriff, you sure are in the thick of things.”

“I might be retired on paper, but this town was mine for almost thirty years. I’m not abandoning it. I still have a lot of pull with people around here.”

“I might need to borrow some of that pull to stay out of jail.”

“Don’t worry about it. As far as I’m concerned this is a clear case of self defense. I raised the DA like I did my own grandkids. I’ll have a talk with him this evening over dinner.”

At least there was some benefit to living in a small town. George dipped his head indicating the marks on Jon’s neck. “You might ought to have the EMS check you out.”

“I’m fine.”

“You’re not fine, Jon. You’re hurt.”

“I’ve lived through worse.” Unless they cuffed him, he wasn’t leaving.

George rubbed his hand over his mouth. He went back to staring at the dog. “How are Ellis and Rudy?”

“Scared.”

“Who wouldn’t be?”

The EMS loaded the crow bar guy onto a gurney.

“Think he’s going to make it?”

George adjusted his hat.

“Yeah, I didn’t think so.” Jon leaned against the railing. “Two men, George. I’ve possibly killed two men.”

“You did what you had to do to protect your family. There isn’t another man or woman who wouldn’t have done the same.”

“Then why do I feel so guilty?”

“Because you’re a good man.”

“I hope others feel the same way. ’Cause if that guy dies, you probably won’t be able to keep me out of jail.”

“I told you not to worry about that.”

“I can’t help but worry. If I’m not here and Lenny comes back…” Jon pinched the bridge of his nose. Images of what could have been played through his mind.

“Only a fool would challenge what you did.”

Jon nodded. “World’s full of fools.”

“I can’t argue that, but even fools have a sense of self preservation.”

“Hope you’re right.”

“I am. Now quit worrying.”

The radio on George’s belt crackled and the dispatcher called out numbers. He turned down the volume.

“Coroner?”

“Yeah. Albert’s good about getting to a scene quick. We should have everything cleaned up in the next hour.”

“What about photos?”

“I’ve got a disposable in my car. No need to trouble Joplin’s crime scene unit with a case of self defense.”

One of the two deputies walked up. “There was no identification on either one of them.”

“No wallets?”

“No, sir.”

“Look again. Even if it’s lint, I want it bagged.”

“Yes, sir.” The deputy left.

Gravel crunched under the tires of the ambulance as it pulled out of the driveway and made a right onto the road. The two uniforms tossed Jon a look before going back to their conversation.

“Don’t worry,” George said.

“I wish I could.”

Somewhere overhead a mockingbird called out.

“Do you have any idea why Lenny is doing this?” Jon said.

“You mean coming after Ellis?”

“Everything. This started with that run in at the supermarket and has grown into something…” Jon tossed a hand. “I don’t know what to call it. Either way, you’d think after getting out on bail, he’d be on his best behavior. If for no other reason than to make himself look good for the trial.”

George poked at a rock with his boot. The smile on his face wasn’t happy. “I told you, crazy is bulletproof and I meant it.”

“I’ve dealt with crazy, George. Even crazy and vicious. Whatever it is Lenny has, it goes way beyond anything I’ve seen.”

“That’s because Lenny isn’t just crazy, he’s evil. And that’s a disease that has no cure.”

Ellis hid behind the heavy curtains hanging from the front window. He was too far away to hear what George and Jon said to each other, but the grim look on their faces wasn’t a good sign.

The ambulance left and a few minutes later a hearse pulled up.

Rope burns made lines across the back of Jon’s neck. Even with his olive colored skin, they glowed.

The coroner had the officers help him unload a gurney. Two men were probably dead, but the only regret Ellis had was that Jon had to be the one who’d killed them.

“Ellis?”

He stepped back from the window. Rudy stood at the top of the stairs hugging the catcher’s mitt to his chest.

“Go back to your room.”

“I’m scared.”

“There’s nothing to be scared of anymore.”

Rudy came down a few steps. “Can I stay with you?”

“You’re already with me.”

He took a few more. “I don’t want to be by myself.”

Ellis rubbed his forehead. “All right. Let’s go sit in the kitchen.” There wasn’t a view of the front yard from in there.

Ellis was halfway across the living room when Rudy ran up and wrapped his arms around him.

“Hey.” Ellis held him.

Rudy buried his face against his shoulder.

“It will be all right.” Ellis petted Rudy’s back. “I promise.”

“It’s my fault.”

“What? This?”

Rudy nodded.

“No, it isn’t.”

“I broke rule number three. I touched her hair.”

“It was an accident.” Who would have thought pulling a little hair could lead to this?

“It’s still my fault.”

“Damn it, Rudy.” Ellis lifted his brother’s face. “Open your eyes and look at me.” He did. “This is not your fault. Do you hear me?”

“I’m trying to make everything all right.” Rudy petted the catcher’s mitt. “I’m trying, but it’s so hard and I’m so scared.”

“There’s nothing for you to make right. You haven’t done anything.”

Rudy shook his head and then nodded. “Like Go Fish and the quarter man at the carnival.”

“This hasn’t got anything to do with Go Fish or the carnival.”

“But I know and soon it will know too.”

“What are you talking about?”

“
The Big and Terrible
is gonna find out about the light.”

“Big and Terrible? Light? What light?”

Tears ran down Rudy’s cheeks. “And I won’t be able to take care of you and keep your clothes from being wrinkled.”

“Calm down, it’s okay. Everything will be okay.”

Rudy’s turbulent expression smoothed out and meeting his gaze became like staring up at the night’s sky, seeing billions of stars and trying to comprehend just how far forever went.

The cold that blanketed Ellis was painful.

“Rule number four, Ellis. It has to happen.” The words punched a hole right through Ellis’s soul and jerked something out.

Rudy’s gaze slid away, and he resumed petting his baseball mitt. “Can I have some ice cream?”

Ellis folded his arms to hide his trembling hands. “Yeah, sure.”

“Can Jon eat ice cream too?”

“Yeah, yeah, Jon can too. Go sit down. I’ll be there in a minute.”

Rudy turned away then turned back. He hugged Ellis again. “I love you.”

Ellis ran a hand over his brother’s head. “I know you do.”

Rudy went into the dining room.

Jon came inside. “I’m going to go get a shower.”

“They’re not going to make you go in?”

“No. George said he’ll talk to the DA over dinner tonight.” He nodded at the door. “The officers will take down the dog after they see the coroner off with the body.” Body. Because dead men were only shells and not people.

“Will they arrest Lenny now?”

“George has everyone looking for him.”

“And this time they won’t let him out, right?”

“No. They won’t.”

“Then we’ll be safe?”

“Yeah.” Then how come Jon sounded doubtful?

“Rudy wants you to come eat ice cream with him.” Ellis laughed. “Jesus, how insane does that sound? Someone tries to kill us and now we’re going to sit down and eat ice cream like nothing happened.” He waited for Jon to say something. When he didn’t Ellis said, “Am I losing my mind?”

“No.”

“Then tell me how I can even think of eating ice cream right now.”

“Because you’re not doing it for you, you’re doing it for Rudy.” Jon walked over and put a hand on Ellis’s shoulder. “You okay?”

“I’m not sure.”

“Do you want to go to the hospital?”

“I don’t need a hospital. Just…why is this happening to us?”

“Bad things happen to everyone. But we’ll be okay.”

Rule number four… “Do bad things have to happen?”

“What do you mean?”

“Do bad things have to happen? Or can you stop them?”

“I think some things we can stop and others are just too big.”

“What do you do when it’s too big?”

Jon smiled, but his eyes remained dark. “You survive the best way you can.”

“Do you think we will?” It was difficult for Ellis to swallow around the lump in his throat. “You know, survive this.”

“Yeah. I do.” Jon kissed him on the forehead. “Tell Rudy I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

Ellis went into the dining room, but the table was empty. He found Rudy in the kitchen on his knees with his head in one of the cabinets.