Part 28 (1/2)

He gasped for breath. A moan followed.

I felt a chill run down my spine. He sounded like a wounded animal. I almost felt sorry for him. Almost.

”She laughed at me, Les. She laughed. She said, 'What's the big deal? Who cares? So what if your sister wants to ... to get ... to get ... her ... peter ... whacked off?'”

With a heartbroken wail, he crumpled to the ground at Leslie's feet.

Leslie knelt and gathered him in her arms.

As he sobbed into her chest, she smoothed his hair and murmured, ”It's okay. It's okay. I'll stay with you. Don't worry, I'll be right here. You're my brother. I'll take care of you.”

Then she lifted her gaze to mine and I knew what I had seen in her.

A little bit of me.

____.

Gumby, Ray, and Tony , another officer, showed up minutes later, lights flas.h.i.+ng. They got out of their respective cars, guns drawn, and looked at Peter and Leslie huddled in the driveway. By this time, the two of them didn't look much like a threat. More like a meltdown.

Gumby took the precaution of kicking the pitchfork and shovel aside.

I dropped the Chinese cleaver, unlocked the door and stepped out.

Ray holstered his weapon as he strode over to me. ”Are you all right?”

I nodded, more of a reflex than an actual response. I was alive. Numb, but alive.

He glanced at Leslie and her brother. ”We're arresting Peter, right?”

”Yes. He killed Josie Montalvo. They had a relations.h.i.+p of some kind.” Clearly, not the good kind. Not the healing kind.

Ray looked at the two brothers again. ”Which one is Peter, for sure?”

I sighed. ”The one in the blue s.h.i.+rt. The one without the veneers.” Without the b.o.o.bs. Soon, without the brother.

Ray slid his cuffs off his belt. He walked over to Leslie and Peter. ”We're going to have to take Peter in, Leslie. Can you step back, please?”

Leslie let go of Peter and stood. Ray slapped the cuffs on Peter, who didn't resist as Ray led him to Tony's patrol car and put him in the back. Tony holstered his gun. He listened to Ray for a moment then climbed into the car. He turned his lights off and backed down the driveway.

Gumby approached Leslie. ”We're going to need a statement from you. Can you accompany me, please?”

Leslie glanced my way. She mouthed, ”I'm so sorry.” Then she followed Gumby to his car. He turned off his lights and backed out.

Ray met me at the base of the steps. ”What happened?”

I shook my head. Tears started to flow.

I pressed my forehead against his chest.

Without another word, his arms encircled me and held on tight.

____.

Erica called at eight o'clock that night. I answered the phone, because Ray and Danny were in the middle of playing poker, a game I never understood. A flush, a straight. They sounded like plumbing issues. Ray and Danny were playing for M&Ms. Danny was winning. I'd have to cut off the game soon or the sugar and caffeine from the chocolate he was winning would keep him up all night.

”Can you pick me up tomorrow at eleven? Dr. Albert said he would be in to sign the release papers then.”

Just like Erica. No greeting. No apology. Just demands. It was okay with me, though. I'd missed her. ”Sure. Doesn't Maury want the honor?”

”He has to work. He has a new job, remember?”

”Oh, sure.” In floral delivery. I stifled a giggle. It wasn't really funny that my sister had married a man who tried to woo every woman he met with roses. It certainly wouldn't be too funny when she found out about it.

I sure wasn't going to be the one to tell her.

”Can you help me clean out the apartment and move all our stuff to Wells Street?”

”Sure.”

”Tomorrow?”

”Sure.”

”Can I hang out with you the next couple days, until Maury has time off ?”

”Sure.”

”Can I have five hundred bucks?”

”No!”

”Just checking.” She hung up.

After we tucked Danny into bed, Ray led me into the bedroom. He closed the door and sat on the bed, patting the spot next to him.

I snuggled beside him. ”What's up?”

”Danny's father is going to be released tomorrow. They're not going to charge him with anything.”

”Does that mean Danny will be leaving us?” Leaving our home, leaving us, leaving me. I was so tired of everyone leaving me. My mom, my dad, Noelle, Erica, and now Danny. At least Erica would never leave me. She couldn't afford to.

Ray entwined his fingers with mine. ”I spoke to Social Services. With the house in Newark and the aunt's cars, all Danny's father needs is a job and he can have custody of Danny. He can get in touch with Social Services, and they will ask us to give Danny to him as soon as Mr. Phillips gets his first paycheck.”

I whispered, ”I wasn't too happy about taking Danny at first, but I'm going to miss him.”

”Me, too.” Ray kissed the back of my hand.

I tried not to think about having to say goodbye to Danny. Instead, I remembered Leslie's face as she watched her brother taken away in handcuffs. It made me feel worse.

”What's going to happen to Peter Flynn?”