Part 33 (1/2)
Jay had been right to worry. Jonah knew the team, knew she would receive the care she needed. He stepped back. ”You're in good hands.”
”No.” She gripped her left arm until the flesh turned white. ”You made sure I'd never be.” This conversation would dredge up old suspicions. The EMTs were friends of a sort, but that wouldn't stop them spreading it.
Jonah caught Mack's eye and read his rising concern.
”Let's move,” Mack said. ”Riding along?”
He shook his head. ”I'll follow separately.”
”Don't,” his mother hissed.
Her rancor had steeped in resentment and curdled with rage. The wolf she had fed was sated, and it looked out at him now. He started to shake, seeing in her eyes what he'd seen that night, when he'd staggered back, spattered with blood and more. As they wheeled her into the back of the bus and pulled the doors closed behind them, his hands clenched.
He locked the house, intending to get into his vehicle. Instead, he moved around to the back and stared at the shed. An agony of fear and loathing seized him. His legs moved forward like mechanical shanks he couldn't control. He wrenched open the door and smelled or imagined the rank odor.
Wood spiders had woven netting across the ceiling. Crackling black-widow webs clogged the lower corners. But his mind skipped over his childhood fears and centered on the steamer trunk near the back, the black stains thick with dust.
The former police chief materialized, standing tall, legs spread, hands on hips. ”I told you to walk away.” ”I told you to walk away.”
”You know I can't.”
”We stick together on these things. That's the first rule I taught you.”
”Stacie Williams is dead.”
”A drunken pothead got out of control.”
”You took the call and went out to the party. When Stacie got belligerent you arrested her, put her in your car.”
”Blah-blah-blah.”
”You stopped a mile and a half from the arrest location.”
”She got sick. I let her out of the car, unfastened the cuffs so she didn't fall on her face when she puked. It's all in the file.”
”I ran a rape kit.”
”You what?”
”One of the samples matched your DNA.”
His glare was not ice; it was nitrous oxide. He knew better than to argue DNA, given the rest of the story. So he justified. ”She wanted a deal.” ”She wanted a deal.”
”s.e.x for leniency?” He couldn't keep the disgust from his voice. He couldn't keep the disgust from his voice.
His father's nostrils flared. ”You think you're better than I am.” ”You think you're better than I am.”
”I need your service revolver, Dad.”
”You don't know when to quit.”
”You taught me that.” He held out his hand. He held out his hand. ”Your gun.” ”Your gun.”
With a low growl, the chief removed the gun from the holster and held it out grip first. ”So you're the big shot now. Think you can do the job better than your old man. You'll see how the mighty fall.” ”So you're the big shot now. Think you can do the job better than your old man. You'll see how the mighty fall.”
Jonah took the weapon and, as he removed the clip, his father reached back for the shotgun, chambered a sh.e.l.l. For an instant Jonah believed his father would kill him.
But Stan Westfall rammed it under his own chin and pulled the trigger. Choking with shock and splatter, Jonah staggered back, ears ringing.Horror engulfed him with the smell of death, his mother's screams splitting the night.
Remembering, Jonah's legs gave way. He dropped to his knees in the silent musty s.p.a.ce and stared at the dirty suns.h.i.+ne spilling over the floor where his father had fallen. He tasted bile. He'd hated the man, and yet ...
Twenty-Two.
Perseverance is more prevailing than violence; and many things which cannot be overcome when they are together, yield themselves up when taken little by little.-PLUTARCH, LIFE OF SERTORIUS LIFE OF SERTORIUS Tia locked the shop and walked home. Her early morning trek and a day at the store had brought clarity. Entering the house through the mud room, she looked for and found Piper in the kitchen, sucking honey off her finger. ”Miles would be horrified.”
Piper giggled, turned to the sink, and scrubbed. ”What he doesn't know can't hurt him.” She stirred the tea, then sipped. ”Perfect.”
Tia threaded her fingers through her unruly hair. ”I'm leaving town for a while. I don't want anyone to think I've been abducted or gotten lost in the mountains or dissected.”
Piper paused with the cup almost to her lips. ”Anyone meaning me?”
”I'm pretty sure if you don't worry, no one else will.”
”Hey. Every time I've called for help, you needed it.”
”This time I'm going to be fine.” She kept the tremor from her voice. This would be harder and riskier and probably more painful than a crippling injury on a mountain. ”I'll be gone a few days, max.”
”Do I get to know where you're going?”
”Arizona.”
”You're going to see your sister?” Piper's excitement lit her eyes. ”I'm going to try. Amanda's watching the shop, but you'll have to hold down the home front.”
”I think I can manage. Do you need a ride to the airport?”
”I'm driving.”
”Now? It's almost dark.”
”Great invention, headlights.”
Giggling, Piper set down the cup. ”Will you call when you get there?”
”Sure.” Tia laughed.
”Are you telling Jonah?”