Читать книгу Family Ties - Ernest Hill - Страница 13

When I arrived at the sandwich shop, I selected a table outside on the deck. While I waited, I ordered a glass of soda. After I drank it dry, I placed the glass back on the table and looked about, seeing the murky waters of Lake Providence part as a lone boat whizzed by with a young female skier in tow. I watched her for only a moment. Anxiousness made me think of Little Man again. “Oh, God,” I mumbled to myself. “Please keep him safe.” Suddenly, I heard the sound of footsteps on the wooden deck. I turned toward the door. I saw Peaches walking toward me. I rose to my feet, and when she made it to me, I embraced her.

“I got here as quick as I could,” she said.

I released her; then she pulled out a chair and sat down across from me. I looked at her. She seemed worried.

“Is anything wrong?” I asked her.

“I’m afraid so,” she said, her voice barely audible.

“What is it?”

“They just profiled Little Man on the five o’clock news.”

“My God!” I said. I started to say more, but before I could, the waitress returned to the table. She removed a pencil and pad from her apron and looked at me.

“Ready to order?” she asked.

I shook my head.

She looked at Peaches. “Would you like something to drink while you decide?”

“Iced tea,” Peaches said, “if you have it.”

“We have it,” the waitress said.

She left. A few minutes later, she returned and placed a glass of iced tea on the table.

“Let me know when you’re ready to order,” she said.

I nodded and she left again. When she did, Peaches raised her glass and sipped her tea. Then she sat the glass back on the table. I looked at her and shook my head.

“They’re boxing him in,” I said. “Aren’t they?”

“I don’t know,” she said. “But it certainly appears that way.”

I looked away for a moment. I had just lost Mr. Henry. I could not lose my brother too. I just couldn’t. Suddenly, my anxious mind began to whirl. Little Man and I had been close before I was sent to youth authority. But now I did not know him. I focused my eyes and stared at Peaches.

“Tell me about him,” I said.

She frowned. “Excuse me?”

“Tell me about Little Man,” I said. “If I can figure out how his mind works, I can find him.”

“You know how his mind works,” she said. “He’s your brother.”

“No, I don’t,” I said. “He was a ten-year-old kid when I left here. He’s a man now, a twenty-year-old man.” I paused and looked at her. “Do you know him?”

“Not very well,” she said.

I hesitated, then really stared at her. “How well is not well?”

“Well, before he got in trouble, we used to attend the same church. I ran their literacy program, and he ran their substance-abuse program. We would bump into each other from time to time. But I can’t tell you much about him except that he was extremely quiet and usually kept to himself.”

“Did you ever see him talking to anyone?”

“Just the boys he counseled.”

“Is that it?”

“That’s it,” she said.

“Are you sure?” I asked.

“I’m positive,” she said.

“There has to be someone else,” I said. “Someone he leaned on.”

“Not that I know of,” she said. “I never saw him with anyone except the boys he counseled and Reverend Jacobs.”

“Reverend Jacobs.”

“Yes.”

I paused again. “Are they close?”

“Yeah,” she said, “now that you mention it, they are.”

“Maybe he contacted the reverend.”

“I don’t know,” she said, “maybe.”

“I need to talk to him,” I said. “Can you arrange that?”

“Sure.”

“When?” I asked impatiently.

“Whenever you like.”

“Do you think he would talk to me this evening?”

“I don’t see why not.”

“Would you ask him?”

“Sure,” she said, pushing from the table. “I left my cell phone in the car. I’ll go call him now.”

When she left, I leaned back and buried my face in my hands—first Mr. Henry and now this. Why was this happening? Why now? Why to me? Why? I was mulling it over in my head, trying to make sense of things when I heard someone call to me.

“Didn’t know you knew Miss Lewis,” he said.

I looked up. It was Sonny. I had to be careful. It appeared that he was following me. I looked directly at him, agitated.

“What do you want?” I asked.

“We need to talk.”

“Nothing to talk about,” I snapped.

“I beg to differ,” he said.

“I don’t have anything to say to you.”

“Well, I have something to say to you.”

“Not interested,” I said.

“I’m not here to fight with you—”

“Then why are you here?” I interrupted him.

“I’m here to help you.”

“I don’t want your help.”

“Just hear me out.”

“Not interested,” I said again.

“Look,” he said. “This thing has gotten serious. The chief has issued an all points bulletin. Do you know what that means?”

“I don’t want to talk to you,” I said again.

“It means every cop in the state of Louisiana is looking for Curtis,” he said. “That’s what it means.”

“Why don’t you leave me alone?” I said.

“And by tomorrow morning, Curtis will have been profiled in every newspaper in the ArkLaMiss. Do you hear me?”

I didn’t respond.

“What’s wrong with you?” he asked. “Don’t you understand what I’m trying to tell you? The chief has put a freaking net over this entire state. And sooner or later, he’s going to catch Curtis. And when he does, I’m afraid something bad is going to happen. Now, maybe I can prevent that if you just tell me where he is.”

“I don’t know where he is,” I said. “And if I did, I sure as hell wouldn’t tell you. Not in a million years.”

“If we work together—”

“Not interested,” I said.

“Son—”

“Don’t call me that.”

“Look,” he said.

“No,” I said. “You look. You’re a cop. And I don’t trust cops. You understand?”

“I’m not speaking to you as a cop,” he said. “I’m speaking to you as a friend.”

“A friend!”

“Yes,” he said. “A friend.”

“I ain’t your friend,” I said. “Believe that.”

“Well, you believe this,” he said. “Curtis is in a lot of trouble. And if I don’t get to him before they do, he’s going to get himself hurt. Now, he picked the wrong time to pull this stunt. This is an election year, and the chief sure as hell ain’t going to let this become a campaign issue. Now, if we work together—”

“Get out of my face,” I said.

He paused. I could see that he was getting angry.

“Why don’t you think of somebody besides yourself for once in your life? This ain’t about you. And it ain’t about me. This is about your brother.”

I didn’t answer.

“Alright,” he said. “Suit yourself. But if something goes wrong, it’s on your head, not mine.”

I remained quiet.

“Look…You don’t have to tell me where he is—just tell me if he has contacted you.”

I still remained quiet.

“Has anyone told you anything?”

I turned my head and looked away.

“Son—”

“Leave me alone!” I shouted.

“Alright,” he said with a sigh. “I’ll leave you alone.”

“Thank you!” I said.

He turned to leave, then stopped.

“If I get to Curtis before they do, I’ll do what I can for him. When you talk to him, let him know I said that.”

He paused again and waited, but when I didn’t answer, he shook his head and left. A few minutes later, Peaches returned to the table.

“Was that Sonny?” she asked.

“Yeah,” I said. “That was him.” I paused. “Do you know him too?”

“Not really,” she said, shaking her head. “I see him around town, and he goes to our church, but I wouldn’t say that I know him.” She looked at me, puzzled. “What did he want?”

“He was just sweating me,” I said. “That’s all.” I paused and looked at her. She was carrying her cell phone. “Did you get him?”

“I got him,” she said.

“What did he say?”

“He can see you.”

“When?”

“Right now.”

“Great!” I said. I pushed away from the table, then rose to leave. “Are you coming with me?” I asked her.

“If you want me to.”

“I do,” I said. “But one thing.”

“What’s that?”

“Let’s take your car,” I said. “I think they’re following me.”

“I think you’re right,” she said.

I looked at her and then at the rear door.

“I’ll leave my truck here and meet you behind Pizza Hut.”

“Okay.”

I turned to leave.

“D’Ray,” she called to me. I turned back and looked at her. She was fiddling with her hands.

“I hope this doesn’t sound out of place. But I’m glad you’re back. I missed you so much. I hope you don’t mind me telling you that.”

“I don’t,” I said.

She smiled. “Good…because I really missed you.”

“I missed you too.”

“If you missed me,” she said, “why didn’t you look for me?”

“You mean after I got out?”

“Yes.”

“I guess I was afraid.”

“Afraid of what?”

“Of what I might find.”

“You shouldn’t have been,” she said. “I know we were young. But we were in love. You should have trusted that. D’Ray, my feelings for you were real. They still are.”

“I didn’t know.”

“Now you do.” She smiled and kissed me on the cheek. “Let’s go see Reverend Jacobs, and after this is all over, maybe we can sit down and talk about us.”

“Alright,” I said. “I would like that.”

After she left, I exited through the rear door and walked along the lake for a few blocks before crossing the street and making my way back to Pizza Hut. And as promised, she was waiting for me in the rear parking lot. I climbed inside her car, and we headed back to Brownsville. And every now and then, as the car gobbled up the highway, I secretly stole a glance at her. And though I did not say it, my feelings for her had not changed either. I had never stopped loving her.