Dog

by Carolina Mac

  “There are no keys, asshole. Remember? And you already took my fuckin phone,” said Neil. “What do you think I’m gonna do? Take off without you? Of course, I am, so you better think up some way to stop me.”

  “You’re a smart-mouth kid and I’d like nothing better than to shut you up,” said the Dog. “We’ll both go in together and if you do anything—and I mean anything—I’ll kill the first person I see.” The Dog chuckled. “Don’t think I won’t.”

  Neil had lapsed into silent mode waiting for his chance to get away from the Dog and call Farrell if he spotted a pay phone. His brother wouldn’t be far behind. Neil had been checking the rear view ever since daylight.

  Doesn’t matter where the Dog ends up. Mom will kill him.

  Neil trudged inside the store behind the dog, exhausted, stiff and sore from sitting for hours behind the wheel. He grabbed a Red Bull, two bottles of water, then checked out the premade food in the cooler. With two turkey sandwiches and a bag of Lay’s, Neil waited his turn at the checkout and paid. He hadn’t seen the Dog come out of the men’s room, but maybe he was already in the SUV.

  Should he ask to use the phone and take a chance on the Dog hurting people in the store like he said he would? Or should he wait for Farrell to catch up? Neil walked outside with the bag in his hand hoping the SUV was gone, but it wasn’t.

  The Dog sat in the shotgun seat smoking and waiting for his driver. Neil tossed the bag across the console and slid behind the wheel. “I was hoping you left without me.”

  “Why in hell would I do that?” asked the Dog. “You’re my retirement fund.”

  Neil cranked his head around and stared. “No. You’re not gonna make my Mom suffer. Your asshole buddy did enough of that already.”

  The Dog grinned. “I’ve got to make up my losses somehow, and you just waltzed right in and showed me the way to do it.”

  “I hope you die trying to ransom me,” said Neil. “Another one of your terrible ideas.”

  FARRELL glanced at the screen on his cell—the phone sitting face up on the passenger seat. “I wish Neil could call me,” he said out loud, “but the first thing the Dog would do, he’d grab Neil’s phone. Even if the Dog has it in his pocket, it still tells me where they are.”

  Farrell slowed for an intersection in Phoenix and studied the screen. Morristown exit on route sixty. “They must be getting gas.”

  The phone rang while Farrell stared at it and scared him out of his boxers. “Blacky, what?”

  “Stolen vehicle from the Junction Walmart is a gray Hyundai SUV.”

  “Thanks, bro. I’ll let Annie know so she can watch for it.”

  “Where are you?” asked Blaine.

  “Driving north through Phoenix. I’m not too far behind them.”

  “Be careful. If he tries anything with Neil or Mom, kill him.”

  “You got it,” said Farrell. He ended the call thinking about a gray Hyundai. The call had made him more alert and he felt better. He pressed Annie’s contact and told her about the vehicle.

  “How close are you, sweetheart?”

  “North of Phoenix. I’m not far away and I might be able to help you and Travis when I get there.”

  “I’ll move to the Nugget and get us a suite for tonight. The Dog’s house is closer to downtown.”

  “Text me the room number when you get it. Love you.”

  Ranger Headquarters. Austin.

  JESSE finished his coffee in the Chief’s office while he waited for Kurt to be brought from the holding cells in the basement to one of the interrogation rooms on the first floor.

  “Think he’s got much to offer?” asked the Chief.

  “Don’t know,” said Jesse. “Sounds like he hasn’t been in the gang for too long and he’s very young. Not saying he isn’t smart. He’s smart enough to see a way out. He might not know anything, but it’s worth a try.”

  “Why aren’t the parents out beating the bushes for these kids?” asked the Chief. “I don’t get it. Things are different than when my girls were in school.”

  Jesse made a trip to the vending machine and bought a Dr. Pepper for Kurt. He strode into room number two and put the soda can on the table.

  He looks tired and pale.

  Jesse sat down and turned on the recorder. “How was your night, Kurt?”

  “Not too bad. Kind of lonely down there.”

  “Let’s see if we can get you a ‘get out of jail free’ card.”

  Kurt smiled. “I like Monopoly.”

  “Okay, let’s pick up where we left off. I told you what I know about your gang and now it’s your turn.”

  Kurt leaned forward in his chair. “Only thing I’m worried about is this: the boss said if we talked to the cops we’d be sorry. Sorry or dead. Those were his exact words.”

  “We’re on top of him and might have him in custody soon. Then he won’t be a threat to anybody. All the boys can go back home and get their lives back on track.”

  “I met a couple kids I liked, but most of them were bullies and they were mean as shit.”

  Jesse nodded. “Where was the gang staying when you guys went to rob the grocery store?”

  “We were at one of the trailer parks we’d been to before. I can’t tell you which one because they all looked about the same—broken down trailers, dirt roads and long grass. But that was only our team. Basil broke us up into teams of eight and each team stayed at a different location with an older guy that rode a Harley. We worked a different area, selling drugs and recruiting at schools he told us to go to. He said it was safer for us if we weren’t all together. Robbing the food store was supposed to stock us up for the new place. Basil said we’d need lots of food and drinks because we were going camping.”

  “Camping? But he didn’t say where?”

  “Not when I was there,” said Kurt. “But then I got caught and that’s all I heard. The cops took me to the police station from the grocery store, then the black-haired Latino guy picked me up from that police station and brought me here.”

  “Do you want me to call your parents to come pick you up, Kurt?”

  “Do you mean I can leave?”

  “I can have you released into the custody of your parents if they come and sign for you.”

  Kurt frowned. “Don’t know if they would do that after I ran away. They might be super pissed at me.”

  “Give me your last name and your home number and I’ll give it a try. Meantime, you’ll be safe in your cell downstairs while you wait.”

  Jesse sent Kurt back to holding and sat down to phone the kids parents. His cell rang in his hand. “Lily, have you got something?”

  “Boss wants you to go to this address. This couple, Mr. and Mrs. Hicks had their RV stolen out of their driveway. We got a tip that the gang might be camping down in Bastrop.”

  “I just heard the camping rumor too. I’ve got one call to make, then I’m on my way.”

  Blaine tried Kurt Saxton’s home number and there was no answer. He left a message and hoped the kid’s parents cared enough to call back.

  Morristown. Arizona.

  FARRELL flicked on his blinker when he saw the exit sign for Morristown. “This is where Neil got off and then back on. Maybe just for gas, but I’d better check.” He cruised along slowly keeping a sharp eye out for the first gas station. He spotted it on his left—Citgo. He waited for traffic to clear, then made his turn and pulled up to the pumps.

  Farrell took in the whole scene while he filled up with gas. Nothing unusual. No gray SUV and no Neil. Okay they got gas and kept going. Farrell bought a snack, a couple bottles of water, a six-pack of Red Bull and he was back on the highway.

  How many minutes had he wasted? He checked the time on his phone. Seven minutes total.

  He turned on the siren and pulled into the passing lane.

  Hick’s Residence. East Austin.

  JESSE knocked on the door of the Hick’s residence and Mrs. Hicks let him in. Lily had called ahead, and they knew he was comin
g. The couple were both in their late sixties, retired and supposed to be enjoying their golden years.

  “We can sit in here, Ranger Quantrall,” said Mrs. Hicks. She showed Jesse into a small front room furnished with a dark brown loveseat, two matching recliners and a flat screen that looked new. A huge basket overflowing with balls of wool in all different colors sat next to one of the chairs.

  “Miss Duke said you’d be along, but we already reported the unit stolen,” said Mr. Hicks.

  Jesse sat on the loveseat and the Hick’s each sat in their own recliner. “And y’all are wondering why I’m here. Nothing to worry about. A follow up, that’s all it is. We think the East End gang might have taken your RV and we wondered if y’all had seen anyone outside or heard anything when it was taken?”

  Mr. Hicks frowned. “You mean that gang of hoodlums who killed the pharmacist?”

  “It hasn’t been confirmed, but my partner is searching for your RV right now and he may have more information in an hour or two.”

  “We didn’t see or hear anything useful,” said Mrs. Hicks. We sleep soundly most nights and didn’t even know it was gone until Bill looked out the front window after breakfast.”

  “I have the stolen vehicle report with the details,” said Jesse. “Anything unique about your RV that might help me?”

  “The biggest worry I had, Ranger,” said Mr. Hicks, “and I didn’t mention it to the officer that filled out the report, was the shotgun I keep under the bed in the RV. There’s a box of ammo in the top dresser drawer too.” He nodded his gray head. “That’s been weighing on my mind a little.”

  “Good to know,” said Jesse, “and I thank you for the warning. We’ll be extra careful when we find your vehicle.”

  “Do you think it will be all messed up when we get it back?” asked Mrs. Hicks.

  “I can’t say ma’am, but I hope not. Let’s think positive thoughts.”

  Mrs. Hicks smiled. “Yes, let’s.”

  Kingman. Arizona.

  THE DOG pointed and barked out an order when Neil hit the I-40 intersection. “Go left into Kingman. He couldn’t go much farther without a rest. His leg was killing him, worst it had ever been, and he’d forgotten the antiseptic cream and the pain medication in his haste to get away from Annie’s ranch. He should have waited one more day, done more planning and been better prepared. Wasn’t like him to dive into a situation without being ready. The Dog was always ready. Always.

  One more mistake in a long string of them since he’d met Annie. She’d turned his life upside down. Could he have turned things around and lived with Annie? Maybe, but he wasn’t sure he trusted her. He was attracted to her and thought he might possibly love her, but could he ever fit into her world? He shook his head thinking about it.

  I’m no cowboy.

  Nothing left for him now, but the job offer in Mexico. The Pena Cartel was the one he hadn’t mentioned in the bullshit he’d given to the Latino kid and the Governor. He’d told them enough to get his ass out of the bind he was in and that’s all he needed to say. A fair trade.

  He had to start over completely on his own. He’d pick up the money he had stashed at his house, sell this kid back to Annie for a million, pack up everything he wanted to keep, pick up his false ID and drive down to Yuma. Somewhere along ninety-five south, he’d dump the kid where Annie could find him, but not until he had a couple hours head start. Once he was gone, nobody would ever see him again.

  A loose plan, but he’d make it work. She’d know what a low-life Dog he really was and that would hurt, but he’d get over it. The money would help him heal.

  He spotted the truck stop he’d been to many times on his bike and pointed. “In there,” he snapped at Neil who’d gone silent. All the better. The kid was smart and had a smart mouth on him.

  Neil made the turn into the busy truck center and parked in front of the restaurant. “Should I leave it running?”

  “Of course, leave it running, you asshole, we have no fuckin key.” The Dog pointed Annie’s stolen Beretta in Neil’s direction. “Don’t bother doing anything stupid while we’re here, or I’ll kill the first person that crosses my path, and it will be on you.”

  Neil nodded, left the SUV in park and stepped out.

  The Dog opened the passenger door and struggled to get out. Grunting from the intensified pain in his leg when he put his weight on it, the Dog opened the back door of the SUV to get the crutches and out of the corner of his eye he glimpsed a vehicle pulling in behind them—sideways.

  “Fucker is blocking us in,” he mumbled to Neil. “Keep your mouth shut.” He turned his head to see what the fuck the guy was doing and read the logo on the side of the SUV. Arizona Highway Patrol.

  “Fuck,” said the Dog and motioned for Neil to get behind him as the cop approached. The Dog bent down and pulled the knife out of his boot. The one he’d stolen from Annie’s arsenal. He smiled, held the knife down at his side and let the uniform get closer.

  “Afternoon, sir. Could I see your license and registration?”

  The Dog grinned. “Sure can.”

  NEIL SAW the knife too late to stop the dog. In one swift motion, Dougie plunged the knife into the trooper’s neck, shoved him bodily into the back of the SUV and leaned into the vehicle to finish the job. The Dog’s upper body strength was second to none and slitting throats seemed to be no problem for him, even standing on one leg.

  Paralyzed, Neil didn’t know whether to run for the restaurant and take his chances or try to take down the Dog. Before he had time to weigh his options, the Dog stuck the bloody knife in Neil’s ribs and pushed him towards the trooper’s car.

  “Get in and drive,” growled the Dog. He shoved harder on the knife and Neil felt the tip of the blade pierce his shirt and dig into his skin.

  Blood leaked through Neil’s shirt as he slid behind the wheel of the cruiser. He grit his teeth against the pain in his side and wondered how in hell he was supposed to drive a vehicle that looked so foreign to him. The keys were in the ignition waiting. Neil turned the key, shoved the Ford into gear and headed back to the interstate.

  “Why’d you have to kill the cop?” Neil could hardly breathe. He’d never been so scared in his whole freaked out life.

  “Shut up. You do what you have to do, kid. Nothing more and nothing less.”

  “Oh, that again. You’ll get the needle for that. Nothing more and nothing less.” Neil couldn’t help smiling.

  “Shut up and drive. That’s your job. My job is brainwork.”

  Neil laughed out loud.

  Calls blasted out of the radio. Numbers and codes. Neither one of them knew what the dispatcher was saying.

  “Shut that fucking thing off,” barked the Dog. “I need to sleep.”

  “Sleep?” hollered Neil. “You just killed a cop. Do you know how fast they’ll be on our asses?”

  “Us in a cop car? Think again. We’re home free.”

  “You’re out of your mind.”

  FARRELL wasn’t far behind. He turned left onto the I-40, lights flashing and sirens wailing. He didn’t care if the Dog heard him coming. He’d kill the fucker on sight for kidnapping his brother. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a gathering of police vehicles at the truck stop on the right hand side of the road. He pulled into the turning lane and eased into the parking lot.

  First officers on the scene were cordoning off an area around a gray SUV. Farrell rammed his truck into park, left the strobes flashing and ran to the vehicle. He flashed his creds and asked, “Can you tell me what happened here?”

  A short cop with short gray hair and a moustache scrutinized his ID and said, “You’re from Texas, Deputy Donovan. What’s your interest here, sir?”

  The guy wore a suit, so Farrell figured him for a detective or higher. “The guy who stole this SUV kidnapped my brother and I’m trailing them. I want to know what happened, or if my brother is hurt.”

  “The only victim is one of our own. A highway patrolman is lying in the back
of the vehicle with his throat cut.”

  Farrell’s breath left his body and he grabbed onto the fender of the next vehicle.

  That could have been Neil.

  “A witness saw two people leave in the trooper’s squad. One a blond-haired boy and one a big chunky fellow with crutches.”

  “That’s them,” said Farrell. “I’ve got to catch up.”

  The cop in the suit grabbed his arm. “I’m not letting you leave until I know what you know.”

  Farrell flipped out a card. “Call my boss, Ranger Blackmore at this number. He knows what’s going on and he’ll be happy to fill y’all in. I’ll help you later too, but I can’t right now. The maniac has my brother.”

  The cop frowned. “And who would this maniac be, sir?”

  “Dougie the Dog Robertson. King of the B team.”

  “Goddam bikers.”

  FARRELL slewed back onto the I-40 and headed for the route ninety-three intersection. Another hour and a half and he’d be in Vegas. Neil might be half an hour ahead of him after his stop at the murder scene. He pressed Annie’s contact and waited.

  “Hey, baby are you almost here?”

  “Mom, are you at the Dog’s house?”

  “Yep, we’re here waiting. You sound wound up, sugar.”

  “Dougie killed an Arizona trooper and took his squad. That’s what Neil is driving, Mom. A fuckin squad car. Watch out. Take the murdering bastard out the first chance you get.”

  “I will baby. I wish Neil hadn’t seen that. How long will you be?”

  “Hour and a half. I’ve got the siren on.”

  Doug Robertson’s Neighborhood. Las Vegas.

  ANNIE pressed end and another call came in. Dougie. “Where are you? I want you to let Neil go.”

  Dougie laughed. “I know you do, baby. That’s why I’m offering you a deal too good to refuse. You bring a million big ones to the hospital parking lot in Blythe, I dump Neil and head south on my own.”