by HD Smith
Waters laughed. “Kid, you don’t know nothing about your father. Haven’t you ever wondered why he rushes down here for that Dunmore kid? Haven’t you ever wondered where you get that straight black hair from?”
“My uncle,” Lenny said, defensively. That’s what his mother had always told him. Monroe laughed again. Lenny pushed the hair from his eyes. “My father—”
“Hasn’t even called.”
“You’re lying.”
“You think so? Do you want me to ask the desk sergeant? Do you want me to ask him whether or not your father has called?” Waters eyed him. “Mr. Townsend has already called, but not your dad. Seems to me he doesn’t care. Of course, why would he?”
Lenny pushed the hair out of his eyes. “My father will come for me,” Lenny said, but he knew there was doubt in his voice.
Waters had a big smile on his face. “I’m going to tell you a secret, kid. One they don’t want you to know. Mr. Hill especially.”
“What secret?” Lenny ignored the snickers from the deputy.
“You should ask Mr. Hill about Manny the Snitch.” Waters pulled out an old prison photo from his desk.
The man in the picture had straight black hair like Lenny. Lenny looked away when a second photo was placed in front of him. The brief glimpse showed a bloated body with stringy dark hair—someone who’d been pulled from the river.
Waters broke the silence. “Monroe, you remember this case?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Did we ever figure out who dropped this guy off the bridge?”
“No, sir.” The deputy paused, then added, “but you know Townsend don’t make mistakes.”
Lenny looked up.
Waters’ grin was wide. “No, Townsend doesn’t make mistakes.”
“I don’t know who that is,” Lenny said. “He’s no one to me.”
“Fourteen years ago he was somebody to your mama.”
“You’re lying,” Lenny yelled.
Waters shrugged, stacking the photos and returning them to his desk. “Ask Mr. Hill.”
Lenny shook his head. This can’t be right, can it? Am I really going to take his word? Is he seriously trying to say my dad isn’t my dad? Lenny blinked back tears. His dad always treats Matty better—he always let Matty have the jobs, he picks Matty up every time he gets arrested. I look nothing like him.
Lenny’s eyes met Waters’. “What do I have to do to get out of here?”
“Cooperate. Your friends, Matty and Julian, have already agreed. We just want you to stay out of the way, and keep your mouth shut about what you heard in the factory. If you don’t, people are going to get hurt.”
“Fine, when can I leave?”
Waters chuckled. “I’ll call your father and tell him to come pick you up.”
“Don’t bother. I’ll walk home.”
Waters cocked one of his eyebrows. “Sorry kid, rules are rules. He has to pick you up. And try to remember that you and Ronny were in a fight. I don’t want two different stories floating around.”
Lenny stood, ready to get the hell out of this office.
“Monroe, take Lenny back to his cell, and bring me Ronny.”
The deputy returned Lenny to his cell and took Ronny, leaving Lenny alone to think about what Waters had implied. Thirty minutes later, Monroe brought Ronny back.
Ronny was pissed. He was pacing his cell. “Did you agree to cooperate?” Ronny asked after the deputy left.
“Yeah,” Lenny said.
“Why? We have to tell our dads,” Ronny said.
Lenny snorted. “My dad treats me like I don’t exist most of the time, so why should I care if someone new takes over?”
Ronny’s mouth dropped open. “Are you kidding me? I’m not playing their game.”
“Everyone else is, Ronny. Wake up. It will be your word against everyone else’s. Who do you think they’ll believe?” Lenny paused. “I can’t believe you’re willing to go to jail over this. Save yourself, Ronny. No one else will.”
Lenny rolled over on his cot and faced the wall. He wasn’t about to die on the sword for the man who was his father in name only. Even if Waters was lying, Hill had never treated Lenny the way he treats Matty. You’d think he didn’t have a real son.
It was noon before Hill came to pick Lenny up. He’d had plenty of time to consider everything Waters had said. The pictures kept creeping into his thoughts.
“Your mother has been worried sick. I can’t believe you got caught fighting. And look at you, did you even fight back?” Hill asked as soon as he saw Lenny.
Lenny didn’t respond. His father was angry—what was new? Waters stared at Lenny as his father signed him out. Lenny pushed the hair out of his eyes, and looked away. He just wanted to leave.
Reno, Hill’s driver, wasn’t waiting by the car when they left the police station. It was unusual, but his dad did occasionally drive himself. Lenny got into the front seat and waited.
“You know what kind of stuff is happening right now, and you pull this crap. You need to stay home for a few days. I don’t want to see you around the pub. You’re grounded. Do you understand?”
“Is Matty grounded too?” Lenny asked.
“No, Matty wasn’t stupid enough to get caught fighting.”
“What about Fourth of July? He was stupid enough then, and you went out of your way to pick him up the same day. You let me stay in jail,” Lenny yelled. “Why do you love him and hate me? I’m your son … right?”
“Lenny, there are things you don’t understand.”
“Really, then why don’t you explain it to me? And while you’re at it, who’s Manny the Snitch.”
Hill was quiet for a minute. “Where did you hear that name?”
“Around,” Lenny said, pushing the hair from his eyes.
“From who?”
“Just tell me who he is.” Lenny raised his voice. “And why do you treat Matty better than me? You always have. Why?”
Lenny could tell his father was thinking about his answer, trying to decide what to say.
“Just tell me the truth,” Lenny begged.
Hill stared into Lenny’s eyes. “Do you really want to know?”
“Yes!”
~#~
Lenny got out of the car. “I hate you,” he screamed and slammed the door. He ran—away from the pain, away from the truth. He wouldn’t believe it had all been a lie. He’d bury it so deep that he’d forget the truth, the lies—they were lies, he wouldn’t believe. He was Lenny Hill, not some a bastard like Matty.
He ran all the way home without stopping.
~#~
Ronny had refused to cooperate. Waters told Mr. Townsend that he’d almost killed another kid, and that the state required a psychological evaluation. By the time Mr. Townsend was allowed to see him, Ronny was so doped that nothing he said made any sense.
Juli was grounded for two weeks. Matty hadn’t seen a lot of him since that night, and he hadn’t seen Lenny at all. Lenny just stopped hanging around, and when Matty tried to call he would just say that he was grounded and hung up. Matty felt alone.
He tried to avoid the Russian, but he was the one that brought the check that month. The Russian chatted with his mom, Audrey, for a few minutes before leaving, as if he wanted Matty to see how easily she could be reached. Things were really turned upside down, and nothing was ever going to be the same again.
Royce was still in power, but Parrish was dead and Logan was having a hard time getting support. Some people thought he had something to do with Parrish’s death, just like Matty had suspected. But Matty didn’t know who was really involved, or who the Russian was really working for. It could have been Logan, or Quinn, or even Kalen. No one was above suspicion. Matty just wanted it to end. He wanted everything to get back to normal. At least, as normal as Nowhere could be.
Chapter 11
2015
Matt packed his suitcase and left it with the bellman before leaving for the office. It was his last day in the
city and he was ready to go home. He’d tried to call Faith earlier, but wasn’t able to reach her. He’d try again later. In a few hours he’d be in a taxi and on his way out of the city. He’d give Pete a call from the airport.
Matt had been at the office for about thirty minutes when two well-built men got off the elevator. They both looked to be in their early thirties, wearing jeans and tight fitting t-shirts. Their eyes roved over the room until they spotted Ryerson. With a nod, he acknowledged them and headed their way. Matt decided it wasn’t important, until Ryerson pointed at him, and the two brutes made a beeline for him.
“You Larson?” the first man asked.
“Um ... Yeah,” Matt said, hesitantly.
“I’m J.J. and this is Sammy,” he said, pointing at his partner. “You’re coming with us.”
Matt laughed. “What?”
Sammy moved around to the other side, blocking Matt in between the desk and the two men.
“Who are you?” Matt asked.
“We don’t want to cause a scene, but we will if we have to.” J.J. held up a phone with a picture on the display.
Matt’s heart rate increased and his mouth went dry. “Pete,” he whispered. He put his hand on the desk as his knees threatened to give out. The picture showed a guy holding a gun near Pete’s face. Matt tried not to raise his voice. “Where’s my son?”
“Let’s go, or you’ll never see your kid again,” J.J. said.
“Who are you working for?”
“You’ll find out soon enough.” J.J. pointed toward the elevator.
Matt saw no other choice. They had Pete. He gave Ryerson a look as they headed toward the elevator. Ryerson looked away, as if he hadn’t seen anything.
“Tell me who it is,” Matt demanded as the elevator doors closed.
J.J. gave Sammy a look, then said, “Mr. Hill.”
Matt knew the man he’d known as Mr. Hill was dead. His mother had mentioned it a few months before she died. Until then, he hadn’t realized she’d been keeping track of him. Matt knew his mom loved her husband, Peter, but she’d never completely gotten over Mr. Hill. That meant these guys had to be talking about Lenny.
“Lenny?” Matt asked, wanting confirmation.
“I wouldn’t start disrespecting Mr. Hill like that,” Sammy said. “He doesn’t like it when people use that name.”
Matt scoffed. “I’ll have to keep that in mind. Let me guess, we’re going to Miller’s Pub?”
“You’ll see when we get there,” J.J. said.
Matt couldn’t believe that Lenny had gone to so much trouble to get him back to Nowhere. Shit, why does he care after all these years?
~#~
Julian was at his hotel when his phone rang. It was Ronny. Finally.
“Where have you been?” Julian asked.
“A layover in Detroit. Did you get my messages?” Ronny asked.
“Yeah, but by the time I could get someone to the address you gave me, they’d already taken the kid.”
“So what are you going to do?”
“I’m going to find Matty and then we’ll make a plan to get his kid back. You need to be here.”
“I’m working on it. There was an issue with the plane and they didn’t let us off in time for me to catch a flight back to the city.”
“You shouldn’t have left.”
“Lenny had Deacon drive me to the airport. A couple of Payton’s guys were going to Detroit and I was on the flight with them. I couldn’t stay behind without Lenny finding out. I’m catching the next flight.”
“Good. I’ve got to go, call me when you get back.” Julian ended the call.
He needed to find Matty. Now that Hill had the kid he’d be picking up his old friend next.
Julian went by the hotel, but Matty had already checked out of his room. He paid the bellhop to verify Matty’s luggage was still in the hotel, then left for the office in the old Lewis building.
Unfortunately Matty wasn’t there. Julian scanned the room, spotting the man in charge. Striding with purpose, he made his way over to the man before he’d even notice Julian was in the room.
“Where’s Larson?” Julian barked.
“He’s very popular today,” the man in charge said, a slight grin on his face until he locked eyes with Julian.
“Yeah, well you’ve got two minutes to tell me where he is, or we’re going to become more acquainted than you’d like.” Julian pulled back his jacket and showed the man his gun.
The man saw the gun, then took Julian in as if for the first time. His eyes grew wide the moment he realized exactly what kind of person he was dealing with. “Oh sh ... you’re Julian Townsend,” he said, almost in a panic.
Julian’s lip turned up in a menacing snarl. “Where’s Matthew Larson?”
Stammering over his words, the man rushed to say, “Two of Hill’s boys picked him up about fifteen minutes ago, but I don’t know where they took him. I swear.”
“Forget that I was here.” Julian left the building.
He knew where they were taking Matty. He called Ronny and left him a message. Getting Matty back from Lenny was going to be a pain in his ass, but he wouldn’t let Lenny destroy Matty. Julian would go to Nowhere and find out just what Lenny was up to.
~#~
Why would Lenny do this? Matt wondered as the goons drove him out of the city. Lenny had taken Matt’s son, and Matt wasn’t exactly sure how he was going to get him back.
Matt hadn’t been in Nowhere since he and his mom left thirty years ago. He hadn’t planned to visit, and he certainly hadn’t planned to look up Lenny. Lenny had always been jealous, but this was extreme.
Maybe it was just the knots in his stomach, but the trip seemed to take forever. When they finally got to the bridge, J.J. made a call. “We have him, and we’re crossing the bridge now.”
It only took about ten minutes to get to Miller’s Pub from the bridge. The closer they got, the more anxious Matt became. He was worried about Pete, and what they were doing to him. He had to be scared, Matt just hoped they hadn’t physically hurt him.
Matt stared out the window as his past drifted by. Everything looked the same, more worn, but the same. His palms were clammy as they pulled up behind the pub. J.J. got out and opened Matt’s door. He pointed the gun at Matt, and motioned for him to get out of the car.
Matt’s memories of the back door into Miller’s Pub were fresh in his mind, but everything was different now. The parking lot was more dirt than gravel and it all felt smaller. In his mind the pub was huge, but what he saw now was an old building not much bigger than a store in a strip mall. He followed J.J. into the back room.
Matt immediately saw Lenny. He was sitting behind Mr. Hill’s old desk, looking smug.
“Well, it seems the prodigal son has returned,” Lenny said.
Matt scanned the room, ignoring Lenny’s taunt. “Where’s my son?”
“He’s safe … for now.”
Matt’s eyes locked onto those of his former friend. “What do you want, Lenny?”
Pulling his lips back in a snarl, Lenny yelled, “I’m Mr. Hill now. I run Nowhere. You will treat me with respect.”
Matt had to stop himself from laughing. “Good for you. Now what the hell do you want from me?”
Lenny looked over at J.J. Before Matt could react, J.J. punched him in the gut. It had been a long time since he’d been in a fight, and he wasn’t ready. He fell to one knee, clutching his stomach.
Lenny stood, kicking his chair back from the desk. “Get up!” he screamed, coming around to the front of the desk. “Get up, Mad Dog. We’re just getting started.” Lenny kicked Matt in the gut. “You’re going to have to learn to cooperate, Matty. Things are different now. You’re not the favorite anymore.”
“Screw you, Lenny,” Matt said, wheezing from the attack. Before he could catch his breath, J.J. kicked him in the side, causing him to cry out in pain.
Lenny chuckled. “Save some for later. I have a special treat lined up fo
r Matty, and he’s not going to miss it.”
J.J. pulled Matt to his feet. Matt straightened, but it hurt. “You can’t seriously still be jealous. Let it go.”
“Let it go! That’s easy for you to say. You’re the one he loved. You’re the one he looked for, for two years. You’re the one that left. I thought it was bad while you were around, but after you left it was worse. So much worse.”
Matt was confused. Had Mr. Hill looked for him and his mother for two years? The wild look in Lenny’s eyes was frightening, but Matt had no control over the slight Lenny obviously felt. “What are you talking about? What was worse?”
Lenny laughed. “You know, knowing the truth made it ten times harder for me. I could actually see how much he hated me. Every day it got a little worse. By the end, we were barely speaking.” Lenny paused. In a low growl he added, “Not that I gave him a chance to talk.”
Matt’s eyebrows drew together. Lenny’s eyes were glazed over as if he were reliving a memory. Had Lenny killed his father?
The door banged open as Sammy walked in from outside. Lenny’s eyes snapped back to Matt, as if he’d returned from his daydream into the past.
“The Chief’s here,” Sammy announced.
The corner of Lenny’s lip turned up. “Good, put Matty in the chair.”
Matt struggled, but Sammy and J.J. had him by the arms and pulled him down into the chair within seconds. Matt’s wrists and ankles were cuffed to the chair’s rungs. With disgust he recognized the old wooden chair as the same one Mr. Hill had used on the men he’d had beaten in the back room.
“Why are you doing this?” Matt asked, pulling at the cuffs in an attempt to break free. “Do you want money?”
Lenny threw back his head and laughed. “Matty, Matty, Matty,” he said, smacking Matt across the face. “Money? You can’t be serious … I want my childhood back. I want the father I never had. I want revenge.”
Matt was beginning to think Lenny was clinically insane. “Do you really think you can get it from me? You’re obviously mad at your father. How exactly is that my fault?” Matt looked down at the chair. “Is this really what you want? To have some no-neck beat me the same way the Tweedles did for your dad? I thought we were friends.”