The Hands

by Andrea Speed, A. B. Gayle, Jessie Blackwood, J. J Levesque, Katisha Moreish

  His hands balled into fists at his side. Flynn wanted to punch him, or grab him by the throat and shake him, but he was genuinely afraid of his response. Was he carrying a gun? It seemed kind of gauche for him, but he got the impression he was armed in some capacity. “You killed my father, didn’t you?”

  “Do I look like a common hit man, Errol?”

  “Stop calling me that.”

  “Why? It’s your name.”

  Flynn gritted his teeth and ignored it. Vale wanted to bait him, wanted him to be upset and too scattered to focus on what he wasn’t saying. “You haven’t denied it. You’re answering a question with a question.”

  “I don’t have to explain anything to the likes of you,” Vale said, his voice now betraying a venom he had suppressed up until now. “You’re trash from a long line of trash, and you’ve done nothing but prove it. You’re hardly worth my time.”

  Now he was furious. “Why did you bury his hands in the park? Where’s the rest of his body?”

  Vale gave him a slow, sharp, razorblade smile. If a shark could gloat, it would look like him. “You’re going to find out. Do you really want to spoil the surprise?”

  Unbidden, Flynn felt his arm pull back, fist ready to fly. He was too angry to think straight. But before he could throw it, Vale said, “How do you think your boyfriend would react to the real you?”

  He was frozen to the spot, and almost felt breathless, like Vale had punched him in the stomach. “What?”

  “The big eyed English teacher. Bit above your station, don’t you think? Of course, anything above the gutter is beyond your station, but you’re too arrogant to notice.” Vale lowered his voice to a silky whisper. “Shame if he got hurt because of your idiocy.”

  That was the final straw. Flynn felt something snap in his head, and he grabbed Vale by the starched collar of his shirt and slammed him back against the wall, as hard as he could muster. “Don’t you ever threaten Aiden! If you go anywhere near him I will kill you! Get me? I’ll rip your motherfucking head off, you stuck up piece of shit!”

  Their faces were inches away from each other, almost kissing close, but Vale wasn’t afraid. In fact, he was snickering, like Flynn’s anger was just too delicious. “You’re an amateur, Errol. If you think I’m alone, you’re even stupider than I thought you were. This is bigger than me, bigger than you, and you can’t stop it.”

  “Stop what?” He shook him, and felt a sort of grim satisfaction when the back of Vale’s head hit the wall with a thunk. “Tell me, goddamn it!”

  ******

  ‘Raised voices, in a a funeral home? Did I collect the wrong body or something? If I did I’d better go fess up. That’s the only way I have a chance of keeping this job, what with Vale being such a ball breaker,’ the mortician’s assistant, Lyle Tate, thought. He washed his hands hastily, removed his lab coat and then headed for the front of house.

  “Mr. Vale...” Lyle took in the scene in a flash. Flynn, the lad Gil had introduced him to at the party on the weekend, had hold of Lyle’s employer and was yelling at him. He appeared to have the upper hand, but Mr. Vale was looking unconcerned; in fact he seemed slightly amuse. Wrong, Lyle’s well-trained danger sense screamed, straight away. His brain did the calculations and his body got under way before Lyle had time to think on it.

  “Mr. Archer, Flynn...Please relax. Whatever you are upset about, it can be sorted out...” Lyle held his hands out, open, in a gesture of supplication. At the same time he closed the distance between the men and himself.

  Lyle had seen enough in his past lives to recognise someone who knew they were going to win whatever fight was about to happen, and this time that was going to be Vale. ‘Listen to me, boy. He’s going to break you if you don’t.’ Lyle wished, not for the first time, that he had been blessed with telepathy.

  “Mr. Vale? Should I call the police?” Lyle couldn’t picture Henry Vale ever going with someone as young or stupid as Flynn, otherwise he might have thought it a lover’s tiff, judging by the vehemence and hostility evident in their words and posturing. Only Vale wasn’t posturing. Lyle considered the scene and what he had heard before, taking mere milliseconds to do so. ‘I did hear another man’s name... Aiden... was that one of those teachers Flynn had dumped me on Saturday night ? Maybe it is a private argument after all.’

  ‘Hear me, Flynn,’ Lyle thought, ‘take your breaks where you get them. Back it down and get out of here while you still have two legs to walk on’. Lyle prayed that Flynn Archer had some brains in his whichever of his heads was in control of him right now. Lyle’s instincts were telling him to get himself the hell away from this situation too, but where would he go ? If this exploded then he was already a witness, and he really didn’t want police attention so soon into his new career. Referring to the police had been a bluff, to get the two men to think their way back to a non-violent staging. Lyle hoped it would work, on at least one of them. He didn’t really care which.

  Flynn glared at Jude, who seemed to be trying very hard to exude innocence. “You in on this too, huh?”

  Vale chuckled again, in a way that was more patronizing than menacing. “Oh please. Unlike you, I’m not stupid.”

  Flynn looked at him, this cold fish of a man, and decided he probably was telling the truth. Jude really didn’t seem like the hit man type.

  “I’m not sure what you mean... I work here. Please, let’s not have trouble, Flynn.”

  Flynn let Vale go, with an added shove. It only made Vale smile in a broader way. Was he trying not to laugh? Still looking Vale in the eye, he said, “This isn’t over.”

  Vale now grinned and showed him all his perfect white teeth. “Oh no, I assure you it’s not.”

  Flynn gave Jude a scrutinizing look before storming out of the funeral home. Now he didn’t know what to do, except he couldn’t run if he couldn’t get Aiden to come with him. He wasn’t going to leave him to this bastard.

  Lyle watched with relief as the youngster departed. Something was very unpleasantly wrong between him and Henry Vale, but what that something was Lyle wasn’t keen to enquire about.

  Vale smoothed out his rumpled shirt and jacket, and knew he wouldn’t have to rush the whole thing with Flynn. If he played his cards right, he could get the idiot to fall straight into his hands. Much like his sad excuse of a father, and his poor deluded mother. “Sorry you had to see that. Some people take grief so poorly.”

  “I never imagined this was a job that justified danger money.” Lyle laughed, though it was a nervous laugh. “Are you okay ? Would you like me to get you something? Tea maybe?”

  “Tea would be lovely.” He was so glad Lyle was too polite to ask any questions. So far, he was much better than Riley.

  As for Flynn, he was wondering if a change of plans was in order. It would be so wonderful if he was alive when he put him in the furnace. That would really make his year.

  Haven Falls #94: Reflections

  Lyle Ashley Tate & Flynn Archer

  ______________________________________

  This was going to be a fairly new experience. Lyle gazed at the reflection of the barbershop across the street in the bookstore window. He watched for several minutes, pretending he was admiring the book display, but actually observing the behaviour of the men in the shop behind him. It was an old-fashioned place, filled with chrome and leather chairs, mirrors and customers. He would to have to sit and wait for his haircut. That would mean acting the way others did; another challenge in a life full of them. ‘I should just become an actor. It’s all I ever get to do these days,’ Lyle thought. He sighed, then tried to smile when he saw his own glum self also reflected in the window pane.

  Lyle was just about ready to head for the barbers when he noticed a familiar image slide into his view. Flynn Archer was there, just about to pass behind him. Maybe this window-gazing lark had a more fun use too. The lad was still dressed as he had been when he argued with Vale earlier, blue jeans and a T-shirt and enough attitude to get himself in
serious trouble. No harm in accidentally crashing into him, eh ?

  Lyle timed it perfectly, turning at the right moment to end up with arms full of the hot, Asiatic cutie. “Hey,” Flynn snapped, shoving Lyle back. As soon as he saw who it was, he scowled. “What, are you following me now? Your boss put you up to it, Jude? You suck as a tail man.”

  Lyle couldn’t help laughing. This boy was ‘tail’ if ever he saw it. “Chill. You okay ? I didn’t hurt you ?”

  Flynn glared at him. “You couldn’t hurt me on your best day. So what is it you want?”

  “Well, not you anyway. You okay though, that seemed like a real barny you were having with my boss earlier?”

  Unbelievable. How clueless was this guy? Then again, maybe that was the point. Maybe Vale hired him because he knew nothing about what was really going on. A patsy. Jude the Obscure really was obscure, he just didn’t know it. “How long have you worked for that asshole?”

  “Just started, Monday. I only got into town this weekend. Didn’t expect to witness a furor in a funeral parlour...not so soon anyway.”

  Flynn was attractive, just not old enough. Then again, Lyle was conscious that in return he was just not fab enough for the youth’s taste either.

  “You know what you need to do, Jude? Quit. Walk away before that bastard does something to you. Because he’s gonna. I’ve met his type before, and it’s like they can’t help themselves.” Flynn had been on the street long enough to encounter quite a few predators, although they were bottom feeders, not smart enough or ambitious enough to do much more than hurt weaker people. But Vale ... he was something else. He was major league; he was an undead slasher from a horror film. He couldn’t even imagine his next move, because he was burdened with the vestige of a conscience.

  “I was just glad you knew to walk out this morning, while you still could.” The comment escaped his lips before Lyle could stop it; he was just so glad to see the lad was still breathing, after what he had seen in Vale’s eyes earlier. Damn, didn’t I promise myself I wasn’t getting into their business? Lyle thought to himself. He owed this boy nothing, and the lad’s attitude wasn’t going to earn him anything either, but he didn’t deserve to end up in shreds, whatever reason he felt he had for locking horns with someone like Henry Vale.

  Flynn looked at Jude curiously. “And what does that mean?”

  Lyle dropped his voice, conscious of their being so public. “You know. Keep your attitude in control with that one, Flynn. Stay away from him if you can. I might not be there next time, and I don’t need work that badly that I’d like to end up embalming you on behalf of that... On behalf of anyone.”

  Had he underestimated the Brit? “Is that a threat?”

  Lyle sighed loudly. This really wasn’t his business, and if Flynn was determined to scrap with Vale he could do it on his own. “Look, this is between you and him, whatever ‘this’ is. I just was concerned, and I’m glad to see you are still up and around. Try and stay that way, okay?” I sure as hell don’t want to have to move again so soon, I don’t need to be witness for the prosecution again, Lyle thought.

  Okay, he didn’t know anything. Jude just thought he was being ‘helpful’. Buddha save him from people who were being helpful. “You should really be looking out for yourself. That guy’s bad news.” Flynn intended to go around him and walk away, he’d got the address to Aiden’s school and he should be heading there right now, but before he did he paused and told Jude, “Ask him about the hands.”

  “I’ll not be asking him about anything except where my pay cheque is, thanks. Two or three years is all I need here, get my life set up and get gone again. I hope you’re still around by then to wave me off. You’re okay, Flynn, be seeing you.” Lyle took a chance on squeezing Flynn’s shoulder. He wanted him to know he wasn’t the enemy, but that he wasn’t going to go out in a blaze of glory alongside him either.

  Flynn shook his head. He’d underestimated Jude. He was as cold as a polar bear’s ass. “You’ll probably be seeing me in pieces, and you won’t give a shit, will you? Wow. Vale hired the right guy. Hope you can sleep at night, prick.” He then stormed off, shaking his head. He never would have chalked Jude up as that callous, but he was learning lots of unpleasant things about people today.

  Lyle was sad that Flynn seemed so sure the world hated him. It reminded him too much of himself. This was a change though; a new place, a new job and a new self. Part of that was about to be a new haircut too. He watched Flynn depart, then crossed the street and strode up the steps into the barbershop. This was his battle, not whatever Flynn and Vale were into.

  Haven Falls #95: Breaking and Entering

  Aiden Parker & Flynn Archer

  _________________________________________

  The school bell rang and Aiden watched as his students filed out. He still had to be there for a while - contract time - but those twenty minutes passed quickly and he gathered his things and left. Normally he would have no problem staying later, but he wanted to get home. After what happened yesterday, he was shaken. He didn’t want to be far from his house. Why? It was foolish. School was safe, too. Maybe it was just having Dante around. He was getting bigger.

  As he left the building, he waved to his co-workers and a few remaining students and managed to make it to his car without getting asked any questions. He unlocked the door with the remote, popped, the trunk and tossed his bag in the back, and then walked around to the front.

  Opening the door, Aiden looked across and stared at Flynn, his eyes opening wide and mouth dropping open. He’d locked the door. He always did. “How did you... what are you doing in my car?”

  "Waiting for you. These infrared locks are easy to hack if you know the frequency. Look, if I asked you to just go with me now, pack up your things and go to, I don’t know, Canada, would you?” It was a long shot, but Flynn felt he had to try.

  Aiden stared some more, then climbed into his seat and shut the door. He set his hands on the steering wheel, but didn’t start the car just yet, and glanced at Flynn. “And why would I do that?” He didn’t know whether to be amused or angry as hell that he had broken into his car. Hacked he said. He narrowed his eyes. There is a lot Flynn is not telling me.

  Flynn sighed heavily. “Because I’m an idiot, and I think I put you in more danger than I realized. I don’t think I ever grasped that I was in danger, you know? I mean, I’ve survived up ‘til now. What could be so bad?” He wasn’t explaining this right, was he? Fuck it. He’d just have to hope Aiden trusted him, even a little bit. “So what do you say? I hear Vancouver’s nice.”

  “I’m in danger from what? You?” Aiden started the car. They could finish whatever this conversation was at his house. “So have I, but I also hear the winter is very cold. I like snow, but not freezing weather.”

  “In danger from me? Holy shit, is that what you think? I’d never hurt you, Aiden. Well, not intentionally.” Great, now he felt like an asshole. No, he had to keep focused. Vale was bad news. How did he get this across to him without admitting everything. Hey Aiden, guess what? My name’s actually Errol Ashton, and I’m a minor felon. Wanna introduce me to your kids now?

  “No, that’s not what I think, but you’re confusing the hell out of me.” Aiden focused on the road as he pulled out of the school parking lot wondering if anyone had seen Flynn get into his car. He drove the short distance home, trying not to focus on the man next to him. “After what you told me yesterday, somehow I am not surprised to find out you can break - hack - into my car. I don’t know why, but it’s just not surprising.” He frowned at that.

  “Well, I’m an asshole. I do asshole things.” How was he going to say this in a way that wouldn’t encourage more questions? Flynn didn’t really know. He should probably tell him the whole truth, it would be easier to keep track of his stories then, but he couldn’t afford to have Aiden leave him now, when he was potentially in danger. And Aiden would leave him, of that he was sure. “I think I may have found a guy in on the death of my
parents, Henry Vale. But I don’t have anything concrete, something I could take to the cops. He’s ... dangerous, though. You need to avoid him, and if you ever see him, you need to call me right away.”

  Allowing all of that to sink he, Aiden pulled into his driveway and stopped the car. He shut it down and turned to look at Flynn. “First, I don’t think you’re an asshole. Second, I have no idea who Henry Vale is. I could pass him on the street and I wouldn’t know who he was. If you really think he had something to do with their- wait. Your father is dead, too?”

  Oh, fuck him. Sometimes Flynn was convinced he was the stupidest man on the planet, and here was why. He rubbed his eyes, mainly so he didn’t have to look at Aiden, and said, “When I ran off yesterday ... I got confirmation that my dad is dead. So, yeah, this whole Haven Falls thing was a set up. To get me into easy killing range, I suppose. I don’t know.”

  “Why would anyone want you dead? What did you or your parents do? I don’t understand, Flynn.”

  “Okay, I know you’re totally not going to believe me, but I don’t know what this is about either. All I can figure is my dad got involved in something he shouldn’t have, and he made me and my mom targets. Why I don’t know. And how my step-mother escaped their wrath ...” he suddenly trailed off. When was the last time he’d heard from Barbara? When he was at their house to look through his father’s papers. He pulled out his cell phone - a burner, untraceable, which he did by simple habit - and punched in the old home number by memory. It rang five times before an unfamiliar man answered. “Hello?”

  “Is Barbara there?”

  There was a long pause. “D’ya mean Barbara Ashton?”

  “Yeah.”

  The man sighed. “God. Sorry man, but she died.”

  Why didn’t that surprise him? It should have, but it didn’t. “When? How?”