“Please just tell me the truth,” Cathy said. “I need to know what happened. I know they made it there. We found Theo’s car parked along the back.”
“Look, how do I even know it’s them … who you’re talking about?”
“So some people did come by,” Robinson said.
Kyle bowed his head, nodded. “But I wasn’t the one who let them in. Mike was outside at the time.”
“What did they look like?”
Kyle described them, causing Cathy to suddenly break down into tears. I couldn’t tell if they were tears of joy or of sorrow, but I imagined we’d all find out soon enough.
“Are they still inside?” Robinson asked.
“Yeah, but…”
“But what?”
“One of them is dead.”
Cathy erupted into even more tears, flooding out. I was pretty sure now these tears weren’t of the happy variety. She knelt down and started shaking. I knelt down beside her but wasn’t sure what to say or do.
“I’m sorry,” Kyle said. “It wasn’t my fault. I promise I had nothing to do with it.”
Finally, Cathy looked up. “Is it Brian?” she asked. “Is he … dead?”
“I don’t know their names, but I’m guessing Brian is the white guy?” Cathy nodded. “Then no, it’s not him.”
Oh, thank God. It’s Theo. That was a close one.
Ray of hope, meet Cathy.
Cathy, meet ray of hope.
She slowly stood up. “Then he’s still in there?”
“Yeah, they have him locked up in the back.”
“Oh, my God,” Cathy sobbed. “W-why?”
“I don’t know. I’m the low man on the totem pole. They don’t tell me everything.”
“But you have to know what happened,” Robinson said. “You said this Mike guy let them in. Then what?”
“The rule is, nobody gets inside unless Charlie says so.”
“Charlie’s the one in charge?”
Kyle nodded and I smiled. Charles in charge. It had a nice ring to it.
“Mike didn’t listen,” Kyle went on. “He brought them in. I caught him doing it up front, and I told him it was a bad idea, but he did it anyway. He said they only wanted some medicine from the pharmacy, and they’d be in an out in no time. Well, it almost worked. But Brett showed up right as they were about to leave, and Mike turned on them. He said they’d got the beat on him and forced their way inside.”
“Why would he say that?” I asked.
“I don’t know. I guess he was just scared. We both were. Brett kept his gun on your friends and called for Charlie to come up front. Once Charlie got up there, things spiraled out of control real fast.” Kyle paused for a moment, and then continued. “Your husband remained pretty calm through it all, at least he looked that way. He kept saying it was all just a misunderstanding, that they weren’t a threat. Charlie didn’t really care what they had to say, and I don’t think he believed Mike either. He was pissed at all of us, except Brett. He told your friends if they wanted to leave, they had to put back what they had taken. The medicine. Well, the other guy, the ugh … the dead guy, he got real angry. I guess the medicine was for him. He refused to put it back. Next thing I know guns are up and they start firing. I don’t know who fired the first shot. I got the hell out of the way. So did Mike. We hid behind some cashier lanes.”
Robinson sighed. “So they shot Theo right then?”
“No,” Kyle replied. “Your friends took cover in the pharmacy. The gunfire stopped. As far as I could tell, nobody was hit. And I think Charlie and Brett seemed content to just wait them out. Finally, after maybe ten minutes, your husband tried to negotiate with them. He said nobody needed to get hurt, that they’d agreed to leave behind their guns and the medicine. If they could leave in peace. Charlie accepted the offer, promised not to hurt them. He had them slowly come up and put their guns on the pharmacy counter. Then they came out of the pharmacy. They had their hands up. And Charlie…”
We all took a deep breath.
It was coming.
We could feel it.
“Charlie walked over to them, called the black guy a dumb … you know … and shot him in the head.”
“Christ,” Robinson said.
Cathy buried her face in her hands. I gathered enough courage to place one of my hands on her back and move it slightly, trying to comfort her. I wasn’t the best at consoling people yet, but I’d get better in time.
“Did they shoot…?” Robinson mumbled, clearly not wanting to say Cathy’s husband’s name.
“No, he tried to escape, but they tackled him and beat on him pretty bad. So bad he stopped moving. I thought they’d killed him. After that, they put him on one of those big mobile carts that the stock people use, and then wheeled him into the back hall. That was the last time I saw him.”
Cathy raised her head. “So then he could be dead?”
“I don’t know for sure,” Kyle said. “Last I heard he was alive, according to Mike. He said Charlie and Brett had him locked up back there near the big receiving doors … against one of the tall metal racks.”
“Fuck,” Robinson whispered under his breath.
“Again … I’m sorry. Maybe I should have done something. But I didn’t know your friends … your husband … and I was too afraid to stand up to Charlie. He probably would have killed me too. So I stayed out of it. I was glad when they put me outside this afternoon, just so I could get out of there. They still hadn’t cleaned up the dead body.”
Cathy sounded like she was starting to hyperventilate. I upped the back rubbing.
“We have to go in there,” Robinson said. “Try to get Brian out. And you gotta help us. You need to sneak us in.”
“No, no, don’t make me do that.”
“You have to. You know the layout of the store. You know where they got him locked up.”
“I don’t know exactly.”
“You know enough. More than we do.”
“So I don’t have a choice? If I say no, what then, you kill me and throw my body into the Gulf?”
Robinson shook his head. “If you say no then you’re free to go. Go back to them. Go wherever you want. But you won’t last long, not if this Charlie guy is as crazy as he sounds. And not long out on the road by yourself. If you help us, then you’ll have shown you’re worth a damn. That you won’t just be dead weight. And I’ll be the first to say you can stay with us.”
Cathy finally stood up. “Please help us. My husband is a good man. He’s a … a great man. Please.”
“How old are you?” Robinson asked.
“Sixteen,” Kyle answered.
“You’re almost a man, Kyle. Time to stand up to the bullies.”
“Ya know, Charlie … he’s like you,” Kyle said, nodding at Robinson.
Robinson looked instantly offended. “What do you mean he’s like me?”
“He means he’s black,” I said.
“No, not that,” Kyle corrected. “I mean he’s a cop.”
Shocking revelation, meet Robinson.
Robinson, meet shocking revelation.
Good cop vs bad cop.
Let the battle begin.
I rode side seat to Robinson as he drove back to Cathy’s house.
“Ya know, you could have stayed back with the others, Jimmy,” Robinson said. “I’m just gonna pick up Aamod. Then we’re going right back to pick them up. Shouldn’t take more than a minute.”
I had my doubts about that. Dealing with Aamod always took more than a minute. And to be blunt, I was counting on it, as it would give me time to say goodbye to the three girls—and the love dog—in case I walked into the Walmart and never walked out. Of course, I didn’t speak a word about my fears to Robinson. I didn’t want him thinking his deputy was a coward. He had a hard enough time already keeping other members of the group in line. He had faith in me, even though I hardly had faith in myself. The last thing I wanted was to disappoint him.
“I know,” I r
eplied, and left it at that.
The truth was my mind and my heart weren’t getting along well. They needed counseling.
My heart wanted to help Cathy. She was such a wonderful person, with an unbreakable spirit. When we had all assumed Brian was dead, and did practically everything we could to get her to give up hope, she held strong. She believed. And it was clear she’d risk dying if it meant there was a chance she could see him again. This was most evident by the fact that she’d absolutely refused to come with us back to her house, despite Robinson’s best attempts at begging and pleading. Passion like that was inspiring, and it made you want to get involved and help out. Her husband was being held hostage by a bunch of lunatics, and she wouldn’t sit at home and pray that we saved him. No, she had to be involved, no matter the cost.
And to that, my mind was saying great, good, fantastic. If she’s willing to pay the cost, let her pay the cost. I didn’t know Brian. He wasn’t my husband. Far as I knew, he could be a giant douche. He could be like the guys that picked on me all through school, called me names like needle dick and cock gobbler, when only the former is true. I knew Brian only through the photos I saw at Cathy’s house. In photographs, he looked normal. But how much can you really tell about a person from a photo? It’s not like he had a swastika tattooed on his forehead, or was wearing a turtleneck sweater. He looked like a decent person in his photographs, but so does Chris Brown. Point was, I didn’t know Brian from Steve. Or Terry. Or Doug. Or any other male names of people I’d never met. Why should I risk my life for somebody I didn’t know?
Because you feel bad for Cathy, that’s why.
Shut up, you stupid heart.
Robinson pulled into Cathy’s driveway and we got out. Peaches must have heard us pull up. She met us at the front door.
“What happened?” she asked, holding the door open for us. She looked concerned after nobody else followed us in. “Where is everyone?”
Much like the world outside, the inside of Cathy’s house had lost its glow. The atmosphere was dark and brooding, quite the contrast to the way I had felt when I was there earlier. They had lit some candles while we were gone, placed most of them in the living room and kitchen. The flickering flames created some interesting, if not a bit eerie, shadows on the white walls.
“They’re okay,” Robinson said. “They’re waiting for us. Where’s Aamod?”
“He’s out on the back porch with Naima.”
Robinson walked away, left Peaches and I alone in the kitchen.
“What’s going on?” Peaches asked, the look of concern still weighing heavy on her face.
“We found Brian.”
“Really? Is he dead?”
I shook my head. “Doesn’t look like it.”
“What does that mean?”
I told her a condensed version of the story Kyle had told us, and then I told her what we were planning to do about it. The rescue mission Robinson was organizing.
When I was finished, Peaches said, “I want to help.”
“What?”
“You heard me. If the rest of you are going then I’m going to.”
“Ugh...”
“Sounds like y’all are gonna need every person you can get, and I’m tired of sitting out. I want to help Cathy.”
“I want to help Cathy too, but—”
“But what? I’m not useful enough because I don’t have a penis? I seem to remember me throwing the bottles a lot farther than you.”
“I never said you weren’t useful. Look, honestly, I’m not even sure I want to go. It’s gonna be real dangerous. We’re not just dealing with crazy people. We’re dealing with crazy people with guns. What if something happens to you?”
“What if something happens to you?”
“Trust me, I’m very worried about that.” She looked away. “What? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
“Seriously, what’s wrong?”
“You don’t understand.” She looked back up at me. “What if something happens to you? What am I supposed to do then? I don’t want you to leave me here so I can worry about you, wonder if I’ll ever see you again. Don’t put me on the shelf. I don’t need you to protect me.” She pulled me in with her eyes. They glistened in the candlelight. “If you’re in trouble, I want to be in trouble too. Okay?”
“If you go, who’s gonna take care of the baby?”
“Naima can stay with her. Olivia’s in one of the bedrooms sleeping right now anyway.”
“And if none of us make it back?”
“What good do you think I’ll be to her if the rest of you are dead? How long do you think her and I will last? If I go, you’ll have a better chance of getting out of there alive. And that’s all that matters right now.”
I nodded. “Well, if—”
My train of thought was suddenly derailed by the sound of yelling in the living room. Peaches and I ran out of the kitchen to see what was going on.
“You know what, I don’t care anymore,” Robinson said. Aamod and Naima followed him in from the back porch. “You’re never gonna change.”
“Into what?” Aamod yelled back. “Into a fool?”
Robinson barely glanced up as he charged by Peaches and I, heading for the front door. “Let’s go Jimmy.”
“I’m going too,” Peaches said.
Robinson stopped, turned around. “What?”
Same thing I had said when she told me she wanted to go, only my tone hadn’t been ripping with anger.
“I’m going too,” Peaches said again.
“Why?” Robinson asked.
“Because I’m a part of this group, and I want to help out.”
I waited for Robinson to do what I was unable to accomplish. Talk her out of it. Or just straight up tell her thanks but no thanks.
Instead, he said, “Okay, you can come,” and then continued his mad dash out the front door.
I glanced back at Aamod and Naima. “Naima, can you watch Olivia while we’re gone?”
She didn’t respond. She looked at her father for answers. But Aamod was ignoring all of us. He had his eyes locked on the open front door. A moment later, he blazed through it, and the arguing began anew out in the front lawn. I stood between Peaches and Naima, watching from the doorway.
“What do you want me to do?” Aamod asked.
“I want you to do what Peaches just did,” Robinson replied. “Step up and offer something to this group. Otherwise, you can get out. We don’t need you.”
“I have to protect my daughter. I can’t do that dead.”
“Oh get off it already. You don’t have to overprotect her. She’s an eighteen-year-old girl, I don’t think she wants her father up her butt all the time.”
“She’s not your daughter. I bet you’d feel differently if your son was here.”
“I’m warning you, don’t bring my son into this.”
“Your son is the reason why we’re all here right now. Why wouldn’t I bring him into this?”
“My son has nothing to do with this,” Robinson said. “This has to do with you and your bullshit—”
“What are you talking about?” Aamod interrupted. “Aren’t we heading to New Orleans to look for your son? Isn’t that what we’re doing? I didn’t have to come along you know.”
“I didn’t ask you to,” Robinson replied. “I was perfectly happy going by myself. You chose to come along, and you made that choice because you thought you’d have a better chance at staying alive if you stayed with us. So far, that bet has paid off. Unfortunately, your time may be running out. And as far as this group is concerned, it’s expired.”
“What does that mean?”
“You’re so smart. Figure it out.”
Aamod shook his head. “Do you think kicking me out will help you find your son? Or do you even care anymore?”
Robinson made a strong move closer to Aamod. I was glad Aamod didn’t have his shotgun on him, in case things continued to escalate. I also felt bad for the othe
rs waiting for us to come back and pick them up.
“I told you to shut up about my son.”
“Listen to me then. If you care about your son, why aren’t we on the road? Why are we here at some woman’s house, wasting time?”
“Because I’m not a selfish asshole like you.”
“Look around. Are you going to try and save everybody? Is that your plan? Are we going to stop at every town and help everyone we meet?”
“I let you join the group. I helped you out when you needed it. Why shouldn’t I help her?” When Aamod didn’t respond, Robinson turned and went for the car. “Jimmy, Peaches, if you’re coming then come on.”
“You’re afraid,” Aamod said. “That’s it. That’s what it is.”
Robinson opened the car door, and then slowly glanced back at Aamod standing in the middle of the yard. “If I’m so afraid, why would I be trying to help people, knowingly putting myself in danger?”
I think I knew where Aamod was going with this, even if Robinson didn’t yet.
“You’re not afraid of death,” Aamod replied. “Maybe you even welcome it. You’re afraid of the truth.”
“What … truth?”
“The truth you may find waiting for you in New Orleans. You’re afraid to find out the answer to the question of whether your son is alive. Or dead. Or infected. That’s it. That’s why you keep delaying us. You say you want to help this woman, but that’s all just a distraction, isn’t it? To keep your mind off your son. To keep your mind off the fact that you believe him to be most likely dead. Or simply gone. And that you’ll never find him. You’ll never see him again. You’re afraid of the truth.”
Aamod may have not had his shotgun on him, but he blasted Robinson with a direct hit nonetheless. And it left Robinson speechless. He bowed his head, took a deep breath. Finally, after what seemed like forever, he lifted his head back up and stared at Aamod.
“I’m sorry,” Aamod said.
I won’t lie, those words sounded strange coming out of Aamod’s mouth. However, I don’t think he was sorry for saying what he said; only that he had to be the one to say it. And the way Robinson had reacted, or not reacted, maybe Aamod had hit the nail on the head. Maybe Robinson was afraid to find out the truth. If so, he wouldn’t admit it. Certainly not now, as angry as he was.
Dead Highways (Book 2): Passage Page 17