by L. T. Ryan
I said nothing as I bounced back and forth in time.
“He loves Kelly though. Hasn’t once forgotten who she is, even though she wasn’t even born when he was diagnosed.”
I looked across at him and smiled. I thought about bringing Mia up, but decided against it. Perhaps in the morning.
We exited I-75 after passing Lake City. Our conversation stalled. It was two in the morning. Felt like eight to me. The fumes I’d been running on were gone.
I dozed on and off for the next hour or so until we reached Sean’s house. He pulled into the driveway and parked in front of a two-story Spanish style home.
“I see the car wasn’t your only upgrade,” I said.
“Had it built three years ago,” Sean said. “Five bedrooms, plenty of space, even has a courtyard in the middle with a small pool, and a big pool behind the house.”
I got out and looked around. The area seemed deserted. I glanced up and saw a sky full of stars. “Best part appears to be no neighbors.”
“There’s a few around. Everyone keeps to themselves, which is fine with me. I’m too busy for all that rah-rah HOA crap these days.”
I couldn’t imagine having to adhere to rules telling me what color fence I had to put up, and who to have build it. So, in that sense, I felt proud of Sean for breaking free from the humdrum suburbanite zombified lifestyle.
“You still driving to Tampa every day?” I said.
“Nah,” he said. “I’ve got fifteen lawyers in three offices in Tampa, St. Pete’s, and Bradenton. I mostly manage it all from here. I’m down there two days a week at most. I don’t go at all some weeks. Anyway, I’m going inside. You coming?”
“In a minute.”
“Not gonna smoke, are you?”
“No. I quit some time ago. Just want a few moments under the stars.”
“Suit yourself. I’ll leave the door open.” Sean headed toward his house, unlocked the door and stepped inside.
I walked up to the front, stopped and looked up. I hadn’t seen that many stars in a while. At least, not that I could recall. The last time I’d been anywhere remote enough to enjoy that kind of view, my life had been in danger. Hard to enjoy nature when that happens.
Aside from the crickets, it was quiet out. I enjoyed it for a couple minutes before turning and opening the door.
A car passed behind me. I looked over my shoulder, but saw no headlights or taillights. I took a few steps away from the house. Trees lined the opposite side of the road on either side of Sean’s house. A car’s headlights should light them up like Christmas trees. I saw nothing, yet, I still heard the car engine. It idled now. I started toward the street.
“What’re you doing, Jack?”
I stopped and turned. “How close are those neighbors?”
Sean shrugged. “I don’t know, maybe quarter-mile or so. Why?”
“Any of them work at night?”
“What’s this about?”
“A car just went by, but I swear it didn’t have any headlights on.”
“Guy next house over is a doctor. Maybe he got called to the hospital and is returning home now. Come on in. You’re gonna draw all the mosquitoes out of hiding.”
I didn’t move.
“You’re not thinking of walking down there, are you?” he said.
I was.
“Jack, get in here.”
The engine had cut off. I heard a door slam shut, though I couldn’t tell if it was a car door or someone’s front door.
“It’s just my neighbor,” Sean said.
I took five steps back, scanned the area the entire time.
“You really should get on some meds for that paranoia,” Sean said. “You’re a wreck.”
“I’d be dead if I wasn’t.”
We went inside. I made sure he locked the door. He led me upstairs to my room. I’m sure it was nice, but I didn’t bother turning on the light to take it in. I found the bed, fell onto it and went to sleep immediately.
Chapter 11
The Tercel ticked and clicked for several minutes after Leon pulled onto the dirt road a couple blocks after the house the Mercedes had parked in front of. The stupid Toyota was going to get him killed. Or at least spotted.
Which meant he’d have to kill.
Not that he was opposed to that. He wanted to get home to North Carolina, not spend the night in the middle of Florida. He hated everything about the state, starting with the mosquitoes. They surrounded him now, and they would for the rest of his time here. It always worked that way.
He slammed his car door shut, hoping to mimic the sound of someone going inside. The noise echoed against the dead night. The crickets around shut up. The cicadas didn’t. Leon stepped toward the road. The crickets resumed their shrill singing. Leon stepped a little heavier with their noise, masking some of the sound he made.
The wind carried whispers of voices, but they were too far away to decipher. He hoped they stayed that way. It was dark, and the territory was unfamiliar. He was a spotlight beam away from being taken out for being a predator in a sleepy, backwoods Florida town. They’d probably bury him in the woods and sink his car in a lake and no one would be the wiser for it.
He crept toward the final strand of trees, then headed toward the main road. Leon stopped across from the house where the Mercedes was parked. He shielded himself from view and watched.
The porch light shut off, then the landscaping lights. The windows of the home darkened.
Leon didn’t move. He wanted to get a better look at the Mercedes to figure out what he was doing there. However, he assumed a house like this would have security inside and out.
So he remained and waited and nothing happened. After an hour, he headed back to the Tercel and placed a call.
“Yeah?” Vera said.
“I’m in Florida. He’s inside a house.”
“OK. Stay on him tomorrow. Report back with his every move.”
The line went dead. Leon tossed his phone on the other seat.
“Yeah, every move,” he said. “Gonna get me killed.”
Chapter 12
I woke up just after seven in the morning. Sunlight trickled in through a crack where the curtains met as it rose above the trees across the street. I rolled over, got out of bed and looked out the window. I didn’t see Sean’s Mercedes in the driveway. Must’ve been an in-office day for him.
I exited the room and retraced my steps to the stairs. The upgraded carpet felt like walking on a foam mattress. The air smelled of dark roast. My mouth watered. Every step I took brought me closer to the coffee. The scent led me into a kitchen lined with stainless steel appliances, cherry wood cabinets, and granite counter tops.
Only the best for my big bro.
“Hello, Jack.” Debby leaned against the counter, lips pursed, arms crossed, left leg over her right. She held a mug in one hand, and a bottle of cream in the other. “Care for some?”
I smiled, nodded and said, “Black is fine, Deb.”
She stepped forward and placed the mug on the island. Her stare never left my eyes. I reached for the cup. We continued to stare at each other for an awkward moment. We hadn’t seen or spoken to each other since Mom’s funeral. I knew the day would come, but I always avoided thinking about it.
“Jack, I—”
I threw up my hands, palms facing her. “Let me go first. I said something awful six years ago, and I’ve wished I could take it back almost every day since. I know Sean and I have had our issues, but that never had anything to do with you. You stuck up for him, and I lashed out at you for it. I’ve thought about this over and over, Deb. In that moment, I think I was pissed more about the fact that it was you who said it, not the words you said. We were friends way before there was something between you and Sean. You did what was right. I was in the wrong.”
She shook her head as she reached out for my hand. “I knew it would piss you off. That’s why I said it, Jack. I would have been surprised if you had reacted any other way.
Now, I was shocked that Sean acted the way he did.”
“I’m not. He’s my brother. We’re wired the same. You just never saw that side of him.”
“But I saw plenty of it from you.”
Little feet pounded on the floor behind me.
“Hi Mommy. Hi Daddy.”
I turned around. The little girl froze.
“Kelly,” Debby said. “This is your Uncle Jack. He’s your Daddy’s brother. You remember the pictures, right?”
She nodded. Her eyes were wide and her stare never left me. I knelt down in front of her with my arm stretched out. She tepidly reached for my hand. The tension left her face. She let go, raced around the island and asked for a bowl of cereal.
Deb fixed the girl’s breakfast. The little girl hummed a song I wasn’t familiar with. Probably the jingle to some kid’s show. Her mother handed her the bowl on a tray and sent Kelly into the living room to watch TV while she ate.
Deb put the milk in the fridge and the cereal in the pantry. She returned to the island, looked at me and sighed.
“Were you and Jess still close?” I said.
She nodded. “We didn’t talk as much as in the old days, but we spoke frequently.”
“So those things Sean said, about her husband, he got some of that info from you. He pieced it together with what he had witnessed personally?”
“Yeah, and please don’t mention that to her parents, or anyone else. I mean, maybe some of them already suspect it. But if they don’t, I don’t want to go around hurting feelings any more than they already are. Know what I mean?”
I pulled a stool out from under the island’s ledge and took a seat. Steam rose from my coffee mug. I took a searing sip.
“You think she killed herself?” I said.
“That’s what the police say, right?”
I knew enough to never trust an opinion until I had all the facts. “Did she ever say anything that made you think that she was in need of help or counseling?”
Deb shook her head. “She had her moments, Jack, but who doesn’t? We all get depressed at times. Look at me, I live in this big, gorgeous house, but there are times I wish I did more than I do. That upsets me a bit. So, I don’t know about any signs. She seemed normal. Frustrated at times. Her marriage was coming to an end and I think she knew that and I think she was ready to let Glenn know that she planned on leaving.”
“Did she?”
“Leave?”
“Tell him.”
Deb shrugged. “If she did, she didn’t let me know.”
I figured she might not have had time to. Glenn could have flipped out on her.
“Maybe she told him the night she died.” I didn’t need to see the tears welling in Deb’s eyes to understand the impact of the words. “Don’t dwell on that, Deb.”
She bit her bottom lip, then said, “I’ve already gone there, Jack. Part of me can’t see him doing it, but another part…”
I rose and walked around the island and placed my hands on her shoulder.
“I just want to hear her voice again,” Deb said, crying.
I pulled her into an embrace and stroked her hair. Her tears soaked the sleeve of my shirt. I wished there was more I could do for her. For all of us. The only thing that could have helped was bringing Jessie back, and that couldn’t happen.
“Looks like you two are getting along again,” Sean said.
I hadn’t heard him come in. I released my right arm and stepped to the side. Deb rested her head on my shoulder.
Sean’s expression changed when he saw the tears on his wife’s face. “What’d you say to her?”
I shook my head.
“It’s not him,” Deb said. “We were talking about Jess.”
Sean moved in and took over for me.
“I’ll leave you two alone.” I grabbed my coffee and wandered around until I found the living room.
Kelly smiled as I approached. It reminded me of Mia. Their mouths were shaped the same. The dimple was the same. They got it from my mother. Kelly patted the empty seat on the couch next to her and waved me forward. Bold for a nine year old.
I sat next to her. For twenty minutes we talked about school and sports. She’d played soccer since the age of three and loved to watch football. She didn’t have a favorite team. She just enjoyed the time with her dad. He didn’t bury his face in his laptop or his phone when football was on the television. I tried to get her to talk about boys. Fortunately, she didn’t.
“Why haven’t you been here before, Uncle Jack?”
I sat back and thought about how to answer the question. What could I tell her? My life is too important? Too dangerous? Me and your dad and mom have issues? I glanced over at her. Why hadn’t I come to see my niece? Last time was when she was barely a toddler. None of the excuses made sense, and they wouldn’t cut it with her.
“Because I’m a fool,” I said. “Just like that crazy duck-cow-fish thing on the TV.”
She laughed. I wrapped my arm around her and leaned back. Her little head rested against my side.
Sean stepped into the room. “We should get going, Jack.”
“How’s Deb?”
“She’s good.” He waved me forward.
“Where are we going?”
“You’ll see.”
Chapter 13
Leon had scrambled back to his car when the Mercedes took off earlier that morning. By the time he pulled out, the sedan rounded a corner. Leon made it to the main road and the Mercedes was gone.
He figured it’d be back sooner or later, so he exited the neighborhood and parked on the shoulder of Suncoast Blvd, about a hundred yards from Jack’s only way out.
After about an hour, the Mercedes had returned. Now he saw it again. Leon brought his binoculars up and saw two men in the front seat. They were the same guys from the night before. The Mercedes pulled out and traveled away from him.
Leon shifted into gear and merged onto Suncoast. He kept a fair bit of distance between himself and the two men. His only job now was to keep an eye on Jack.
Chapter 14
Though I hadn’t been home in six years, everything looked the same. Trees, houses, fields, stores. I watched the familiar terrain pass by at fifty miles per hour.
“Not much has changed around here,” I said.
“Wait till we get to town,” Sean said.
“Different?”
“A bit.” He shook his head. “Actually, not much.”
“Isn’t that the same?”
“Semantics.”
“Whatever.” I rolled down my window. The morning air was cool, but humid. It didn’t matter what time of day or night it was down here. Humidity was a way of life.
“Any chance we can do some fishing?” Sean said.
I shrugged. We used to go all the time as kids. There were many nights dad told us to go catch our dinner. If we came home empty handed, we didn’t eat. We both grew up to be expert anglers. At some point, it lost its luster for me. Too slow.
“Afraid I’ll show you up?” Sean said.
“I know you will.” I saw the river to my right. “Is that what we’re doing?”
“No.”
“Then where are we going?”
“To see Dad.”
I said nothing.
We entered town doing twenty-five. I rolled my window all the way down and rested my elbow on the sill. I figured maybe I’d see someone I knew and could shout at them. Instead, I saw old guys sitting in rocking chairs outside Jay’s Hardware and General Store. Two old ladies stepped out of the town diner. A group of kids loitered in front of the movie theater.
Nothing had changed. The faces got older was all.
“Where is this place you shelved Dad in?” I said. “I don’t remember a rest home in town.”
“On the other side,” Sean said. “Figured you’d like to see the sights first.”
Sean turned right in front of a sheriff’s patrol car. I didn’t recognize the woman behind the wheel. She had
dark hair, pulled back tight. Sunglasses covered her eyes. She might have been attractive. Wasn’t a long enough glimpse for me to tell.
I thought about asking Sean if he knew her. I didn’t.
We exited town to the south and drove another ten minutes. The area used to be nothing but trees. Now the road was lined with shops and office buildings. Progress, some would call it. If it was this crowded all the way up here, it must’ve been a butchered mess clear down to Tampa.
Sean turned into the half-filled parking lot of a place called Johnson’s Senior Care.
“This is it,” he said, cutting the engine.
We got out at the same time. The Mercedes beeped twice at us. We walked toward the front door, hands in pockets, stares aimed at the ground. I imagined we looked like mirror images on the security feed.
Automatic sliding doors parted for us. I waited for Sean to go through. He walked up to the counter. A woman there greeted him by name.
“And this must be your brother?” A fascinated look spread across her face.
“Yes ma’am,” I said. “Jack.”
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Noble.”
I nodded, and said, “Likewise.”
She looked down at her desk and retrieved a sign-in book.
“Boy, your daddy likes to talk about you. Of course, I think he’s referring to Sean half the time, and himself the other half.” She laughed, deep and bellowing.
Sean looked back at me and shrugged. He gestured with his head toward the hall and walked in that direction.
“Nice meeting you,” I said to the woman.
I caught up to Sean. We stopped in front of room 117. A dry erase board hung from the door. It said “Noble” on top. Someone had drawn a face with a frown underneath his name.
“What’s that mean? He’s sad?”
Sean shook his head. “Bad day, that’s all. Could be any number of things. Don’t worry. I’ve seen them all.” He took a deep breath and held his fist in front of the door. “Anyway, you ready for this?”
“What’s there to get ready for? It’s Dad.”