Steve Hamilton - A Stolen Season

“I tried to do this the easy way,” she said. Her voice had an edge now, sharp enough to cut glass. “Now you’re really going to be sorry.”

“Where’s Laraque?”

“You’re talking to me now, McKnight. I’m giving you one more chance.”

“Tell him I want to talk to him.”

“He is talking to you. Right now. He’s doing it through me. I’m the agent here. I’m the mouthpiece. You talk to me, you talk to him. You got it? So tell me what you want.”

“You know what I want.”

“What’s the bottom line, McKnight? We get the hardware back when what happens? Fill in the blank. I’m trying to work with you.”

“Do you know where the boat is right now?”

“The boat that had the merchandise on it? Yes. Unless you’ve moved it.”

“I haven’t moved it. It’s in the boathouse. Did they tell you where that is?”

“I know where it is, yes.”

“Tomorrow,” I said. “I’ll meet Laraque at the boathouse. Let’s say eight P.M. That’ll give him plenty of time to get over here.”

“You know that’s not possible. He’s got cops watching him now. He can’t take a step outside without everybody knowing it.”

“Something tells me he’s a pretty resourceful man. If it’s important enough, he’ll be there.”

“I told you, it’s not going to happen.”

“If you really need to come, too, I guess I can’t stop you. Personally, I’d recommend that you stay home.”

“If you hang up,” she said, “so help me God, I will send somebody over there right now to kill you.”

“Yeah, I know that’s how you guys do things. But this time, it would be a mistake. I’m the only one who knows where your guns are, remember?”

“You’re the one making the mistake, McKnight. You have no idea.”

“Story of my life,” I said. “Tell your man I’ll see him tomorrow night.”

The moon was out. A miracle in itself after so many clouds, so much thick fog and blacked-out nights. The light came pouring through my windows, turning everything different shades of silver. It seemed to make the floor itself glow, so bright I could make out the stains there, the vague shadows that would always be there to remind me.

I could still smell her scent in my bed, just like the night before. If anything, the scent was stronger tonight. Impossible, but somehow it was.

I couldn’t take it. I got up and went to the couch, wrapped the blanket around my shoulders as the wind picked up outside. I rocked back and forth, my eyes closed to the moon and the wind and the horrible cold hours of the middle of the night.

I was leaning half sideways when I opened my eyes, early morning sun coming through the windows now. My neck was stiff. I got up and took a shower, trying to loosen up under the hot water. I got dressed, had a cup of coffee. It felt like it was burning right through my stomach.

Vinnie wasn’t here last night, I thought. He’s not here now. For all his talk about not leaving me alone…But I know I’ve been pretty miserable to be around lately. I’ve been trying as hard as I can to drive him away. I should write the man a note, try to tell him why I’m doing this.

No, what the hell. He’ll know why. If I don’t live through another night, he’ll have no problem figuring it out.

I wasn’t sure what to do with myself for the rest of the day. Eight P.M. was a long haul. I didn’t want to use up any more ammunition practicing, and I didn’t want to go into town to buy any more. I didn’t want to just sit here, watching the minutes go by. I didn’t want to be around anybody else, either.

I finally took Natalie’s picture outside with me, sat on my folding chair in front of the cabin and looked at her face for a long time. She was so serious in the picture-I had to try hard to remember her smile. I tried to remember that one look she’d give me, when she’d say something smart and she’d give me a little sideways glance to see if I’d caught it. Or the look she’d give me when she was done fighting with me. When she was finally ready to let me get close to her. Her eyes focused on me, almost nearsighted it seemed, like suddenly I was the only person in the world.

I sat outside and held the picture, felt the cold frame in my hands. The sun tried to warm the day. I went inside and ate the rest of the leftover beef stew from the night before. I didn’t put ketchup on it, my own final touch, always over Jackie’s objections. I didn’t even heat it up. I couldn’t taste anything, couldn’t enjoy anything. I was a machine now, all wires and solder inside. On the outside metal and plastic.

Still no Vinnie. The day slowly ticking by and not a sign of him. Had he finally given up on me? It didn’t seem possible.

Two in the afternoon. I was still alone. Four o’clock. Five. I ate again, whatever I could find in the cabin. Vinnie wasn’t there to bring me anything else. At six o’clock I started to think about when I should be on the road.

Six thirty. It was about time. I should get there early, I thought. Take a good look around the place. I gathered up my supplies. Leon’s Ruger in the right pocket of my jacket. The Taser in the left pocket. The backup pistol strapped to my ankle. I was ready.

Still no Vinnie. I should have been relieved that I wouldn’t have to fight my way past him, but all I could do was wonder what the hell he was up to.

I found out as soon as I got into my truck and tried to start it.

I didn’t even have to look under the hood. I knew what he had done.

“Son of a bitch,” I said as I got out. “You have got to be kidding me.”

I walked the quarter mile down to his cabin. His truck was parked out front. I went to his front door and opened it without knocking.

He was standing at his sink, filling up another plastic bag with ice. He didn’t say a word when I walked into the kitchen. He didn’t move.

“Why did you cut my battery cables?” I said.

“Same reason you cut mine.”

“I don’t have time for this. I need your truck.”

“You’re not getting it.”

“Vinnie, God damn it. Don’t even start this. I’m serious. Give me your keys.”

“You’re not driving my truck, Alex. If you have someplace to go, I’m taking you there.”

“You’re not coming with me. Give me your keys.”

“I’m coming with you,” he said. “Period.”

“Vinnie…” I closed my eyes for a moment, rubbed them, tried to think of the right words to say. Meanwhile, the time was slipping away from me. All day to wait and now I was suddenly racing the clock.

“You have to trust me,” I said. “I need to go somewhere, and I need to go there now. Alone. You have to give me your keys.”

“You think this has been easy? You think I like you fighting me every step of the way?”

“Vinnie…”

“No, let me finish. I’m trying to understand what you’re going through the last few days. I know it’s not exactly the same as what I had to deal with, but I think I’ve got the general idea. I’ve been trying to be your friend, Alex. Your blood brother. I’ve been trying to be there for you, just like you were for me. But instead of letting me help you, you’ve been sneaking away whenever I turn my back. You’ve been driving around, all over the place, looking for a way to get yourself killed. And now tonight…God knows what you’ve got planned. God knows. You really think I’m going to let you just drive off and do this by yourself?”

“You have to.”

“It’s not happening. I’m going with you, no matter what. You’d do exactly the same thing if the situation was reversed. You know that. Hell, you’ve done it.”

“This is different,” I said, sneaking a look at my watch.