Chris Mooney - The Dead Room

'The Celtics guy did,' John said. 'He said he just wanted to take a look around the house and he couldn't do that while keeping an eye on me. 'Relax, champ, this will all be over before you know it,' is what he said. Then he put tape across my eyes and patted me on the shoulder. He didn't talk to me after that.'

'Do you remember hearing anything? Did you hear their names? What they said to each other?'

'I didn't hear their names. They swore a lot. They started searching through the kitchen, ripping open the drawers and throwing out plates. All I kept hearing were things smashing against the floor.'

'What were they looking for?'

'I don't know. I thought… I was pretty sure I heard a phone ringing and then the smashing stopped. I know the garage door opened, I remember hearing it. That's when everything got real quiet. Then they grabbed my mother.'

He swallowed again, his shiny eyes growing wide with fear as his mind started replaying what had happened to his mother.

Darby moved him away from it. 'Why did you ask to speak to my father?'

He didn't answer. He looked down at the tissues balled in his fist, his eyes darting back and forth as if he had dropped the answers to the question.

She leaned closer. 'You can trust me, John.'

He reached for the tape recorder and shut it off.

Darby waited for the boy to speak, afraid that if she pressed him, he'd shut down.

Two minutes later he did. He wouldn't look at her.

'I promised my mother. I promised her I'd tell the truth only to Thomas McCormick.'

'The truth about what?'

'About my grandparents,' he said. 'About why they were killed.'

Don't push or you'll lose him.

She waited.

'I know who did it,' he said. 'I know their names.'

'Look at me, John.'

When he did, she said, 'You're not alone in this any more. Whatever it is that happened, I can help you. You can trust me.'

'Sean.'

'Is that the name of one of the men who murdered your grandparents?'

'No. That's my real name. Nobody is supposed to know. Only your father knows. My mother -'

He stopped talking, snapping his attention to the voices shouting outside his room. He looked frightened.

The door opened. The boy jumped, hitting the back of his head against the wall.

A searing anger lifted Darby off the bed. She got to her feet as the lights were turned on.

Pine and the patrolman crowded the doorway. They seemed out of breath. They were speaking to her but she didn't hear them, her attention locked on the man standing near the foot of the bed. He wore a crisp tan suit and a floral tie, his short black hair damp with the rain.

A Federal agent. The smug expression on his face gave it away, even before he flashed the tin.

'I'm Special Agent Phillips,' he said in a calm and somewhat effeminate voice. 'I'm going to have to ask you to leave the room, Dr McCormick. I'm officially taking over this investigation.'

Darby pushed the Fed away from the bed and got in his face. 'He's not going anywhere.'

'I beg to differ. His mother is a fugitive. They've crossed state lines, which makes this a Federal investigation. And you should know better than to question him without an adult present.'

'He's not a suspect, you idiot.'

Phillips looked at the boy. 'I'm taking you to the Albany field office in New York. We'll place you -'

'I'm going to give you a choice,' Darby said. 'You can walk out of here standing, or you can be thrown out of here.'

Pine stepped forward, clearing his throat. 'He's got a fugitive warrant, Darby.'

'I don't have time for this,' Phillips said, and pushed her to one side.

Mistake.

She grabbed his wrist, twisting his hand behind his back. She grabbed the back of his shirt collar, dragged him across the floor and shoved him face first against the wall.

The Fed yelped in pain. She didn't let go. She applied more pressure to his arm, wanting to snap it. Instead, she leaned in close to him and said, 'You don't listen too well, do you?'

She pulled him away from the wall, dragged him to the door and threw him into the corridor. He fell against the floor, gritting his teeth and sweat popping out on his forehead as he glared up at her.

'Keep your ass out of here,' she said.

What she saw in his eyes she had seen in too many men – an insecure boy trapped in a man's body. A guy like Phillips would lay in wait, nursing his wounded ego and pride. He'd take his embarrassment and then channel it into his only real talent: finding the most spectacular way to screw you over.

'Calm down,' Pine said behind her. 'Nobody here wants to hurt you.'

Darby turned and saw Patrolman Rodman reaching for his sidearm.

The boy was holding a gun – a small.38 revolver, aimed at Pine.

Where the hell did he get the gun?

'Stay back,' John – Sean – screamed. 'I'm not going with him.'

Darby moved in front of Pine, raising her hands near her head. 'You're right, you're not going with him.'

'You can't make me. YOU CAN'T MAKE ME.'

'Look at me,' Darby said. 'Look at me.'

He did, lips quivering. Tears spilled down his cheeks and the gun shook in his hand.

'You don't have to go with him, I promise.' Her heart was beating fast but she wasn't afraid. 'And I promised I'd help you, remember? You can trust me.'

He didn't answer. He scanned each of the faces staring at him.

Darby cocked her head over her shoulder and said, 'Everyone, out of the room.'

Pine hesitated.

'Do it,' Darby said. 'Now.'

When everyone had left, she backed up slowly and shut the door.

The boy's frightened gaze shifted to the recorder lying on the tangled blanket.

'It's off,' Darby said. 'It's just you and me, Sean.'

He started sobbing but didn't lower the gun.

'You've been through a lot tonight,' Darby said. 'You're scared, you're angry and upset. I understand what you're going through. My father was murdered. Whatever this is about, I'll help you solve it.'

'You can't.'

'I can. I will. I gave you my word. Whatever this is about, you can trust me.'

He kept sobbing.

'Put the gun down on the bed,' Darby said. 'Just put it down and then you and I will talk. Just me and you, okay? I promise -'

He slammed the muzzle underneath his chin and pulled the trigger.

Jamie Russo popped the boot, then considered the two handguns lying on the passenger seat: her.44 Magnum and a Glock with an extended magazine. She went with the Magnum, slid it inside her shoulder holster and stepped out of the car. The right side of her face throbbed and she could still taste blood on the back of her throat.

A full moon hung in the sky above the rock walls of the old Belham Quarry. She had left the car headlights on and could see the edge of the cliff. She wasn't worried about being seen. No houses for miles and she doubted anyone came out this way any more, especially at this time of night.

She walked to the back of the car, her sneakers sinking in the soft, muddy earth.

The man she knew only as Ben lay on his back inside the boot. His clothes and swollen, cut face were smeared with blood and covered with shards of glass. His icy-blue eyes were open, squinting underneath a pale square of dim light.

Thank God, she thought, sighing with relief. Before leaving the house, she had quickly bound the gunshot wound on his thigh with duct tape to keep him from bleeding out. During the long, slow drive through the back streets, then navigating her way through the maze of winding trails that led to the quarry, she had choked on the possibility that he would die.

A sick fear mixed with excitement rushed through her veins as she gripped him by his Celtics jacket and hoisted him up into a sitting position. She wasn't worried about him hitting her again. She had duct-taped his hands behind his back and tied his ankles together before dragging him across the kitchen hall to the garage.