by Paul Watkins
Jerry whacks him in the side of the head with the back of his fist. Every group needs a comedian and Jerry is our resident entry.
“I meant put handcuffs on him,” I add, playing the straight man.
Ralph chuckles and shakes his head.
“What an asshole… put the cuffs on him and then hit him, you jerk. Boy, wait ‘till the critique. I’m goin’ to be all over your sorry ass.”
Jerry does as he is told. Ralph tosses him another set of cuffs and Bear is now manacled as well. As soon as the men are secured I immediately begin to look around. My heart sinks as I spot a pile of dirt near the far corner of the barn. I walk over and find several planks that have been removed from the floor. A large hole has been excavated, big enough for a body. I feel the dirt and it is still moist, telling me the digging activity took place within the last hour or so. If this is to be the grave or the holding tank, then there’s a good chance the boy is still alive. He’d better be.
I look at Ralph and hook my thumb towards thevan.
“Check it out.”
I continue to look around the barn but it’s difficult to see in the murky interior of the building. The only light in here is coming through the opening between the doors and various holes and cracks in the wooden walls. There’s a bag of chips lying on its side, along with a couple of empty soda cans. Evidently the boys were taking a snack break after a morning of hard work.
“Philip!”
I turn and see Ralph reach into the van. He’s holding Jeff-Jeff in his arms. Ralph is smiling… he must be okay. Ralph sets him down gently on the floor of the barn. His arms are bound behind him with some sort of heavy tape. His legs are taped at the ankles and there is tape across his mouth and eyes as well.
I turn and look at the two men. Bear drops his head, avoiding my stare. The stranger continues to look me in the eye… the smirk on his face telling me he’s enjoying this. It won’t be long before his attitude undergoes a major overhaul.
I reach down and pick up Jeff-Jeff’s small frame and carry him off to the side.
“It’s okay, Jeff-Jeff,” I whisper. “It’s Philip… you’re safe now.”
There’s not much Jeff-Jeff can do. The large strips of tape practically cover his tiny face and the tape around his wrists is so tight the skin is bulging outward and has a slightly blue cast around the edges. Whoever did this must have thought he was tying down a steer. I find a clear space and set Jeff-Jeff down tenderly.
“I’m going to take the tape off now, partner. You’re going to have to be a big boy, because this might hurt a bit… but I’ll try to go easy. Let me know if it hurts too much. Okay?”
Little Jeff nods his understanding. I’ll remove the tape from his hands and feet first. Since I’m going to use a knife to cut it, I don’t want him watching me… he might move at the wrong moment and get hurt.
The tape is coming off fairly easily, but leaving angry red marks on his soft skin. I take the tape from his eyes and mouth in short, sharp jerks. I hold my thumb as close as possible to the tape to keep his skin from stretching, but there’s no way to do it that’s completely painless. Jeff-Jeff’s eyes are watery, but he’s toughing it out without a sound… a regular little Rambo.
I feel the rage building within me as I survey the kidnappers’ handiwork. What immense courage and bravery there must have been on the part of the men who took this frail, little boy. It’s very difficult for me to stay here and finish this before I begin my next task. One thing is certain: someone is going to pay this bill in full.
I stand him up and look him over, slowly turning him around… I have to be sure he is completely unharmed. Two men’s lives depend upon it, although they probably don’t know it yet… but they soon will. The tape took off most of his eyebrows, but other than that, I think he’s going to be fine.
“You’re quite a little man, Jeff-Jeff,” I tell him. “I don’t think I could have had that tape taken off me without me yelling. I’d have howled up a storm.”
“Really?” he asks with wonder in his eyes.
He wipes away the tears on his shirtsleeve and manages a small smile. I continue to kneel next to Jeff-
Jeff and he puts his hand on my shoulder as if to make certain it’s me and that he’s now back in the company of his friends.
“Really,” I reply, giving his head a brisk rub. “Let’s go back to the others.”
Hudson pokes his head in the door.
“The house is clear.”
“Okay,” I acknowledge. “Post lookouts by the road until we get out of here. I want two men to take little Jeff back. Bring one of the cars up to the barn… make it fast! There’s no telling how many others are involved… they could return any minute.”
“You got it!” Hudson’s head disappears.
***
“Philip… there’s something you should know.”
I turn to see Hudson’s grim countenance. Something is very wrong.
“What’s up, Hud?” I ask. “I’m about to open discussions with this one.”
I nod my head towards Bear’s partner who sits somewhat serenely with his ever-present smirk plastered across his face.
“It’s little Jeff.”
“What about him?” I ask.
“When I put him in the car he winced… then he tried to sit sort of on the side of his hip. He was shaking a little bit so I picked him up and put him on the ground and asked him if he hurt. He pointed to his butt.”
“His butt?”
“Yeah. I turned him around and pulled his pants part-way down to see if there was a problem… and there was.”
“What kind of problem?”
“Someone burned him. Looked like a cigarette… two or three times on each side… one a little farther down on his right leg. They were pretty good burns… very fresh.”
Nodding my head towards the big man, “Take the cuffs off him,” I tell Jerry, “and get Bear out of here. I want to talk to this one for a few minutes.”
Jerry doesn’t know Bear, but he has heard me make one or two comments about him. Nevertheless, he looks over at me before taking the cuffs off the stranger. I nod and look at Jerry and Ralph who are waiting patiently for further instructions.
“Take Bear outside. If this guy comes out without my signal… kill him. No questions, no warning, no discussion… just do him.”
They nod their understanding and turn away, pushing Bear along in front of them.
I turn back to the stranger and smile as I remove my .22 caliber pistol from my jacket and proceed to screw the silencer into the barrel… one of my souvenirs from the bad old days. The guns Hudson and I used on Espy and company are now at the bottom of the Hudson River. I never thought I would have any more use for this particular weapon, but it just goes to show you… life can be full of surprises.
“We’re going to have a little talk,” I begin, “but first I want you to understand the rules.”
The very idea of taking a child away from his parents for any reason is abhorrent to me. I have seldom felt the anger that’s in me now in my entire life. I’m just grateful to have found one of the men responsible for all this. otherwise I’d probably have an ulcer in about another twenty minutes. I take a deep breath in an effort to compose myself and begin my interrogation. The sonofabitch actually tortured a little boy. In the absence of any other reason, I have to believe he just gets off on inflicting pain.
“It’s important that you listen closely, because I will not repeat any of this,” I begin.
The fine machine work on the silencer requires a lot of turns to fit the device securely to the barrel. I continue to turn it slowly, taking my time.
“This is not a debate or discussion,” I continue, “I will ask the questions and you will answer them. If you move or cause me concern… I will hurt you. If
you do not cooperate, or if you piss me off in any way… I will probably kill you.”
The silencer is secure.
“Bear was wrong in what he did,” I begin, looking him straight in the eye, “but he did it because he’s stupid… he made a mistake. You’re something worse. You and your kind do things for money… like kidnapping children. There’s no limit to your greed, your disregard for human life and the rights of others. You dug that hole over there and you intended to use it to bury a little boy. But before you were going to doanything… you decided to use your sick mind to hurt him. I see you’re a smoker… I know Bear isn’t… so you’re the one who worked him over. I’m so pissed at you people I can’t think straight.”
“What’s your name… am I supposed to know you?”
“Fuck you!” he snarls, his eyes flashing with hate and anger.
“Strange name for a mother to hang on her child,” I reply, “or is that what your friends call you?”
He laughs.
“Who the hell do you think you are? You asshole, my lawyer will… “
I hold up my hand. “Don’t even start with that shit. I don’t want to hear anything about your lawyer… I want to hear about your friends… the people who are in this with you.”
“Then I’ll tell you again … fuck you!” He laughs. “Go to hell. I ain’t talking to you or anyone else. I found that kid by the roadside and no one can prove any different. As far as you giving the orders, put down that gun and we’ll see how long you get your way.”
He finishes with a wad of spit that misses my leg by inches. He looks around the barn, no longer interested in talking.
“Much as I would like to accommodate you, I’d kick your ass by the way, I just don’t have the time to play around right now. But while you’re checking the place out, tell me if you see any witnesses around anywhere.”
He looks at me with an amused and possibly patient look on his face. He’s not going to cooperate now and he’s not going to cooperate later. This man is secure in his knowledge the law will protect him from me or anyone else who wants to mess with his constitutional rights.
“The boy must have been terrified and had every reason to be,” I continue. “He’s old enough to realize the danger of the situation. perhaps not the fact that his life hung in the balance, but certainly aware of the circumstances. You took him from his family and then tied him up and gagged him. Pretty helpless feeling, I imagine. To be beyond the reach of his family or anyone who could help him. And then you hurt him. It was somewhat like the situation you are in now. You’re beyond any help… and you’re about to get hurt.
“Let me guess what’s on your mind. You think all you have to do is wait until this part is over. Sooner or later I’m going to give you up to the police. After that, everything goes on autopilot. You don’t have to answer any questions. You get to call your lawyer. Then you can tell everyone how you were mistreated. you make bail and a few hours later you’re back on the street. It’s all very predictable except for one thing: I’m not the police and I choose not to be bound by their rules. Just like you in a way. In other words, you’re not going to make it that far. Got the picture?
“Now I’m going to ask you again, who’s in this deal, Fuck You?”
“I want you to know something,” he replies, ignoring my question, “and don’t forget it. You’ll be thinking about it every day and every night from hereon out. You’re a marked man. It’s personal with you and me… and I always collect my debts. I’ll never forget this… or you… and I will get even. I always do.”
Sometimes, with just a few words, someone can make a very difficult decision for you. In fact, they can make it appear to be quite easy. I raise the gun and…
POP!
His foot immediately jumps off the floor like it’s hot… which I suppose it is since a bullet just went through it. His eyes are as big as saucers. He yells and falls to the floor.
“You crazy motherfucker!” he screams. “I’ll kill you for this! I’ll hunt you and find you… you sonofabitch!”
Tears are streaming down his face. Damn, it must hurt.
“Listen up, Fuck You. You and your cretin friend out there picked up a little boy who didn’t belong to you. Then you heroes brought him here wrapped up like a mummy. You were going to kill him and maybe Bear, too, because he knew Bear and you couldn’t let them both live. Then you burned him. Was he already tied up… so you wouldn’t get hurt if he moved or cried out? The next thing out of your mouth is about lawyers. You act like I’m the bad guy for making your life tough. And now you have the audacity to threaten me! You are threatening me!
“So try to get this straight, shithead… you’re awake, but I’m starring in your fucking nightmare.
“For me this is a dream come true. I actually caught the bastard who kidnapped the son of a friend of mine. I know you think I’m some soft, white-trash mary who has never gotten his hands dirty. But you’re wrong on that score, too… I’ve not only gotten my hands dirty, I’ve gotten them bloody. I’ve not only killed before… I’m actually pretty good at it… better than you are as a matter of fact.
“Who’s in this with you?”
“You can’t do anything to us,” he hisses through the pain. “You’ve already done your worst and you’re in more trouble than we are. You’ll be right in jail with us when I finish with you. And when I get you in jail you won’t be able to hide. I’ll fuck you and then I’ll kill you. But I’ll make you hurt for a long time before I finish it.”
A loud grunt ends his speech.
POP!
This time the round goes into his gut, the soft nose projectile mushing around in his intestines. He thrashes for a moment and then draws into the fetal position, gasping for air.
“Hard to believe isn’t it, Fuck You? You just don’t seem to realize how much shit you’re in. I’ll ask you again… look around you. Do you see any witnesses? No? Gee. I wonder why not? Try this for an answer: you’re with a lunatic who doesn’t play by your rules… or anybody else’s for that matter. And I’m going to send you to Hell.”
I breathe deeply and take stock of the situation. If this guy started singing like a canary I probably wouldn’t believe him. He’s a lying sack of shit who decided to die when he bought into this caper. This time he’s going to get what he deserves. That’sprobably something we should all be concerned about… getting what we deserve.
“Look, I’m not going to drag this out. Maybe you had a chance up until a few moments ago. You could have answered my questions and I would have turned you over to the police. But now I would have to explain too much. Who knows, you might even be able to convince a jury I tortured you to get information. And then you had to go and frighten me so I wouldn’t sleep nights thinking you were out there somewhere waiting to get me. Right now I have control… somewhere down the road things might be different. Your kind never uses the sidewalk… you’ll come crawling out of the gutter to do your dirty work. So to be on the safe side, I’m going to finish you now… you’re going to leave us.”
“You’re crazy.” His words are lathered with spray from the sweat pouring down his face. “I’ll get better… and when I do… “ He stops and gasps for air. “… when I do you’d better be watching your back, because I’ll be coming after you if it takes the rest of my life.”
He’s right about one thing… that part about the rest of his life. It is quickly coming to a conclusion. I raise the gun and with great deliberation direct it towards my target. His eyes track the muzzle and grow wider as it centers on his head. I hold the position for several seconds so he can savor the moment… even though it’s his last.
POP!
A neat round hole with a black center appears in the middle of his forehead. His body straightens out of the fetal position, spasms violently… and he’s dead. His unseeing eyes can’t quite believe
it.
I walk to the door and tell Jerry to bring Bear into the barn. I signal the rest to remain outside while Jerry removes Bear’s cuffs. Bear walks towards the center of the barn and stops suddenly when he sees his partner’s lifeless form on the floor.
“Well, ol’ buddy,” I say with a pat on the shoulder that sends Bear a foot in the air, “what were we talking about before you went outside?”
I pause while Bear continues to look at his friend. He’s soaking wet and breathing hard.
“Oh, I remember… you were going to tell me who was in this thing with you.”
Bear turns and looks at me with apprehension. He looks like he’s about to fly. He’s shaking like a leaf as I level the gun at his middle.
“You got to understan’ somethin’. I never wanted to take no kid. I wanted to hurt A.J. ‘cause he hurt me. What he did… it wasn’ right. I need money. He should do right by me.”
I look at Bear and can’t help but shake my head. It’s all so typical… with some people everything wrong in their life is always someone else’s fault. In his mind, he was wronged so anything that happens after that is okay, as long as he gets even. He’s one of those guys who spend all their time trying to figure out who’s at fault when bad things happen to them. Somehow the blame always rests elsewhere… never with him.
“Bear, I’m not going to kill you. I’m not even going to hurt you. Just tell me what I want to know and I’llturn you over to the police. But you have to do it now… right this minute. I’m out of patience and time is important.”
“It was Monte,” he mumbles. “It was all his idea. he tol’ me what to do. I don’ know the other guys. Today is the first time I ever seen ‘em. Tha’s the truth.”
“How many others?”
“Jus’ one… I think. only one other. He’s with him now.”
“Where?”
“I don’ know. I thought they’d be here. They never tol’ me nothin’. I don’ know where they are. They shoulda been here when we got back. They shoulda been here… “
His voice trails off and his eyes return to the corpse of his dead friend. He shudders and looks away.
