Olivia looked at Sara again.
“You’re Sara Blake, yes?”
“Yes,” Sara said.
“My father would like to speak with both of you. Please follow me.”
The chief’s door was open and so they just walked in with Olivia leading the way. Olivia stood beside her father’s chair as she had done previously, but her gaze was far more serious than it had been on Tanner’s last visit.
The chief leaned back in his seat and let out a weary sigh.
“Mr. Tom Myers, or whoever you are, and Miss Blake, to what do I owe this visit?”
“I understand that you want to see me, Chief,” Tanner said.
“I did, and I had a hell of a lot of questions for you too, that is, until I received a call at home last night. The caller, a Mr. Lawson, made it quite clear that you and Miss Blake were hands off. He said it nicely, but the bottom line is that I have no authority to even question you about the events of the last few days.”
Olivia stepped forward.
“Did you kill those men, Mr. Myers? The ones that burnt your house down, and the men who took over Burt Hodges home, did you kill them as well?”
Tanner looked at the Chief and saw that he was smiling.
“Mr. Lawson never talked to my daughter.”
Sara stood to leave, but Tanner remained seated.
“Chief, Deputy Ellison, any actions I might have taken were in self-defense.”
“Self-defense?” Olivia said, with a tone of incredulity. “That fire at Burt Hodges’ house killed dozens of men.”
“These men that were killed, were they innocents?”
Chief Ellison chuckled.
“They were the scum of the earth. More than a few of them had done hard time.”
“I see; it sounds like the town is better off without them.”
The chief jabbed a finger at Tanner.
“You don’t get to decide that. There are laws, and there are reasons for those laws. What if someone inside that house was innocent?”
“Then they would have perished along with the guilty, as is often the case in this world. Those are God’s rules, not mine.”
Olivia leaned over the desk and stared at Tanner.
“Who are you, really?”
Tanner stood.
“I’m a tax-paying citizen of the town of Killburry, Deputy, and maybe I’ll see you around sometime.”
Tanner was heading out the door with Sara when the chief called to him.
“Contact your insurance company; something has to be done about your home.”
“Yeah, I’m headed there next.”
“Oh, and Myers, about the vigilantes, it’s those wives, isn’t it? They’re the real neighborhood watch.”
Tanner smiled, said, “No comment,” and went off to Gentry Court.
***
Josie ran off her porch and into Tanner’s arms when she saw him step out of a taxi with Sara.
Tanner was surprised by the show of affection, and recognized it as such.
Josie ended her embrace with a squeeze and smiled up at Tanner.
“That hug wasn’t a come-on, it was gratitude. You saved my life, Tom; hell, you saved all of us.”
“It was my pleasure, but Sara helped.”
Josie looked over at Sara. Sara was at her car, the one she had to abandon after killing Adán and his men. She was looking at the windshield, which had become filthy because of the soot and ash of the house fire. She would drive it back to the lake property, while Tanner drove his jeep, which was equally dirty.
“You’re not really sleeping with Sara, are you?”
“No.”
“I didn’t think so. I’m as hot as she is, and if you can resist me, you can resist anybody.”
Tanner smiled.
“Your logic is sound.”
Anna, Louise, and Tina joined them and gave their thanks to Tanner and Sara. They were surprised that “Tom” had avoided jail time, but they all offered to testify that Tanner and Sara had acted to save their lives.
When they asked about Alexa, Tanner told them that he didn’t know when she would come back to the neighborhood. He assured them that he would relay to Alexa that the ladies wanted to see her.
He also let them know that Chief Ellison was on to them. The women all shrugged. They would continue their vigilante activities if they saw a problem, but said that they would be more careful.
A representative from the insurance company appeared and told Tanner the obvious, the house was a total loss.
When Josie asked Tanner his plans, he told her the truth. He didn’t know.
“Maybe we’ll rebuild and live here again, or maybe we’ll sell it. It all depends on Alexa.”
The women waved to him as he drove off, and Tanner wondered if he’d ever see them again.
CHAPTER 25 – Guardian angel
Hiram Schwartz kept reminding himself that he had nothing to be afraid of, even as the gang of thugs approached him inside the exercise yard at the county jail.
His Uncle Abraham had promised him that he would be protected, and Hiram believed that his uncle was a man of his word. Hiram also knew that his Uncle Abraham was an embezzler.
Over a period of five months, ending just a few weeks earlier, Uncle Abraham had siphoned funds out of an account and then cleverly hid his tracks. Hiram had stumbled upon the truth by accident, and was flabbergasted.
Hiram uncovered the thievery a year after he went to work at the same company where his uncle had been employed for decades. Having only recently graduated from college at the time, Hiram had been thrilled to get a position as an assistant accountant, and doubly excited to be working near his uncle, whom he loved.
When Hiram confronted his uncle about the missing funds, the man confessed, citing an out of control gambling habit as the reason for his thievery. Uncle Abraham said that he was getting help with his addiction, and that was why the thieving had already ceased prior to Hiram’s discovery.
Hiram was proud of his uncle. The man had made mistakes, yes, but he was willing to face his shortcomings and was getting the help he needed.
However, the missing money was another story, and Hiram assured his uncle that the shortage of funds would be uncovered by Hiram’s superiors, and that there was no way to avoid it in the long run.
That was when Uncle Abraham shocked Hiram.
“My boy, I need you to take the blame for these thefts.”
“Me? But Uncle Abraham, why would I do that?”
“Think about it Hiram. I am respected here and have many friends throughout the community. Were I to be associated with such low behavior, it would be a disgrace that I could never recover from. Your aunt and your cousins would share in that shame as well. Also, my retirement would be in jeopardy, and I might even be expected to drain funds from my accounts to pay back the money I stole. But you, boy, why you’re a young man, and young men make mistakes. You’ll have a lifetime to bounce back from this, and I will do my best to help you.”
Hiram felt sick. He saw the logic, of course, and he wanted to help out, but jail? The thought of going to jail frightened Hiram. He was a small man, and a Jew. Small Jewish men did not do well in prison environments. Hiram was certain of that.
However, after more persuasion by his uncle, Hiram agreed to take the fall. Uncle Abraham consulted with a friend who was a well known attorney, and the man agreed to defend Hiram. The lawyer predicted that Hiram would do no more than six months in the county jail and then be on probation. The money, over twenty grand, would of course, have to be paid back in full.
Hiram thought that he could do six months in jail. Yes, he could endure it to help out his beloved Uncle Abraham, but, he did have one request. He wanted his uncle’s word that nothing bad would befall him while he was inside the jail.
“As you say, Uncle, you’re a respected man and have many friends, surely you could have someone of influence see that no harm befalls me. I’ll do the time and remain silent about t
he truth, but I couldn’t stand to be brutalized. I’ve heard horror stories about what goes on in prison.”
Uncle Abraham had laid a hand on Hiram’s shoulder and stared into his eyes.
“You have my word, boy. No harm will befall you. Why it will be as if you have a guardian angel watching over you. If anyone dares to lay a hand on you they will be smote by your protector.”
“Smote?”
“Smitten, destroyed, no one will harm you, my boy. You have my word.”
Hiram had smiled, and feeling assured that he would suffer no harm, he took the blame for his uncle’s thievery.
Uncle Abraham was not only a thief, but a practiced liar as well.
He had no gambling habit. The money had gone to a blonde stripper named Honey Potts. If Honey hadn’t left for California to make her fortune in the porn business, Uncle Abraham would have kept embezzling to keep her happy.
Hiram’s gullibility was a blessing, and Uncle Abraham was only too happy to sacrifice the young fool.
And as far as Hiram being protected by a guardian angel, it was pure fantasy.
Uncle Abraham had no doubt that Hiram would emerge from his ordeal in jail the worse for wear, but much wiser. And isn’t that one of an uncle’s duties, to help his nephew attain wisdom?
***
Hiram swallowed hard as the group of eight men made their way over to him. They all looked huge to Hiram, who was only five-foot-five.
One of the men even wore an eye patch, and the others seemed to be egging him on. Hiram, who had only been inside for two days, was still certain that the man with the eye patch was new to the jail. Hiram thought it wasn’t very likely that he would have missed noticing him. That’s when Hiram knew that he was meant to be some sort of initiation test for the man with the eye patch, and when he spotted the tattoo of a swastika on the man’s wrist, he knew he was in serious trouble.
***
Sean smiled at Hiram Schwartz.
He was going to have fun beating the crap out of the little Jew.
He had to be careful though, he didn’t want to do anything that would add more time to his sentence.
His lawyer was a Jew, and damn if those Jews weren’t great at law. The man had successfully argued with the DA. He had made the state drop any charges against him that had to do with his group’s attack on the Burke Corporate Campus.
And why not? They had no proof that he was there, and yes, he did bring a knife into a hospital, and yeah, he made a threat to Deke Mercer. But that was it, that was all he was charged with, and the Jew lawyer said that he would likely do only 90 days in county.
Hell, Sean could do 90 days in a comfortable cell without breaking a sweat. Then, once he got out, he would make a point of tracking down the spick bitch that made him lose his left eye. After he made her suffer and die, he’d track down Deke Mercer and finish what he’d started.
But first, it was time to become one of the boys of the white brotherhood inside the county jail, and that meant beating the snot out of Hiram Schwartz.
***
Sean gave Hiram a shove, and then appeared shocked by the nerve the little man displayed.
“You don’t want to do that,” Hiram said.
Hiram’s voice squeaked as he spoke, but he reminded himself of the words his Uncle Abraham had spoken. He had a guardian angel, and if anyone tried to harm him they would be smote. Or was it smitten? Well, it wouldn’t go well for them.
Sean laughed.
“What are you gonna do, Jew boy, are you gonna kick my ass?”
Hiram shook his head.
“No, I don’t have to do a thing. I have a guardian angel.”
Sean and the other White supremacists laughed at Hiram. Sean was especially amused.
“Hey Jew boy, I’m gonna fuck you up and then I’m gonna sell you to the queers for a pack of smokes. What’s your guardian angel have to say about that?”
Hiram had begun to shake. He wanted to believe, but the thought of being beaten, and then to be handed over to men who would—No! His Uncle Abraham would not lie. He was protected, and the man with the eye patch was tempting fate.
“If you hit me, you’ll be sorry,” Hiram said. “My guardian angel will smite you.”
“Smite?” One of the men said, and the group laughed again.
When their laughter died down, Sean shook his head sadly at Hiram.
“Jew boy, I’m gonna show you some smite right now.”
Sean reared back a fist but never threw the punch. A hole appeared between his eyes, followed by the back of his head ripping open from a massive exit wound. Blood and brains sprayed his companions and made them stumble backwards with awe lighting their faces.
Sean’s body fell to the ground, and the men looked across the splayed form at Hiram.
Hiram had a look of wonder in his eyes. He turned, grinned like a fiend, and flashed a thumbs up sign at the heavens. He then uttered words that sent chills down the other men’s spines.
“Thanks, guardian angel!”
A moment later, and the yard erupted in chaos as the correction officers rushed the men back to their cells.
***
Half a mile away, Tanner was smirking. He had looked through his scope at Hiram and saw the small man flash him a thumbs up.
The man’s reaction amused him. He hadn’t killed Sean for Hiram, but rather, to protect Alexa.
Tanner removed the sound suppressor from the end of his rifle’s barrel. It was a custom model designed and built for him by Deke Mercer and it was even better than military grade. He had heard the fired shot, but doubted it had carried to the exercise yard.
He was on the roof of an abandoned apartment house that was scheduled to be demolished soon. Although no one else thought the building still held usefulness, Tanner had found it to be very handy. It had given him a direct line of sight into the exercise yard of the county jail, while also allowing him to avoid being in view of the guard towers.
Tanner had the rifle broken down in no time and loaded into a gym bag. A careful climb down the rickety metal stairs of the building’s weathered fire escape and he was back on the ground.
***
He returned home to the RV an hour later to find Alexa perusing real estate listings in Mexico. In particular, ranch land.
“I’m just looking out of curiosity,” she explained.
“Right,” Tanner said.
He might lose her if she left him, but he’d never lose her to scum like the neo-Nazi Sean. Tanner kissed her, sat beside her, and wondered how much longer he’d have her in his life.
CHAPTER 26 – Anything is impossible
Alexa left Tanner two weeks later.
They had both come to the inescapable conclusion that they wouldn’t last as a couple, and decided to separate before one of them became resentful of the other.
Alexa had returned to Mexico, to her father’s house.
However, thanks to the check she received from Conrad Burke in appreciation of her bravery, she would have enough to buy a ranch.
Tanner said he would visit someday, but wasn’t sure if he were lying or not. Alexa would find someone else, he was certain of that, and seeing her with another man was not something he needed to experience.
Things were quiet at Burke, at least where the wet works program was concerned, and Jacques Durand’s trip to New York City had been pushed back indefinitely. Any offer of work from Durand’s contacts had also been put on hold.
With nothing to do and no desire or energy to do it, Tanner sat inside his RV and drank.
He was depressed. It was a rare thing for him, but not unknown, and he had suffered through a bout of it after walking away from Laurel Ivy years ago.
This time the woman walked out on him, but the pain was the same, and the sense of loss, the absence of Alexa, it all felt as physical to him as the amputation of a limb.
While drinking, he would damn himself for getting too close to Alexa, for letting her in, when he knew from experien
ce that love only brought pain.
Still, he wouldn’t go back and change a thing, and he had loved every moment he’d spent with her. If only they hadn’t been so different, but things were as they were, and he was who he was.
***
Sara returned to the lake after leaving her sister’s wedding, and to her surprise, Tanner was seated out on the dock. She was glad to see that he had finally left his trailer, and hoped it meant that he was getting over Alexa.
The floating dock had been placed in the lake while Alexa was still around, and Sara also had one installed on her side of the lake. There were boats as well; two small row boats, and Pete and Rocco were using one to fish.
Sara waved to the boys as she walked over to join Tanner. She was still wearing a blue chiffon dress, her maid of honor dress, along with its matching shoes.
Tanner needed a shave and looked to Sara as if he’d lost some weight.
Sara removed the shoes, lowered herself beside Tanner, and placed her toes in the water.
Tanner looked her over.
“Why are you so dressed up?”
“I just came from Jenny’s wedding. She and Jake are off on their honeymoon.”
“Oh, where did they go?”
Sara didn’t answer, and Tanner looked at her.
“What?”
Sara had a pained expression on her face.
“They’re in Mexico, Cancún.”
Tanner sighed.
“I’m not a basket case, Sara. I won’t tear up at the slightest mention of Mexico.”
“I didn’t think you would, but to talk about Mexico just felt... I don’t know, insensitive?”
“You had a visitor today, Deke Mercer.”
“Deke came here? But I just saw him last night at the apartment house. Did he say what he wanted?”
“It was just an excuse to see Alexa; he still thought she was here.”
“Yes, I never said anything to him, about her leaving.”
“I told him that she had gone back to Mexico for good, and, he let me know that he was going down there to see her.”
Sara shielded her eyes and made a show of looking around the shoreline.
“Where did you put it, Tanner?”
Tanner gave her a confused look.
The TANNER Series - Books 13-15 (Tanner Box Set) Page 39
