David hesitated responding to her. His eyes had drifted away from hers as he looked around the sparsely furnished and decorated room.
“You okay?” she asked him.
“Yes, I’m fine.”
“You don’t look fine.”
“Oh, it’s just that I was looking forward to going back to work, you know, having purpose.”
“I’m sure there’s someone you can teach here, plus your purpose is to be with me.”
“Being your maid and following you around while you make a name for yourself,” he snarled.
“What does that mean?”
“It’s the same as before, you work the big contracts, work for prominent people, and get invited to events where I’m introduced as your husband, nothing more.”
“Is that how you feel?”
His head drooped and his shoulders hung low.
She reached out and put her arms around him. “Oh, sweetheart, that’s not how I feel. I wouldn’t be me, I couldn’t exist without you.”
“They told me at 13 that I had an excellent chance at becoming a principal out there. Sierra is expanding, and with my background and credentials, I could find a solid administrative job. It would be my chance to shine. I was hoping I could convince you to come with us instead of vice versa.”
She cocked her head, shocked by what he said. “Me, go to Camp Sierra, and do what?”
“Oh, so it’s fine for me to do it, but not you?”
Lori opened her mouth to say something, but the words didn’t come out. She stopped herself just short of saying something mean and destroying the reunion they had not forty minutes ago.
Both avoided looking at the other till Eric stumbled in to break up the awkward moment.
“How’s the food here? I’m starving.”
She looked at her boy, who was quickly turning into a young man. She wanted nothing greater than to have them with her during a monumental time for her, but she also couldn’t ask David not to go pursue his desires either. She was frustrated and sad that this happy moment had turned so quickly into one of regret. The best thing for her and David to do was to let this new information marinate.
She stood up, put her arm around Eric, and said, “It’s not great, but it beats the slop we were being fed at 13.”
“Well, let’s go. I’m so hungry I could eat my arm.”
“David, you coming?”
He looked up, his mind was digesting all the news and attempting to process a solution, but he too was conflicted.
“Yes, of course I’m coming,” he said and stood up.
She grabbed him and brought him in close and whispered, “This will work out, I know it will. Everything will work out.”
Day 190
April 9, 2021
Jenks Residence, Reed, Illinois
Devin pushed his plate of food away from him and grunted.
“Eat, there’s no wasting around here,” Tess snapped.
“I’m not hungry.”
“Eat!”
“It won’t go to waste, I promise you,” he said as he placed the plate on the floor.
Brando hobbled over on three legs and stuck his muzzle in the heap of pasta, swallowing it in big gulps.
“I guess that counts, right?” Brianna joked.
“Don’t get any ideas, now eat,” Tess ordered.
Brianna responded, “I have every intention of finishing my food. I was making a point that Brando is a part of this family, and if he gets food, it’s not technically wasting.”
Devin leaned back and smiled, his little group did feel like a bit of a family. Regardless that they hadn’t known each other all that long, they could trust one another and would take care of each other, like any family would.
“So, whose turn is it to deliver the food to the barn?” Tess asked.
Devin raised his hand and answered, “Mine.”
“I can go if you don’t want to,” Brianna offered.
“No, it’s fine; I’m hoping he’ll answer this time. We need to discuss our plan about Turner’s Raiders.”
“Devin, we can’t sit around and just wait for him. If he doesn’t answer tonight, we need to do what I think we should do.”
“Leave? That’s not a solution, that’s panicked response.”
“Call it what you will, we were lucky this time. Next time they show they’ll have ten times the men. We can’t beat them.”
Devin knew she was right, but the idea of leaving Daryl didn’t sit right with him.
“We can’t leave him here and take his son, that’s cruel,” Devin challenged.
“What’s cruel is him vanishing. We need to get moving, and he needs to come with us. We’re delaying because he’s shacked himself inside the barn.”
Devin leaned in, placing his elbows on the table, and said, “Just give me tonight. If he doesn’t respond, we’ll leave first thing.”
Tess paused and then answered, “Deal.”
Brianna stood from the table and began working on a plate for Hudson.
Hudson was still in a state of shock. He wasn’t handling the gun battle and his mother’s death well.
“I’ll run this up to Huddy,” Brianna said and marched out of the kitchen.
“Having the Humvee will help our travel time,” Tess mentioned.
Brianna reemerged in the kitchen and excitedly said, “Hudson’s gone!”
“Gone where?” Devin asked.
“I don’t know, but I can’t find him in his room, and I’ve looked in the small playroom. It’s like he vanished.”
Devin stood and exited the kitchen to go search familiar hiding spots.
Brianna didn’t waste time and began feverishly looking for Hudson.
They looked in closets, behind furniture, under beds and even in cabinets. No one could locate him in the house. The next place to look was outside.
“Hudson! Where are you? Hudson!” Devin hollered out the front.
Brianna and Tess were in the back, going through the small sheds, and even looked in the chicken coop.
Devin made his way around the house and met up with the other two.
“The last building to look in is the barn. Let’s go,” Devin said as he quickly marched off.
“We’ll keep looking up here,” Tess shouted.
Devin reached the barn and banged loudly on the large metal door. “Daryl, is Hudson in there? He’s missing; we can’t find him! Daryl, open up!”
No response.
Devin began to wonder if Daryl was dead; maybe he killed himself. Concerned this might have happened, he began to walk around the large structure, looking for another way in. Along the north side, a long row of windows stretched a quarter length of the barn. He peeked in but couldn’t make out too much. At the end of the row of windows was a side door; he made for it. Clutter, old boxes and assorted items blocked the door. He began removing them when he heard a familiar voice.
“Don’t hurt yourself,” Daryl yelled.
Devin looked up and saw Daryl standing where he had just come from.
“Is Hudson with you?”
“No, but I think I know where he is.”
When Daryl stepped off the last step of the stairs, Devin couldn’t believe his eyes. He was dressed like he was ready for war, and for Devin, that seemed not too shocking.
“Where exactly are we going?” Devin asked, his tone a mixture of curiosity and skepticism.
“Hudson ran off to his cousin’s house, not a mile away,” Daryl answered as he walked to a closet, opened it and pulled out a rifle, an AR-15 with collapsible stock and reflexive sights.
“Is the cousin’s house a dangerous place?” Tess chimed in with sarcasm.
“As a matter of fact, it is,” Daryl snapped back, his attention was on loading the rifle, but he was still listening and answering the others.
“I’m coming with you,” Devin said.
“Not necessary.”
“I insist,” Devin said bravely.
Daryl lo
oked over at him and said, “Your choice, but I’d bring some iron with you.”
“What exactly is going on?” Tess asked.
“Hudson and his cousin Seth are about the same age and have gotten along famously, but I never had much love for my sister’s husband.”
“I realize people have family feuds, but it’s this bad?” Tess asked. She too was shocked by Daryl’s combat gear.
“Yeah, it’s this bad. I’m not sure if Devin mentioned it, but most of the town hates me for a variety of reasons. My sister and brother-in-law’s family hold a special kinda hate for me, though.”
“It’s not like you killed someone,” Tess blurted out.
Devin was watching them go back and forth, and after Tess’s last comment, he remembered Daryl’s story of killing someone.
“As a matter of fact, I did kill someone, Tess, and that person was my brother-in-law,” Daryl said and walked towards the front door.
“You killed your brother-in-law?” Tess asked as she followed behind him.
Devin wasn’t prepared like Daryl but grabbed a rifle, an AR-15 too, and followed Daryl.
Daryl walked onto the front deck, stopping to look down at the bloodstain. He paused as he took in the enormity of the blood-soaked boards and the blood splatter on the siding. He grunted and proceeded towards the detached garage off to the far right.
“Is this a good idea?” Tess asked as she followed him.
Devin was close behind, his heart racing at the anticipation that he’d be in another gunfight in as many days.
Daryl spun around and asked, “What do you recommend, I leave him there?”
“No, let me and Devin go. It doesn’t make sense to turn this into a fight when it doesn’t have to be,” Tess argued.
“Do you really think they’ll just let you have him?” Daryl asked.
“That’s if he’s even there,” Devin added.
Both Daryl and Tess looked at him.
“You’re just assuming; what if he isn’t there? If Tess is able, I think she should go driving around looking for him, take Bri with her,” Devin suggested.
“Two women out and about by themselves?” Daryl smugly asked.
“I can take care of myself, have been for some time now,” Tess fired back.
“Daryl, I have to agree with Tess. She’s more capable than most,” Devin said.
“Fine, do whatever you want. You should take the Humvee, then. If you find diesel fuel, you should top it off,” Daryl said as he put his rifle in the cab of the truck and got in. He looked over at Devin and barked, “Are you coming or what?"
Devin hurried over and got in.
As they pulled out, Devin waved to Tess and now Brianna, who had stepped outside.
Daryl didn’t exaggerate about the distance; they drove just over a mile and pulled off the country road fifty feet from the driveway of Daryl’s sister’s house.
Devin looked around at the endless flat land covered in dead cornstalks. He longed for the day he’d not see the same tired topography.
“Walk up with me to the driveway, then stay put. I’ll go the rest of the distance. I need you to be on the lookout.”
“What exactly are we getting into here?”
“A possible fight.”
“If your brother-in-law is dead, who do we need to be worried about?” Devin asked.
“Oh, my sister shacked up with an unsavory character not a month after I killed Rick. He’s a piece of shit, but he’s a formidable guy. Claims he use to be a Navy SEAL, but many question that, as I do.”
“Great, so we might be going up against a Navy SEAL!” Devin exclaimed.
Daryl stopped and said, “If you don’t want to come, don’t, but don’t be scared. I think the guy is full of shit. He’s not a SEAL, much less a cook from the Navy. I spent eight years in the Army and can spot a liar when I see them.”
“Army?”
“Yeah.”
“That makes me feel better.”
Daryl looked at him squarely and said, “It should.”
Devin laughed to himself. Daryl had a cockiness and confidence that came from somewhere, and anyone that had the stones to be a Ranger definitely would be a confident person.
Daryl walked away from Devin and up to the edge of the gravel driveway.
Devin jogged after him and stopped just short of exposing himself.
“So the house is not fifty feet away; it’s a double-wide trailer. They have two outbuildings behind it, but Simon is most likely inside with Laura and the kids.”
“Um, don’t mean to question, but what’s your plan? This is kind of half-assed.”
“Simple, I’m going to walk up to the front door, knock, and ask if he’s there.”
“That’s not a plan.”
“Of course it is, it’s just not an elaborate one.”
“Aren’t you worried—”
“No, they won’t shoot straight out, but I’m carrying to show them I’m ready to roll if we have to, and my sister will tell me the truth if it means rubbing in that my son ran away.”
Devin nodded and then asked, “And you want me to just stand here?”
“When I hit the front door, step out from behind here so they can see you. I want them to think twice about doing anything.”
“I can do that.”
“Good, I’m on the move,” Daryl said and stepped into the driveway. He made his way towards the front.
The front door of the trailer flew open before Daryl could reach them, and out stepped a tall and skinny man, his shirt off exposing a torso and arms covered in tattoos.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” Simon hollered.
Daryl kept marching towards the front, his rifle hanging down with his hand on the pistol grip.
“Stop right there, Daryl. You’re not welcome here,” Simon yelled.
Daryl didn’t stop but kept walking; he wasn’t afraid of Simon and wanted to prove it.
Simon reached in the small of his back and pulled out a pistol. He pointed it at Daryl and yelled, “Stop there, motherfucker!”
Daryl walked the remaining few feet till he reached the front steps. He was now only five feet from Simon. He looked down the muzzle of the semi-auto pistol, then looked into Simon’s eyes and said, “Where’s my boy?”
“Your boy ain’t here!”
“Where’s Laura? I want to speak to her.”
Devin heard the loud back and forth and thought it best to show himself. He stepped out into the driveway and stood as tall as he could. A nervous twitch hit him, making his hands and legs shake slightly, but he was getting better at controlling his emotional state. He knew that was key to overcoming the fears and lack of confidence he had before.
Simon looked up and saw Devin. His eyes widened, and instinctually he took a half step back. Seeing another armed man made him feel uneasy.
“You and your fucking pal there need to leave my land, now!” Simon barked.
“I’m not leaving until you give me my son,” Daryl ordered in a forceful tone.
“He ain’t here, man.”
Daryl had only seen Simon once before with his shirt off. He hadn’t been this close before, so he quickly took notice of the trident tattoo on his upper chest with the inscription ‘SEAL TEAM 2’. The first time he’d met Simon years ago at a bar, he knew without a doubt that he was a liar. He remembered that day like it was yesterday. Simon was bragging about the number of kills he had from the war in Syria and how he had literally saved his team single-handedly. It only took Daryl a few unsuspecting questions to know Simon was lying. After having spent a year deployed to Syria, Daryl was familiar with how things ran in-country, and everything that spewed from Simon's mouth was, in his words, ‘pure bullshit.’
“Where’s Laura?” Daryl asked.
“She ain’t here either, man!” Simon yelled, his armed still outstretched with the pistol pointing at Daryl.
“I’ll tell you what, I’m gonna just sit here and wait till she comes back.
”
“Get the fuck off my land!”
“First off, this isn’t your land, it’s Laura’s, and second, where exactly could she be? It’s not as if she’s shopping.”
“She ain’t—”
Daryl interrupted him, “She ain’t here, man, I know, I know.”
“Fuck you!”
Daryl saw a small five-gallon bucket close by and walked over to it.
Simon kept his eyes and his pistol on Daryl as he moved.
Needing to find a way to get the gun off of him, Daryl had an idea. He’d present Simon with another target.
Looking down the driveway, Daryl called out, “Devin, come here!”
“Don’t you listen, man? Get out of here!”
Devin began to march quickly down the drive towards Daryl.
Jitters hit Simon as his eyes darted back and forth between them, and his hand began to shake. Not knowing who to put the gun on, he began to move it back and forth between Daryl and Devin.
Devin paused a half step when the pistol was aimed at him, but he pressed forward, trusting that Daryl had it under control.
“We’re not going to leave until I speak with my sister,” Daryl said, then sat down on the bucket.
“She ain’t coming back for a bit. You’re wasting your time here!”
Daryl thought about what Simon just said. It didn’t make sense. Where could she be? He hadn’t seen her since he had killed Rick, and that was over four months ago.
Devin stopped a few feet from Daryl and said, “What’s up?”
“What do you think, Dev? He says my boy and my sister aren’t here. What about my nephew, is he here, I wonder?”
Simon overheard him and blurted out, “No one is here, man. Laura and Seth are gone; they left a bit ago.”
“Where?”
Fear entered Simon’s face as he realized his lies were about to be exposed.
“Where are Laura and Seth? Simon, where are they?” Daryl asked as he stood up. He repositioned his hand on the grip of his rifle and readied himself.
Seeing this, Simon began to shake more noticeably.
“Devin, listen to me clearly. Step away from me.”
Devin began to walk away, but kept the front of his body pointed towards Simon.
The Death: The Complete Trilogy Page 15
