“Thanks,” said Zach as walked out the door and popped the can open.
“Come again!” the man called after him.
Zach walked over to a bench beneath a birch tree and sat down to wait, taking small sips of his Coke. He did not have to wait for more than a few minutes however before he spotted Henry striding towards the Town Hall.
“Hard to miss that ugly bastard,” Zach thought. He finished the last of his Coke, tossed it into a trash can, and waited for Henry to actually enter the Town Hall. He then got up and made his way across the plaza, though he took an indirect route to his target. He walked towards the building, but at an angle that made it look like he was leaving the area.
Once he was sure he was out of the peripherals of the guard standing at the front doors, he then cut sharply back towards the Town Hall, towards one of the windows that he knew was in the Mayor’s office, though he took care to ensure that no one in the room would be able to see him coming. As he neared the red-brick exterior of the building, he glanced back over his shoulder to ensure that no one was watching. Crouching down low, he quietly snaked his way in between a small gap in the bushes outside the building and then squeezed himself in between the shrubberies and the wall, right underneath the open window of Mayor Calvin’s office. He could hear faint talking coming from inside, and after intense focus he determined that it was Mayor Calvin who was speaking.
“For Christ’s sake, Henry, why didn’t you tell me about this?” the Mayor said. He sounded angry, but Zach could detect an undercurrent of fear in his voice.
“I did! Zach’s a fucking liar!” Henry replied loudly.
“Keep your voice down, damn it! I know what you told me but I don’t believe it. Not one bit.”
“You’re going to believe a total stranger over your own nephew? That’s fucked up! He murdered my family! He killed your brother!”
So Henry was the Mayor’s nephew! Zach was nervous now as he realized that family ties might play an even bigger role in the Mayor’s decision than his and Abby’s testimonies.
“Tom may have been my brother, but he was always a sick little bastard. He tortured animals, bullied other people, and was one of the most blatantly fucked up men I’ve ever known. I guess it’s easy to see whose genes you got more of. Besides, Zach said Frank killed him.”
“And I told you that Frank died last year! Pneumonia took him.”
“Another lie!” Calvin said, pounding his fist against his desk. He was quiet for a moment, and then spoke again, his voice taking on a stern tone, “And what about Abby? She told me something that you failed to mention, and I have to say that her story sounded familiar.”
Henry was silent. Calvin stood up and then strode over to the open window before speaking again.
“Do you think that I’ve forgotten your days as a city councilman, Henry? Do you think I’ve forgotten about that young girl you molested during her internship at city hall? You were in a world of shit when the investigations started, but you got a lot of help didn’t you?”
“You went to your superiors in city hall, and I don’t know how you managed to do it, but you got them to back you. Some important officials testified about the high quality of your character, even the mayor herself. They ran a smear campaign against the girl, calling into question her credibility, and assassinating her character. But there was also some lesser known assistance, wasn’t there, Henry?”
“Your father, the state’s Attorney General. His reputation was coming under attack as well as a result of the familial relation to you. He used his tremendous influence to stack the odds in your favor for the trial, hoping an acquittal would pull you both out of the public eye, but he wanted to be absolutely sure that you were cleared. One day, I got a surprise visitor at my home, a home that I could barely afford on my cop’s salary. He introduced himself as a representative of an anonymous high-ranking state official and offered me twenty thousand dollars in cash to make one or two articles of evidence in your case disappear.”
“And then I made the worst mistake of my life. Deep down, I knew you were guilty, Henry, but I simply couldn’t make myself fully believe that my own nephew had committed such a wicked deed. So I pulled the wool over my own eyes. I convinced myself that the girl was lying. ‘She’s just a narcissist,’ I would say to myself. So I took the offer. I desperately needed the money and I wanted to clear your name, for whatever sick reason.”
Calvin sighed deeply and then said, “I’ll never forget the looks on the faces of that poor girl and her parents when the judge pronounced you ‘not guilty’. I’ve had to live with the knowledge that I helped you avoid the justice you deserved for my entire life, but I learned to keep it out of my mind. I got good at lying to myself, so I could practically pretend that it didn’t even happen, or that I never took the money.”
“Then Zach comes to me today, and he tells me about you and your family. He tells me about what you tried to do to his wonderful girl. And I couldn’t hold it back anymore. All the guilt and anger and frustration that I’ve kept inside me for all these years all came rushing out. I made a horrendous mistake in defending you once Henry, but I won’t do it again.”
It was quiet again, for almost a full minute. Then Henry said, “So what are you going to do?” His voice was low and dangerous, the same tone that Zach remembered hearing in the garage when he was tied up and Henry was going off on his insane rant. He had a sudden twinge of fear. Would Henry be stupid enough to attack the Mayor? Zach would not put it past him; he clearly had some serious mental health issues. But then Mayor Calvin spoke again. The fear in his voice was gone and was replaced with authority and command as he strode back to his desk.
“I am going to do nothing. Rather, you should be asking yourself what you are going to do. You see, my father, your grandfather, taught me that the strongest bonds a person will ever have are with his family. He drilled this into me, this unflinching loyalty to one’s family. I think this had a part in my reasoning to help you when you were accused of rape the first time. I would love nothing more than to have my guards come in here and arrest you. I would love nothing more than to have you killed for your crimes, which are unforgiveable regardless of our relation.”
“But I can’t bring myself to do it. I can’t be directly responsible for the death of my own nephew, no matter how heinous his crimes. So that’s why I’m giving you a choice: leave Little America today and never come back, or stay here and be subject to justice. I don’t care what happens to you out there, but if you ever try to come back, the Town Guard will arrest you on sight. Everyone’s actions have consequences, and we all have to face them eventually.”
Henry said nothing, and every moment that passed in silence Zach expected him to burst out in rage. But he never did. Instead, Henry said only, “I see how it is, Uncle. And you’re right: everyone has to face the consequences of their actions.” And then he slowly left the room in what seemed to be a calm manner. Zach waited a few minutes before leaving to give Henry enough time to leave the Town Center.
As he quietly got out from behind the bushes, Zach heaved a quiet sigh of relief. He had been scared that, once again, the authorities would not believe him. He had been prepared to flee the town right then and there had that been the case, but he would not have taken Abby or anyone else with him. She finally had a home here, and she could live with Amber and Al. He would not force Abby into a life on the road again, but he would have to leave, taking all their troubles with him…but not before putting a violent end to Henry’s life.
But now, as he walked back home, Zach realized just how much he would miss Amber if he was forced to leave. As he had been formulating a hasty escape plan there in the bushes just minutes ago, it had dawned on Zach that he would not only be leaving his only daughter behind, but also the woman he loved. He still did not understand why his feelings for her were so strong. They had not known each other for very long, but was that really such a big deal? Had he been wrong for telling Amber that he wanted
to slow things down? Abby was right when she said that things are different now, was she not?
Despite everything, Zach was still worried about Henry. He seemed resigned to his fate at the Mayor’s office, but Henry was like a bolt of lightning: there was no predicting when and where he would strike. Would he try to kidnap Abby on his way out? Would he try to assassinate Mayor Calvin? Zach almost wished he would try just so he could finally kill him.
With all of these competing thoughts and emotions bouncing around inside his head, Zach’s walk home did not seem to take long at all. He entered the building, walked up the stairs to the third floor, and then moved down the hall until he stood in front of Amber’s door. He knocked gently and then waited. He heard soft footfalls inside the apartment, and then a pause. He assumed that Amber was looking through the peep-hole, just to be cautious.
“Hey,” said Amber as she opened the door, a look of relief on her face. Abby sat at the table, nursing a mug of tea. She looked up and smiled when she saw Zach.
“Hey guys,” Zach said as he walked inside and shut the door behind him.
Al came from the bathroom, saw Zach, and said, “Where did you go?”
“Back to Mayor Calvin’s office to listen in on him and Henry.”
“What’d you hear?” Abby asked anxiously, getting up and walking over to join the others.
“Get this: Henry is the Mayor’s nephew,” Zach said, and everyone looked astounded. “But that actually works to our advantage. Apparently, Henry has a history of…uh, mistreating young girls. And Calvin knows about this, so he believes us. He told Henry that he’d have him arrested if he doesn’t leave by tonight.”
“Wait, he’s letting the son of a bitch go?” Al asked incredulously.
“Afraid so. Apparently the Mayor is a firm believer in family and refuses to be directly responsible for the death of a family member, even Henry. So he’s giving him this chance to get away. But don’t worry, because he’s out of our lives forever either way.”
Abby smiled faintly and said, “That’s good.”
Another knock came on the door, and Al went to answer it this time. It was Ross.
“Hey Al,” said Ross, “have you seen…Zach, there you are.”
“What’s up?” asked Zach.
“I was wondering if I could borrow your rifle sling. A few of the guys from my squad are going to the rifle range today and I want to try shooting with a sling.”
“Yeah, no problem. My rifle is on my bed. Abby, will you let Ross inside, please?”
“Sure, Zach,” Abby replied as she led Ross across the hall to their apartment.
“I should get going, too,” said Al as he threw his hat on. “We’re doing some more planning for the next section of houses we’re building. See y’all later.”
“Bye, Dad!” Amber said, kissing him on the cheek before he left. Once the door closed, she turned to Zach and said, “So what are you going to do?”
“Nothing. I’m just going to keep a close eye on Abby until I can confirm that Henry is gone for good.”
“I suppose that’s all you can do for now.”
“Yeah, pretty much,” Zach said. “But I was wondering if I could talk to you for a bit.”
“About what?”
“Us. Our future.”
Meanwhile, Abby had let Ross into their apartment and, after pointing him to Zach’s room, got herself a glass of water from the kitchen. She was taking a drink when Ross reappeared with the sling from Zach’s rifle in one hand and a folded photograph in the other.
“Hey Abby, is this Zach’s wife?” he asked.
Abby turned to see what he was talking about, and when she saw the picture in his hand, she gasped loudly and dropped her glass. It shattered on the linoleum floor and she said, “Where did you get that?!”
“It was just sitting on Zach’s dresser. What’s wrong?” Ross said, looking puzzled. He flipped the photograph over and read some writing on the back of it. “2014. I love you, Gr-”
“Ssshh!” Abby hissed. “Put it back before Zach sees you!”
“Okay, okay!” Ross said as he hurried back into Zach’s room to put the picture back. He returned to the kitchen to see Abby on her hands and knees, picking up the pieces of broken glass. He crouched down to help her and said, “What’s the big deal with that picture anyway?”
Abby sighed and said, “You don’t understand, Ross. You don’t understand how much his wife meant to him; how much her death devastated him.” They walked over to the trash can to toss the shards of glass inside and then Abby grabbed a wash cloth to wipe up the water.
“Well, how can I understand if he never talks about it?” Ross asked.
“Because there are things in Zach’s life that he doesn’t like talking about,” she replied. She stood up and wrung the cloth out over the sink and then said, “I’m not trying to be rude, but don’t mention that picture to Zach. Seriously, his wife is an extremely sensitive subject with him, and I’m not sure how he’d react if he figured out that you looked at his picture without him knowing. If he wants you to know about her, he’ll tell you.”
“Alright, I’ll forget about it. I was just curious,” Ross said and then he turned to leave. “Tell Zach I said thanks for the sling,” he said as he closed the door.
Zach was still at Amber’s, so Abby assumed that they wanted a little alone time. She flopped down on the couch and stared up at the ceiling. Inevitably, her thoughts drifted to Henry and his sudden reappearance in her life. A shiver ran down her spine, and she wrapped her arms around herself.
Had she been wrong to stop Zach from killing him? Back at the Marshall Farm, when Zach was sitting on top of him and raining blows down on his head, Henry had been unarmed and could not even move anymore. But Zach kept hitting him, and it just did not seem right to Abby. Sure, Henry was a despicable man, but everyone deserved a second chance, right? Was Zach beating him to death in a fit of blind rage true justice? While neither of them was overly religious, both she and Zach had been raised by the Bible when they were young, and Jesus talked a lot about forgiving your enemies. So she had been right to let Henry have a chance at redemption…right?
“Maybe not,” Abby whispered. Her imagination ran back to that horrible garage and what Henry had tried to do to her. She remembered how helpless and afraid she had felt when he tied her to that bed and told her all the awful things he was going to do to her. She closed her eyes and could still see the evil glint in his eyes: absolutely no compassion, no mercy had been there. But it was all almost over, she told herself. He was being forced into exile, so she would never have to see him again. Besides, she had Zach; he would never let Henry hurt her.
Abby opened her eyes and shrieked, falling off the couch in fear. Henry was standing right over her!
No, he was not. No one else was in the room. Abby whipped her head left and right, looking around and breathing heavily. The next instant, Zach burst in through the door with his pistol up and ready to fire. He looked around sharply and said, “What’s wrong?”
At first, Abby was too scared to answer. She had seen him! She had seen him clear as day!
“Nothing, I…” she stammered, trying to calm her breathing down. “I thought I saw Henry, that’s all.”
Zach holstered his weapon and then walked over to Abby and hugged her. “I’m sorry about all this, baby girl. But it will all be over soon, okay?” he whispered. Abby nodded her head, so Zach walked back towards the door. “I’ll be with Amber for a little longer if you need me,” he said as he was leaving.
“Zach?” Abby called.
“Yes, Abby?” Zach said, turning back around in the doorway.
“Was I wrong to stop you from killing him?” she asked quietly, her silver eyes pleading for a reassuring answer.
Zach sighed, not answering right away so he could collect his thoughts. “When I was a Marine, there were a lot of times when I thought about my decisions and wondered whether I should have acted differently than I did. I wou
ld feel guilty for making what I thought were poor judgment calls. But life isn’t a video game, Abby. You can’t start over and try again, so you can never know how things might have turned out had you acted differently. Sometimes, there may not necessarily even be a right decision to make, only a less bad one. I had to make decisions on the fly several times, and just hope that I’d done the best thing.”
“That’s what you did. You made a choice based on what you thought was right, even though it was probably the hard choice to make. That takes guts, Bug. Not a lot of people will do that anymore. And you had no way of knowing that Henry would follow us the way he has, so you can’t blame yourself for anything.”
“My point is this: that’s the past, Abby. There’s no point in wondering whether something you did was right or wrong, because you can’t change the past. But you can affect your future. Our eyes are on the front of our heads so we can look ahead, not behind.”
“But do you think it was the right decision?” Abby asked with a pained expression.
“I think so, yes,” Zach said without hesitating. It was actually a lie. He wished that he had been able to kill Henry before Abby interfered, but sometimes we lie to the ones we love so we do not hurt them.
Abby suspected that he was not telling the truth. She knew how Zach was, and she knew that he could have killed Henry without a trace of guilt. She sighed and sat back down on the couch. “I’ll just be here,” she said sullenly.
“Okay,” Zach said as he turned to leave, but Abby called him again. “Yes, Abby?” he said as he turned around again, but not the least bit impatient.
“Can I sleep in your bed tonight? Just for tonight?” she asked, feeling a little embarrassed. Only little kids slept with their parents when they were scared, she thought, but Henry absolutely terrified her and she would not feel safe alone in her bed.
“Of course,” Zach answered.
“Thanks,” she said. Zach closed the door, leaving it unlocked, and then went back into Amber’s apartment.
His Name Was Zach Page 24
