"I appreciate that Matt, I do." Jason walks to a book case. On one of the shelves is a crystal decanter filled with aged whiskey, an ice bucket, and four rocks glasses. He picks up ice cubes with a set of tongs and puts them in two glasses.
"I certainly need one of those right now." Matt says.
"Congratulations on your new home." Jason pours the booze and hands Matt a glass.
* * * * *
Curt's cabin bustles like the Bayside building did a few hours earlier. Two dead bodies in one day put a drastic strain on the town.
Detectives Marley and Daniels peruse the scene. It was supposed to be a simple missing person case, but all three head detectives agreed this was more than that, Travis included.
"Damn shame," Marley says, "she was a sweet girl, and he used her like..." Marley hushes his voice, barely able to make out the words, "like a goddamn fuck-toy."
"Jesus Marley!" Daniels says sternly but with little volume.
"I wish I coulda cut that assholes tongue out myself," Marley hisses. He inspects the dirty mattress with a pair of latex gloves. Flies buzz around the darker spots where Katie's bodily fluids soaked through the sheets. "I've been on the force, what, bout ten years?"
"About." Detective Daniels nods his head slowly.
"We been knocking around cases together for a decade, Daniels, a fuckin' decade, and I ain't never seen any shit like this."
Plain clothes officers and the boys in blue haul off anything that can be used as evidence. Marley admires their handiwork, but turns his nose up in disgust at the situation.
"We should've followed the lead, Marley," Detective Daniels paces around the basement.
"Did you expect it?" Marley sheds his cool composure for a moment, letting his feelings get the better of him in front of fellow officers. And why shouldn't it? Marley didn't know more than her first name, but she always kept his coffee full and cracked a joke or two.
"No one expects the Sheriff's brother to be the bad guy, Marley, but we all had our suspicions. We were running out of options. We contacted everyone," Daniels says.
"Where's Judd now?" Marley asks.
"He went to Saint Anne's Hospital with Travis, I'm sure he'll stop by Curt's room as well."
"They guarding both rooms?" Marley lets the information fall out of his lips a little too quick for comfort. The other cops appear to open up their ears. Marley notices the sudden tension rise, and backs down a bit. Even if killing this son of a bitch does cross his mind, only a fool would jeopardize his career for a slimy dirt bag on his way to life without parole.
Best to keep it behind the eyes so to speak.
"I'm not sure if they'll be guarding Travis or not, but I'm betting they're keeping a close eye on Curt," Daniels shoves his hands in his pockets, "as soon as word breaks he killed Katie, everyone will want his head on a platter."
"Or his tongue," Marley pushes the joke out and forces a smile.
"You ain't right Marley."
When you’re the comedian, and generally the one people go to for a welcome one liner, any change in your role is documented in the brains of the public.
Marley knows it.
It's always best to keep in character.
* * * * *
Austin flips through channels on the television with Krystal's head nuzzled in his lap. The strands of her brown hair shimmer in contrast to his green basketball shorts.
"Hey guys, what's up?"Jessica walks down the stairs.
"Hey girl, I didn't even know you were home," Krystal rolls off Austin's lap and sits up.
"I haven't been here long," Jessica plops on a love seat, “I went over to Katie’s and she still isn’t there, I’m really worried about her. I’ve talked to her mom and sister, and they’ll be coming here Tuesday.”
"What time do you have to go to your mom's?" Krystal asks.
"I'm not. I just told Billy that so I didn't have to hang out with him tonight," Jessica leans forward and rests her elbows on her knees. "his hood-rat friends are always there. Most of them're cool, but the junkies that stop through are shady. Like these two nasty, homeless guys, Leroy and Skaggs."
"Sounds like a name for a seventies cop show." Krystal grins.
"I remember those idiots from school." Austin gets up from the couch and walks into the kitchen. "Skaggs was a piece of shit, then, almost as much as he is now. He was always getting too fucked up and puking, or passing out. They dropped out my sophomore year."
"The one that creeps me out is Leroy," Jessica says, "he cornered me one night when I was coming out of the bathroom. He kept telling me how pretty I looked, and rubbing up against me," she shivers in disgust, "Billy walked back there to get something out of his room, but I wonder what would've happened if he didn't."
"Did you tell Billy?" Krystal asks.
"Skaggs and Leroy spend too much money with him," Jessica says, "Billy would've listened, but when push comes to shove he's going to choose money over me."
"Want a beer?" Austin grabs a handful of cans from the refrigerator and brings them back to the couch. "Just hang out here, Jess, Rob's coming over after work with a bottle of tequila."
"Sounds fun," Jessica accepts a beer from Austin, "I just can't deal with Billy anymore. I mean, he's still super hot, and we've been together a long time, but I never noticed how stupid he was until now."
"Rob's really cool," Krystal hints.
"I know he's really cool and super sweet," Jessica curls up her nose, "but he's not attractive," Jessica looks at Austin, "sorry Austin."
"Why would I be offended?" Austin cracks open a can of suds and sits back down next to Krystal. "If anything, it's my fault for taking the looks, athletic ability, intelligence, and overall greatness away from the family," he takes a swig of beer, "it took two other kids to be ugly to make me so hot."
"Sure Austin," Jessica laughs, "that must be it. That must be why he's so sweet, and you're..."
"Awesome," Austin jokes, "the word you're looking for is awesome."
"Anyway, I think I'm going to break up with Billy," Jessica says, "he flirts with girls all the time right in front of me. I mean, they treat him like a king when they come to get drugs. It's only a matter of time until he sleeps with one of them, and that's if he hasn't already. I wish Billy and I were still like you two."
"What do you mean?" Krystal asks, perplexed.
"Madly in love," Jessica smiles sweetly at the couple on the couch, "it must be nice to feel that way. The sex is better, the conversations matter, the world has this magical feeling of warmth."
"Do people think that about us?"Austin asks.
"Nobody acts that way because they're friends, or fuck-buddies," Jessica jumps up from the loveseat, "I almost forgot! Gimme one minute." She runs upstairs.
Krystal stares deeply into Austin's baby blue eyes. They both smile a bit, and then lock lips before Jessica returns.
"Billy was so trashed he dropped this bag, so I picked it up and put it in my pocket." Jessica throws a bag of ecstasy pills on the coffee table. "The green ones with the aliens pressed into them are double stack UFO's, and the pink ones with unicorns are triple stacks. I haven't tried any, but everyone sure as hell loves both kinds. Drinking sounds fun, but this'll probably be a lot better than tequila."
"Fuck the tequila," Austin picks up the baggie.
Krystal slaps his hand, "wait 'til your cousin gets here!"
"Fine..."
* * * * *
Zed's shoes tap the tile as he walks towards the punk rocker.
An assortment of tubes and gauges keep Leroy Brown at optimal condition. His skin has a deep tan from the hickory smoke seeping through from the room next door. All of the pigs, cows, and deer, get the smoke treatment, as will Leroy Brown.
"Mornin' Mr. Brown. How you feeling? I brought you a cupcake."
Leroy grunts.
"What's the occasion?" Zed raises the chocolate delicatessen with white frosting to Leroy's eye level. "Well, I reckon when you gotta birthday, they g
ive you a treat. Something sweet to forget all the trouble you had for the year, to forget how old you are, or for the youngins, they give 'em sugar to shut 'em up for ten seconds before all the wrapping paper's ripped to shreds."
Zed holds up the cupcake to Leroy's mouth. "Go on, take a bite."
Leroy shakes his head back and forth.
"Suit yourself." Zed chomps into the chocolate.
Zed walks over to his cabinet of horrors and takes out a sharp hand-saw with two rows of teeth. He sits the cupcake down on a nearby table, and runs his fingers lightly against the saw.
"This'll do," he grabs a three level step stool in his other hand.
Leroy bucks back and forth, stretching the chain that attaches his legs to the ground, and his hands to the ceiling.
"Any last words Leroy?" Zed puts the stool a foot away from his victim. "Maybe a prayer to God for what you did?"
Leroy's body stiffens.
"Yeah, I know Jaybird stopped ya," Zed says, "he called just minutes after he let you get away. Funny how a man that could knock the stuffing right outta ya just so happens to let you go, don't cha think? From what I hear Jay pulled his pistol ready to pop ya in broad daylight."
Leroy looks to the floor.
"Her momma called Judd and said whatcha did, or at least what ya tried to do," Zed takes off his glasses with his left hand and keeps the hand-saw secure in his right, "she was only twelve years old, Leroy." Zed places his glasses on a metal counter three feet away from the chained victim. "I'm gonna enjoy cuttin' your throat open."
With one hand Zed steadies Leroy's head, and with the other he holds the saw up to his neck. The two rows of teeth clench on to Leroy's neck like a disciplined dog ready to chew.
Zed pushes forward, slowly, letting each tooth attach firmly to flesh.
The screams from the mohawked maniac sound like bubbly dry heaves.
Every swipe destroys his trachea and vocal cords, until his head timbers over like a tree on to the clean tile floor.
"Fuckin' pedophile."
Chapter XVIII
Broken Blocks
Curt tastes the staples holding his tongue together. Hopefully they washed off the dirt, under the circumstances one can't be too sure. Another casualty of his lifelong war with his brothers.
Judd and Zed never understood him. When Curt was a kid and couldn't play sports, they teased him about it. When he excelled in science and English, instead of congratulating him, they scoffed. Curt, the baby of the family, was consistently tossed aside.
Now, Zed and Judd think Curt's a psycho because he wanted to hold a woman. Caress her flesh. It isn't his fault that the world is upside down. Different strokes for different folks, right?
Curt did his best to keep Emmaline safe from harm, but the world infected her.
That seventeen year old brat infected her.
She was so sweet during Curt's freshman year at Ohio State. She made him cookies, helped him study, and never spoke to another boy. After they left college, Curt and Emmaline started a life together. They got married, and she got pregnant. Little Austin was born nine months later.
Then Emmaline became a slutty cunt.
They weren't necessarily hard up for cash, but six weeks after Austin was born, Emmaline said that she needed time away from the house. She got a job waitressing at the BBQ Pitt while Judd's wife, Karen watched Austin.
Emmaline made good money from tips and liked the job a lot. As the months rolled on she spent less and less time with the newborn baby and more time at the Pitt. Sometimes she would stay late, or go out with the staff on a Friday night, completely ignoring her responsibilities. Some nights she didn't come home at all.
When Curt asked questions, Emmaline said that she got a little too drunk and didn't want to risk driving. She would mention that she stayed over at another waitresses' house, no big deal, right?
It became a big deal when it started happening more and more. Curt wouldn't see her for entire weekends. Emmaline would go to work Friday afternoon and return Sunday night like nothing was wrong.
Everyone in town knew, they'd talk and talk, but Curt wouldn't listen. He was working around the clock back then. People said that he didn't give her enough attention, and she was finding it somewhere else.
Curt didn't believe them.
Curt owned a few houses. A duplex they rented out, their three bedroom house where they lived, and the cabin.
Curt came in for a beer after work to see his beloved wife one Friday night, but she wasn't there. Zed told him what was going on, in a roundabout way. Zed said that he could stay at the Pitt and he'd give him a ride home, talk a bit, but Curt ran to his car as quick as lightning.
He couldn't stand the thought of Austin's mom being unfaithful. The woman that baked him pies during finals week.
He didn't have plans to kill them, just to get stinking drunk and scare them if they crossed paths. As a matter of fact, he didn't even know that they would be at the cabin until he saw Emmaline's car parked around back.
A revolver and a bottle of whiskey were the only things he had to put a fright in the couple. Curt walked through the front door sipping his pint. He checked the bedrooms first, nothing.
And then he heard her screams.
They were so loud they rattled his ear drums. She never screamed that way for him. Sure, she moaned when they made love, but that was all.
Emmaline's passion never peaked.
Curt built a guest room in the basement with a queen sized bed and two end tables, the perfect place for a romantic getaway or when guests came to stay.
Even though the stairs creaked when Curt walked down them, Alverez didn't stop pounding his pelvis between her thighs.
Where Curt's son slid out less than a year before.
Emmaline's legs were so high in the air her tippy toes touched the ceiling. Her strawberry blonde hair was matted against the pillow with sweat.
Curt stood there.
Watching.
Wishing it was him that brought her to climax. His tears blurred his vision but he still got the shot off.
The first bullet went through Alverez's back. Emmaline didn't even notice the blood gushing on to her tits, still full of milk from breast feeding. She just kept coming. Twitching with pleasure.
Curt yanked Alverez off of her and threw him on the cement floor, aimed, and shot Alverez five more times. He would've kept pouring lead into him, but the revolver just clicked after the sixth round was fired, and he was out of ammunition.
Out of ammunition, but not ideas.
Curt pulled Emmaline by her sweat soaked hair into the bathroom to wash the filth from her skin. He turned on the faucet and filled up the tub.
Her hair was slick, but the sweat made it bunch up so Curt was able to get a good grip on her. With his other hand he grabbed her thigh and chucked her into the bathtub. The water splashed as she tried to escape.
Curt pressed down on her shoulder blades, holding her underwater while she flailed in the tub. The stretch marks on her stomach slowly turned purple as her last breaths transformed into bubbles.
Curt didn't mean to kill her, but he did.
Judd pounded on the front door for God knows how long before he busted it in. Curt knew he was there but everything stopped, the screaming and yelling was muffled. The killer felt Judd kick him a few times, but not the pain just like a sensation, as if his mind and body were injected with Novocain.
Curt collapsed by the bathtub and balled like a newborn baby while Judd picked up the pieces.
The Sherriff kept it together. Judd got rid of the bodies and made arrangements so the cops couldn't track Curt's steps. The older brother told Curt right then and there he was going to raise Austin, no questions asked. He told his little brother that he would let him come round, and maybe Austin could stay the night every once in a while, but he wouldn't be able to raise him. Not after killing the boy's mother.
Curt lost everything in a split second, with the exception of his freedo
m. What will he tell his son now? Without an excuse or a tongue? All he has are the broken blocks of a structure he built over twenty years ago.
* * * * *
The bone saw chisels through Leroy's femur, the dust blows back onto Zed's welding mask. As many times as he's done this, the smell of burning bone still stinks something awful.
He tosses half the femur in a white pickle bucket on the floor. It quickly makes friends with Leroy's hand and heart. Zed goes back to sawing. Some organs and muscles are trashed, others are ground up to make cannibal-burger, but most of the meat is smoked and shredded to create the BBQ Pitt's signature dish, the Meat Grinder.
The Meat Grinder was the first sandwich on the BBQ Pitt's lunch menu, it came after Emmaline and her young beefcake were disposed of. It took off like a rocket and became more popular than the brisket and ribs combined.
Leroy's remains have the potential to feed the town through football season. It's the busiest time of year for the restaurant. Zed donated enough Grinders to the concession stand last season to build the school a new stadium, and every sandwich came with a ten percent coupon to ensure the townsfolk would eat at the BBQ Pitt.
Funny how the blood of a scoundrel can make the belly of a honest citizen full and happy.
The football stars also take part in a fundraiser where they sell gift cards. Yes sir, football season is the reason Zed has three cars and a half million dollar home. Zed finishes cutting Leroy's legs down to size and moves on to making his intestines into bratwurst.
* * * * *
Roc and Billy have nearly ran out of places to look, the Watering Hole was damn near empty, and none of the local drunks had a clue where Skaggs was hiding. If anyone can be tipped off for a gram of coke, it's those bums.
The sluts at Aces were only after a buck, sure Roc and Billy got a couple lap dances and blow jobs, but not answers. Any square in Kobe can get their dick sucked at Aces for the right amount of green, but the strippers were oblivious to the junkie on the run.
Kobe Page 11
