The Brown Hound

by Grace J. Gray

  “Yeah? How is he?”

  “You should know. Guy’s practically like a dad to you.”

  "We had a little disagreement. While we're on the subject, I don't know if Bob's mentioned any details about the suspect or the case so far, but, well, I'd like you to hear this from me. It's better if it came from me." He didn't flinch; his sadness had washed away.

  “Yes?”

  "So, you don't know anything?"

  “What do you have to tell me, Tommy?”

  “I’m representing the suspect. I believe you already know him. Jake Truck. Worked at the RR.” I was afraid of what was to come.

  “Oh. Why? Do you think he’s innocent?” He asked as if he was genuinely curious.

  “I can’t discuss any details yet. It’s all still very uncertain.”

  “So, you’re not sure, but you’re still going to defend this scumbag?!” His voice grew a few decibels, enough to alert the people around. Suddenly everyone was looking our way.

  “It’s complicated, Zerk. I want, more than anything else, to bring justice to you and your family. I want whoever is responsible for this to be behind bars.”

  “After everything these people have done for you, this is how you repay them? By representing that motherfucker who killed my family!” Almost everyone was looking at us now.

  “Hey, Zerk. What’s the matter?” Ms. Levinson was confused and spoke for pretty much everyone who was there.

  "Go ahead, Tommy. Tell everyone. It's better if it comes from you, right?" As he spoke, he shoved me slightly. I could tell he wanted to hit me. In this line of work, you pick up an acute sense of when someone wants to shove a fist in your mouth. This was one of those moments. More importantly, I had 100 eyes locked on me. I had to say something. I had to tell them the truth.

  "Well, um, everyone. Zerk and I were talking about the case. The suspect, actually. Jake Truck." A musky voice cut me off.

  “Man, fuck that asshole!” A loud cheer followed. It was mostly men and boys.

  “If I see that cunt in court, I’ll put a bullet through his skull myself. It would be an honor, Zerk.” The same musky voice spoke again. I couldn’t see who it was.

  “Cases like this are rarely that straightforward. Many things need to be taken into consideration. Anyway, what I’m trying to say is that I'm going to be representing Jake Truck.” As that bomb dropped. Marie’s poem came to me again.

  This time I could see her lying in bed with me, her hazel eyes locked onto mine and her lips moving, reciting those golden words.

  'I wish I could, I really would.'

  There was a long and cold silence. Everyone stared at me. Then at each other, and then back at me. I figured it would take a few more seconds before the thought fully set in and someone said something.

  I looked at the bench where I had sat earlier in the morning. I couldn’t dare lock eyes with any of these people. And then I heard the one voice I was hoping not to hear. Ms. Levinson.

  “Tommy...why?”

  It was a question I had asked myself many times and had no answer. I had none for Ms. Levinson either. But I had to. I hadn't realized before this moment, but I owed an answer to all of these people regardless of whether Jake was innocent or guilty. These people gave me a home when my father had pushed me out of his.

  They gave me mothers and sisters and brothers and friends. They had given me an anchor to hold on to when I felt like I was drowning in the middle of the ocean. And what did I do? Forget my duties as a lawyer, I betrayed their trust. I lacked the decency to be upfront with them. If I really believed in the power of the law, I would have told them what I was thinking. But I hid the fact. Until I was confronted and left with no other choice but to tell them. On some level, I was hoping they would understand. Sometimes you just need an arm over your shoulder to tell you that your decisions are justified. But I couldn’t justify it either.

  Now, these people were the ocean, and I was in the middle of them. Drowning again, with no anchors in sight. I didn't say anything. I couldn’t possibly have said anything that would justify my stance.

  “I’m sorry if this is upsetting. I cared for those people just as much as you do.”

  Silence again. They'd expected me to go on for longer than that. I could read some of their expressions, and it was horrid. They were disgusted and appalled that they'd let two traitors in their inner circle.

  One had allegedly killed their close friends, and the other one was helping him get away with it.

  “I think you should leave.” Ms. Levinson uttered the words that were in the minds of everyone present. She said to them in the nicest way possible. A lot of these other people would not have been so candid.

  The circle around me opened up as I began to walk away slowly and shamefully from the people who had trusted me. It was difficult.

  “What a fucking bitch.”

  “I think he was in on it too.”

  “I’m gonna kill them both...”

  The abuse and threats slowly grew fainter as I walked further away, all the way back to my apartment. I sat down outside my front door and sighed. I looked up at the sky and hoped it would crack open like an egg, only to reveal a giant behind it, staring intently, and keeping watch.

  Nothing of the sort happened, but I kept my eyes locked up there for a while longer just in case. Suddenly, I heard footsteps approaching me. It was too dark to tell who it was, but for a moment, I feared for my life.

  Frozen in time, I waited for the black figure to come close enough to identify. It was Ms. Levinson.

  “Tommy? Mind if I sit?” She spoke in her kind voice. It was still very calm and almost forgiving. I’d imagined my sky giant to have a similar voice.

  "Why, Tommy? I mean, you owe us an answer? Why'd you do it? You didn't have to do this, you know."

  "Why do people do anything, Jan? This kid's trial hasn't even started yet, and all of you want his head on a pike. Come on now. No one is a hundred percent sure he did it.

  “However, Vesuvio and the DA and everyone in this goddam town are hell bent on sending this boy to his death while the real killer could still be out there, roaming the streets. Maybe he's in the next house now." I snapped at her. She didn't say anything. She listened quietly. I could tell she was trying her hardest to empathize, or even understand where I was coming from. That was more than I could have asked for.

  "You know Jan, these people, you and everyone, John, Bob, Alli, Ellis, Lonzo; everyone helped me when I came here. Just like everyone helped Jake when he got here. What if you're falsely convicted tomorrow?

  Wouldn't it rip you up to find that everyone who helped you secretly wants you dead now? Can't those people show a little faith in you? Maybe wait till we have all the facts?"

  “Listen to yourself, Tommy. You’re beginning to sound like a crazy person.”

  "Oh, believe me, I'm not crazy. I think I'm the only rational person left here. Emotions are high for sure, but someone has to keep a level head here."

  She slowly got up and turned to me.

  "I don't know what's going on in your mind, Tommy." She took a deep sigh. "But I'm tired, and I'm just sad. I know you're a good kid. Whatever you're thinking, I hope to God you have an angle. Because if you're wrong, and if Jake did do it, well, then I think you'll have to pack your bags. Take care of yourself."

  And just like that, she left. Once again, I was alone, just my giant and me. I had no idea what was to happen next. I hoped I'd made the right decision, or else a big chunk of my life to come was going to be a living nightmare. Even if I wasn't wrong, these people might still not trust me again.

  Either way, I took Ms. Levinson's words and kept them close in my mind. Regardless of what happened, I'd have to pack my bags. The wind grew chilly, and clouds began to move quicker. The street was dead silent.

  All there was, was the soft sound of the autumn breeze pushing me away. The crude, moist, gentle breeze.

  We were slowly approaching the day of the trial. There wa
s no bail. I wondered how Jake was doing. I wondered about what had happened between him and Darren. What would have happened if he was still alive?

  There were too many questions that flowed through my mind like a steep waterfall. The sky was not going to crack open. There was no giant behind the curtains of the stars.

  There was just me, alone in my idiocy or wisdom, I did not know which one it was yet, but I was to find out soon enough. Soon enough.

  I got up and decided to go inside and get as drunk as I possibly could and sing for Vesuvio.

  A TOWN RUN BY FOOLS

  Where I am the biggest fool of all

  Who better than a fool to lead the foolish?

  A town of fools

  A town of fools

  Where I am the biggest one of all

  The biggest one of all

  Continue…

  Get a sneak peek of what's to come in the second book of The Hounds' Betrayal...

  Prologue

  The hardest thing about being honest is that people will try to prove you wrong rather than getting to the truth. When the truth means proving someone wrong rather than figuring out the facts of a given situation, then there is a problem.

  What is the truth, even? Lawyers were masters of truths. They had the talent to construct the truth differently, based on the facts. But the facts changed shape easily. Like water, they could take on several forms depending on the setting, depending on how it's manipulated by whoever has the power to change it. We have a judge, the supreme power, who has the final say; a jury that acts as advisors to the judge in their final decision; and the lawyers, masters of manipulation.

  Bob had once shared an incident where he had gone to court and, at length, defended a man based on the evidence he had and believed was true. Lawyers are, however, still human, and the chance of finding themselves blindsided looms at every stage. Initial perceptions tend to go a long way, which is why we lawyers are told to be extra cautious at the beginning.

  Bob took on a Saul Goodman as his client when he came to him after he'd found himself in some financial distress. Saul was a good man, and the pair had been great friends over the years. When he came to Bob with his problem, Bob told him that he'd represent him and make sure he'd get his money back. The details of the case have always been quite obscure, but Saul was trying to take advantage of his friendship with the man who would soon then be the new district attorney. Bob had been in the business for many years and quickly caught on to Saul's white lies.

  He played along for a while, but soon things pointed away from Saul's side of the story. He wanted to avoid a possible embezzlement lawsuit, and he tried to prove his innocence any way he could. He prepared a solid story and presented it to Bob, who wasn't convinced so easily, but because he had known Saul for so long, he told him that he'd look at his case and try to help. What followed were countless invitations from Saul for dinners and lunches, presents that were meant to be tokens of appreciation, and other ways to tell Bob how grateful he was that he had helped. It was soon revealed that it was all a ploy, bribes, to get Bob to help.

  Bob tried to tell his friend in a subtle way that he could not help him because he believed he was guilty. This offended Saul deeply, who then hired another lawyer to help him. He took it as a matter of personal pride and made it clear to Bob that he would wave his victory flag in his face when the charges against him were eventually dropped. Saul is facing up to forty years in prison, now.

  Bob showed up at many courtroom appearances to see the progress of it all. He was there when the defense presented their opening arguments. He was there for the state's statements, their witnesses and testimonies; he was there when it was revealed that Saul had embezzled four million dollars in the past three years, and he was there when two guards, who must have seemed cosmic to Saul, cuffed him and took him away.

  The two friends exchanged looks; Saul's was bursting with anger and regret, practically begging for someone to help him. Bob’s was apologetic and almost sad to see his friend being dragged away. He knew he might never see him again as a free man in his remaining lifespan. How does one react to that? It wasn't as common as you'd think if you're a lawyer. While lawyers do see many people go in and out of prison, it's rare to see a close friend be subjected to that kind of life. It was unlikely, but not impossible.

  Bob did have a soft spot for Saul. He'd seen him grow into a successful businessman and had seen his unfortunate downfall as well. He made sure Saul's family was taken care of and even gave him the occasional visit up at the correctional facility where he was held. They'd share old stories about the good old days when they were running around trying to find a place under $7 a week to live in, working sub-par jobs just to make ends meet.

  They had supported each other through some thin times. When none of them knew if they'd have enough money by the end of the week to make rent, they would skip a few meals or ask some friends to bring food over. Once you have experienced hunger like that with someone, it's hard to let them go so easily.

  Bob had always placed his work and the truth of the law above all else. It might have been a sour realization for him to deal with when he lost his family. He blamed himself, blamed the truths he'd spent his life trying to defend and uphold. The situation with Saul was a crossroads for him, and he chose to stick to his guns, his truth. It was all he had.