Out of Time (Nine Minutes #2) (4 page)

Chapter Three

2000

Tommy hadn’t moved
from his spot in the den. He was still in shock over how his life had taken a detour in less than five minutes.

Hell, he wished it was a detour. This was more like a complete U-turn.

He understood why Ginny was upset. Of course she was. But he never expected the anger and hatred he’d seen on her face. She was devastated.

He couldn’t blame her. They’d had such a good marriage and he couldn’t bring himself to believe that this could ruin it. He’d never even gotten to tell her that he didn’t always know about being Grizz’s son. He just didn’t see how it could matter so much now. He hadn’t thought it was something Ginny had needed to know. It wasn’t something anybody needed to know. Damn Grizz for telling Leslie out of anger. He swiped his hand through his hair and sighed. This wasn’t part of the plan. This fucked everything up.

“Fuck you, Grizz. You said you had Leslie handled,” he said to no one. “You were locked up in jail for fifteen fucking years. Then I watched you die two days ago. Yet all along you
still
found a way to screw with me. I thought we settled things. I thought this was over. Son-of-a-bitch!”

He leaned back and allowed his mind to drift. Memories invaded his senses. His hands tightened into fists as he thought about the abuse he endured as a child. He couldn’t stop the thoughts from coming. When he’d left that life behind, he thought no one would ever screw with him again. Especially not Grizz.

But he was wrong. Grizz had screwed with him worse than any of them. Grizz, even beyond the grave, had messed with the one thing that mattered most.

He could almost smell the rotting garbage and cat urine in Karen and Nate’s house. The sour sponge that Karen made him use to wash the dishes. The stale cigarettes and weed. His own rancid, neglected body. He could feel the constant itch of his lice-infested scalp.

He subconsciously rubbed his arms as he recalled the painful blisters. The broken bones.

His mind drifted back to a time he wished he could forget. He couldn’t stop the flood of memories.

He remembered what it was like living in hell.

Chapter Four

1969

Tommy watched from
the shadows of the hallway. He had woken up thirsty, was going to sneak into the bathroom to drink from the faucet. But the big man was there. He was bringing Karen money again.

He had seen the big man before. He was scary looking. Tommy didn’t know why he gave Karen money. He never got close enough to hear their conversations. But he could hear them tonight.

“Is he okay? Got everything he needs?” the big man asked.

“Yes, of course he has everything he needs. Why wouldn’t he?” Karen took a long draw on her cigarette and tapped her ashes into an open beer can.

The big man walked to the refrigerator and looked inside. “Because there’s nothing but beer in your fridge and this place is a shithole.”

Now the big man was pacing the room, opening cabinets and drawers. Tommy realized he’d never seen him inside the house before. He’d watched from a window as Karen or Nate would meet the big man outside. They could always hear him coming, heard his motorcycle when it rounded the corner a few houses away. But tonight there had been no warning. Guess he didn’t ride it tonight.

“What? Are you saying I don’t feed him?” Karen started to add something, but before she could, the big man grabbed her by the throat and lifted her off the kitchen chair. She dropped both her cigarette and her haughty attitude. Tommy had never seen her afraid before tonight.

“Who the fuck do you think you’re talking to, bitch? Are you taking care of the kid like you’re supposed to?”

The kid? Tommy’s thoughts kicked into high gear. The big man was there for him! He was giving Karen money to take care of him. Why? Did he care about Tommy? He must have cared a little. But why would he? And why would he give money to people who neglected and abused him?

Tommy was young, but not stupid. If he was ever going to get out of there, now might just be his chance. Even foster care was better than this nightmare. The big man could help him or leave him with Karen and Nate. The way Tommy saw it, the worst that could happen was that Karen would beat him after the man left. Maybe Nate would, too, when he got home from work. Tommy didn’t have to think long. He’d take his chances. Quickly, he tore off his filthy, ripped T-shirt and tossed it on the ground. He moved quietly from the shadows of the hall to the rundown kitchen.

“Karen, I’m thirsty,” Tommy said, rubbing his eyes. “Can I have something to drink?”

He saw instant regret flash in Karen’s eyes and knew he’d been right to make himself known to the big man.

Karen looked at Tommy, then at the big man, who was staring openly at the battered boy.

“I don’t hit on the kid! It’s Nate—Nate does it. Ju-just when he needs discipline.”

“And I suppose Nate, who doesn’t smoke, uses your cigarettes to burn him?” The big man lashed back without taking his eyes off Tommy.

“Uh, yeah,” she stammered. “When he needs it.”

His eyes still fixed on Tommy, the man reached behind him and pulled out a gun. Without a word, the big man turned toward Karen and put a bullet between her eyes. Tommy heard a gasp and saw Nate, frozen in fear by the front door. Nate spun around to flee, but he wasn’t quick enough. The big man nailed Nate in the back of the head.

Then the big man tucked the gun away and looked at Tommy.

“You don’t need to be afraid of me,” the big man said in a gentle voice. “I’ll make sure you’re taken care of from now on.”

“I’m not afraid of you,” the little boy replied.

The big man nodded. “Anything here you want to take? Grab it now, because you won’t be coming back.”

Tommy ran to his room. He put on his tattered and stained T-shirt and slipped his feet into sneakers with no laces. He went to his bottom dresser drawer and slowly pulled it out. He reached in and retrieved a small box. It contained his most prized possessions. His only connections to her. He returned the drawer to its place and slowly scanned the room. No, there was nothing else there. He returned to the living room.

“I’m ready.”

Tommy was surprised when the big man took off his jacket and wrapped it around him, then effortlessly scooped him up and walked outside to an old pickup truck. They didn’t speak as they drove off.

After twenty minutes they pulled into a little bar called The Red Crab and parked close to the door, which was propped open. The big man told him to wait in the truck as he went inside. Tommy sat as quietly as possible, strained to hear. He chanced a glance inside the door, saw the man go to the phone by the cash register and dial a number.

“I’m gonna need a dark clean up at a house in San Carlos Estates.” After rattling off an address, he hung up the phone and turned to the bartender. “Mike, call Blue at Sissy’s and tell him to get his ass over here now. Tell him not to bring his bike and to come alone.”

“Sure thing, Grizz.”

“I’m gonna need your truck a little longer.”

“No problem, man,” the bartender said and picked up the phone.

Grizz went outside and climbed back into the old pickup truck. He looked at Tommy.

“They’ve been hurting you.” It was a statement, not a question.

Tommy nodded as he looked at his hands resting in his lap.

“They been feeding you?”

Tommy shook his head.

“You hungry now?”

Tommy looked at the big man. “Yeah, I’m really hungry.” After a brief pause, “Who are you?”

“Are a burger and fries okay?”

“Yes, please. And can I have ketchup and a drink?”

“Yeah. Stay here.”

Grizz went back inside and Tommy could hear him order a burger with fries and a soda. He told Mike he’d be back in ten minutes.

“I’m sitting in your truck. Don’t bring the food out to me. I’ll be back.”

“Yeah, whatever you say, Grizz.”

Grizz went back to the truck. He looked at Tommy while Tommy continued to stare into his lap. He wasn’t sure how much he should tell the little boy. He’d only found out about him a few months ago.

“You can call me Grizz. You don’t tell anybody about what happened tonight. Is that clear?”

Tommy nodded.

Before ten minutes had passed, a shiny light blue Camaro pulled into The Red Crab and parked a few empty spaces away from the truck. Grizz got out and walked to the car. Tommy noticed he held up his hand like he was telling the driver to stay put. The man did just that, rolling down his window. Grizz rested his forearms above the opening, leaned down and spoke. Tommy’s window was up now, so he couldn’t hear them. Eventually, the other man got out of the car, then he and Grizz walked toward Tommy. Grizz opened Tommy’s door.

“I’m going inside to get your food. This here’s your big brother, Blue. You’re gonna live with him now.”

And with that, Grizz walked back into The Red Crab.

Tommy stared at Blue with a look of trepidation. He wasn’t as big as Grizz, but he looked just as scary.
Should I have kept my mouth shut and stayed with Karen?

Blue must have been reading his mind.

“Don’t be scared, runt. I won’t hurt you.”

Chapter Five

2000

The ringing doorbell
brought Tommy back to the present. For a moment he allowed himself to think Ginny was back, that she had just locked herself out of the house. But instantly he knew there would be no truth in that split-second thought.

A young man with bright red cheeks wearing a courier’s uniform was at the door holding a clipboard, a large package on the porch next to him.

“I have a delivery for Dillon. Can you please sign here, sir?” the courier said as he swiped his brow with his forearm.

“Not expecting a delivery.”
Especially not on a Sunday.
“Who is it from?”

“Don’t know. Just initials from a Florida address. Should warn you though, it’s heavy.”

After Tommy signed his name, the apple-cheeked courier took the clipboard from him and stuck it under his right arm as he struggled to pick up the weighty package and deposit it in Tommy’s hands. He whistled to himself as he sauntered down the front steps and out to the driveway, got in his van, and left.

Tommy stood there wondering what the package could possibly be. The kid was right. It was heavy.

Kicking the front door closed behind him, he headed for his home office as he easily hoisted the mystery parcel and set it on the desk. Did Ginny order a set of exercise weights or something? Without looking at the return address label, he ripped it open, then sat down with a heavy sigh. This was unexpected. What did it mean, if anything?

“Shit,” was all he said.

Chapter Six

1969

“So how’s the
kid doing at night? Still having nightmares?” Grizz asked Blue as they sat at the bar and drank their beer.

“He’s getting better, but he still won’t go to bed unless the door that connects our rooms is left open,” Blue answered, then paused to give Grizz a look. “You never mentioned a little brother before.”

Grizz thought carefully. He would have to be cautious with his answer. He never told Blue that Tommy was his little brother. He’d just told Blue the boy was going to be living at the motel and that Blue should pose as his older brother. Blue had just assumed Grizz was the kid’s older brother.

Grizz took a sip of his beer and answered casually. “Wasn’t around much. Was gone by the time he was born. You know I didn’t stay in touch with my family. I don’t think he has any memory of me.”

Of course this was all a lie. Tommy wouldn’t have any memory of Grizz because Grizz didn’t even know he existed until a few months ago. Before Blue could reply, Grizz added, “You keep working on him. Keep convincing him. He’s young enough that he’ll believe what we tell him.”

Blue didn’t say anything, just nodded. He’d known Grizz as long as he could remember and he’d never heard him mention a family. Didn’t mean he didn’t have one. He just never talked about them. He also knew Grizz would never let people know he had a younger brother who lived at the motel. It would make Grizz too vulnerable and probably wouldn’t be safe for the kid. Grizz had some serious enemies.

“You know Misty’s been picking on him.”

“Yeah. It’s okay. It’ll make him tough.”

“Did you know how smart he is? I mean he’s, what, ten and he was arguing with Chip about the Cuban Missile Crisis. Made Chip look like an idiot. Everyone is starting to call him grown-up runt instead of just runt.”

Grizz looked directly at Blue. “Is that where they came up with Grunt? Short for grown-up runt?”

“Yeah, a couple of the guys are calling him that. I don’t think they mean anything by it. It’s just easier to say. Want me to make ‘em stop? It’s kind of rude.”

Grizz didn’t answer right away. He took another sip of his beer and stared at something on the back wall of the bar. With a nickname like Grunt, there was no doubt he would probably get picked on by someone. “No, let them call him that. Like I said, the kid needs to be tough.”

Blue didn’t reply. He disagreed with Grizz on this point. The kid had been through enough. The first time Blue saw him without a shirt he’d had to hide his surprise. The kid was full of scars and mottled bruises. If he let himself think about it, Misty’s bitchiness was probably nothing compared to what he had already experienced. Still, maybe he’d tell her to back off in spite of what Grizz said.

When they got back to the motel, there was a small group gathered around the pit. As they approached the fire, Blue asked no one in particular, “Where’s the kid? Did Sissy get back with him yet?”

Sissy was Blue’s girlfriend. She’d driven the little boy down to Miami to get him some more clothes and books. The kid wouldn’t be attending school, but he’d still be getting some lessons. Upon first arriving at the motel, he’d immediately asked for books. “Learning books,” he’d called them. When Grizz and Blue saw the type of books he picked out, they were shocked. Nobody at the motel would be giving the boy lessons. The books he’d selected were out of their range of knowledge. They got him what he’d requested and left him to educate himself. He’d already devoured the ones he’d received when he first arrived. This was his second shopping trip.

“Yeah,” someone answered. “Sissy left. I think he’s in Misty’s room folding laundry or something.”

Blue gave Grizz a sidelong glance and Grizz signaled him to let it go.
Damn
.
Why isn’t Grizz stepping in here? And why do I care so damn much?
If Blue was honest with himself, the boy was growing on him. He was a smart and gentle child. He’d fascinated everyone in the couple of weeks that he’d been at the motel, dazzling them with his intelligence and showing a strong resilience to Misty’s verbal abuse. Even Chip was more captivated by him than mad when they’d started discussing politics and world events.

But truth be told, if the kid was going to be living here, he would have to be tough. Maybe Grizz was right to let some things go. To let him have an undignified nickname like Grunt.

It wasn’t until a few weeks later, after Grizz cut out Misty’s tongue for an off-the-cuff comment, that the child’s true intelligence came out. Without any medical experience, or at least none Blue knew of, the kid somehow managed to nurse her back to health by himself. Nobody had really liked Misty and most of the regulars weren’t even fazed when Grizz had come out of his room that night with blood all over him. Grunt was the only one who jumped up immediately and, seeing Grizz wasn’t hurt, had enough intuition to know something was terribly wrong. Misty hadn’t come out of Grizz’s room.

That night, Blue had watched from the pit as a hysterical Misty leaned heavily on the child she had been so mean to while he slowly and gently guided her back to her room.

That kid is way too good to be living here
. Blue sighed and took another swig of beer.