Three Sides of the Tracks (27 page)

47

Slink

Slink had stolen yet another car and with his hair dyed brown, sunglasses,
and a baseball cap snuggled low on his forehead, he felt confident enough to
rent a room at a seedy motel in south Atlanta and drive around for his basic
necessities. Those included hours at low-class topless bars where the majority
of customers had criminal records or a run-in with the law and hated cops as
much as Slink.

He’d driven straight to Atlanta after getting the money from Jessie
because he knew that what he’d told the old devil was true: getting to Danny
now was impractical. Cops were all over him and Bernard, asking questions about
the shootings and kidnapping.

Every evening Slink drove to a convenience store north of Benton and
bought a newspaper to find out whether things were dying down. He chuckled when
he read of Jessie’s arrest and hoped the SOB got life. Good thing he’d taken
the money too because Jessie’s bond had been set at one million dollars due to
the nature of the charges, which were for his part in the deaths of Smurf and
Whitey, the shooting of Bernard, and the attempted murder of Danny. The
murderer had still not been identified because he had no fingerprints on record
and facial recognition had produced no matches.

Jessie’s preliminary hearing in which the state had to produce its
evidence of Jessie’s involvement was set for a week from the date of his first
appearance, which would be four days from now. Jessie had made bail, and Slink
wished he’d told the old man that the quarter million was half of what he
wanted, with the other half after he killed Danny.

Slink drove to the Army-Navy store and bought camouflage shirt and pants
and a black knit sailor’s cap, which he intended to roll down over his face after
cutting eye holes. Not for disguise but for added camouflage.

He left the motel just before dark in the 2005 Honda Accord he’d stolen
and drove to Benton. He circled the block to check for police cars then parked
the Honda in front of the abandoned warehouse instead of on the side like Lenny
had done, thinking that a car parked in a parking space would be less
conspicuous.

He didn’t pull the cap over his face until he’d crossed the side street
and was in the vacant lot, then he bent low and trotted to the line of trees
and shrubs and waded through the weeds till he had a good view of Danny’s back
yard. He wanted to catch him in the open, coming or going to Bernard’s or
taking out the trash instead of breaking into the house where the mom was
likely to hear the noise.

Slink grunted when he saw his mother’s old Taurus in the back yard.
Bernard must have given the kid the car. He checked his watch and it was a
little before ten o’clock. Both Bernard’s and the kid’s lights were still on.

Slink scooted back through the trees, turned his back to the houses, and
lit a cigarette then returned to his observation spot, cupping his hand around
the cigarette when he took a puff.

An hour passed, and some of the lights in Danny’s house went dark. He
waited another thirty minutes, smoked another cigarette, then had an idea.

He went back to the car and drove to the nearest convenience store and
bought a roll of kite string. When he returned to the vacant lot, he picked up
one of the many empty beer cans and punched two holes in it with his pocket
knife. He ran the kite string through the holes and tied it off then crept back
through the line of trees and around Bernard’s garage. A few long slow strides
put him about 20 yards from Bernard’s back porch. Slink threw the beer can
against the side of the house and let the can clatter across the boards of the
back porch before he quickly reeled it in and hid in the trees.

On the third throw, Bernard pushed the back screen door open and yelled,
“Who’s out there?”   

Bernard stayed on the porch for a few minutes shining the flashlight
around then went back inside.

Slink waited ten minutes to make sure Bernard wasn’t waiting at the door
to discover the cause of the noise then tossed the can again. The can had
barely cleared the pool of light from the porch when Bernard rolled out in his
wheelchair with a shotgun in his hand. He shaded his eyes and peered into the
darkness but didn’t yell. He shined the flashlight for a few minutes then did
exactly what Slink hoped he’d do: call Danny to come take a look.

As soon as Bernard took his cell phone from his shirt pocket, Slink made
his way back through the trees.

Lights came on in Danny’s house then the back porch light. Danny came
outside and walked across the yard to Bernard.

“Something keeps makin’ a racket out here and I can’t catch what’s doin’
it. You mind takin’ a look see? Take this here shotgun.”

“No, you keep the shotgun, Bernard. Just give me the flashlight.”

Danny surveyed the yard then shined the light into the garage and behind
it. He walked across the line of trees shining the light until he was sure
nothing was there then went back to Bernard’s.

“I don’t see anything. What kind of noise was it?”

“Hell, I don’t know what kind of noise it was. How many kinds of noise
are there? It was a noise. Some kind of noise that ought not to be. What else
you want me to tell you?”

“Okay, Bernard, okay. I mean, was it like somebody knocking or beating against
the house or a voice maybe?”

“No, no. Just something makin’ a racket, like I said.”

Danny decided it wiser not to ask him whether he’d taken his medicine, so
he said, “Want me to sit out here for a while? See if it happens again.”

“No. I reckon not. You done enough. I guess I just won’t pay no attention
to it if it happens again. But I’ll keep this here’n shotgun by my bed and
better not be woke. ‘Cause whatever wakes me gonna git a load of lead.”

Danny smiled. “I’ll make sure not to come over tomorrow till I see you up
and about.”

“Uh, huh. Smart alecky young’un. Go on home then. ‘Preciate you comin’
though.”

“You’re welcome, Bernard. Anytime,” Danny said and held the screen door
open for Bernard to roll through.

Danny was halfway across his backyard when a muscular arm wrapped around
his throat and pulled him backwards. A knee jammed into his spine. He was off
balance and helpless. Something sharp pricked his skin just below the jawline.

“You make a sound and I’ll kill your mother too.”

The arm around his throat was so tight he could barely make any sound at
all. “Okay,” Danny croaked.

“Now, we’re gonna back up into the trees. Try anything and this knife is
going straight into your windpipe.”

Slink dropped his knee but kept a firm choke hold and pulled Danny along
with him till they reached the trees and into the shadows.

“The crazy bastard who sent the hit man after you decided to pay me
instead, since you killed the first guy. That must have been quite a show.
How’d you pull that off?” Slink let go of Danny’s neck.

Danny turned around expecting to see a gun pointed at his head, but Slink
just stood there with a crooked smile on his face.

“I had a derringer hidden behind the button of my blue jeans that Smurf
didn’t find when he searched me. The guy shot at me once but I dodged. Then
Caroline jumped on him, and I pulled the derringer out and shot him. Got lucky because
I was scared to death.”

Slink had a big grin on his face now. “Might’a known Sweet Cheeks
would’ve had something to do with it. That’s some gal, there. Hope you know
that.”

“Yeah, I know that.”

“You didn’t do too bad, kid. Found us and killed the guy who killed my
pards. Not bad at all.”

“Guess it doesn’t matter.”

“What do you mean?”

“You said Mr. Whitaker paid you to kill me, so I said the other doesn’t
matter.”

“Hell, kid. I just told the ole fool that. You helped my uncle. I ain’t
gonna kill you. I just said that to keep you quiet. I
am
on the run, you
know.”

Danny’s knees almost buckled with relief. “You’re not gonna kill me,
Slink?”

“Naw, man. By rights, I should’ve killed Whitaker, but, after taking his
money, I didn’t much care one way or the other, and I ain’t the really bad guy
folks make me out to be. Killin’ someone is serious business.”

“Now, Slink, don’t take this the wrong way, but I have to tell you,
you’re a trip.”

Slink unsnapped one of the camouflaged pants deep pockets and took out a
paper bag. “Here, kid. This is a little something courtesy of our pal Whitaker.
I want you to take this and get that lip fixed, then you and Sweet Cheeks need
to hook up. That’s all I gotta say. You take care now and watch your back. When
big daddy finally figures out I played him, he’ll likely just hire someone
else, so keep your head on a swivel. And, oh yeah, you make sure to give Sweet
Cheeks my regards. Tell her I’m sorry ‘bout that hole burying business. Okay?”
“Slink, I appreciate it, but I’m not taking anything that comes from that son
of a bitch.”

Slink frowned. “Hey, man, I’m trying to do you a favor.”

“He killed my father while I was gone.”

“That was
your
father he killed? Well then, guess I don’t blame
you. I wouldn’t take it neither.

“Okay, I’m outta here. Going to South America somewhere’s there ain’t no
extradition. Take care of Unc for me and tell him don’t die before I get back.”

 Slink poked Danny’s chest, turned, and melted into the darkness.

48

Will

A week after the funeral Bart Phillips called Belinda and asked her and
Danny to meet with him and the rest of Martin’s family to settle his estate.

The Benton courthouse had several conference rooms for legal proceedings.
The bottom floor was a rotunda with an overlooking balcony on the second floor
where many of the courtrooms and conference rooms were located.

Bart saw Belinda and Danny come in and called down to them from the balcony.
“We’re up here, Belinda.”

Danny squeezed his mother’s hand. “You okay, Mom?”

She returned the pressure and smiled.

“Good to see you,” Bart Phillips said to them both and shook hands with
Danny.

“The rest of them are inside. Let’s go in. Danny, I think it best if you
wait out here while we handle the first part, then I’ll call you in for the
part that involves you.”

“I’m not letting my mother go in there alone. Not with the way those
people have treated her.”

Bart folded his arms across his chest and thought for a few moments then
looked at Belinda for guidance.

“After the events of the last few months, he deserves to see for
himself,” Belinda said.

“Okay then. Let’s go inside.” He opened the door of the conference room,
which had a long table with chairs on each side and a chair at the head.

Martin’s parents, MJ and Delores; and his wife, Angela, sat on one side
of the table and Belinda’s parents on the other. Belinda simply walked to the
nearest chair and sat down, with Danny beside her.

Everyone smiled and nodded when they arrived, except for Belinda’s
mother, who sat tight lipped and stern faced.

“I’ve been Martin’s executor for quite some time, and since it has always
been quite straightforward, there’s no need for probate court and all that
time-consuming nonsense. However, there have been some recent changes that
occurred when Martin learned about Danny and acknowledged him as his son.”

Belinda’s mother, Gwen Hathaway, raised her chin and grunted.

Angela looked at her and abruptly stood. “I want to say something, Bart,
before you continue.”

“You have that right. Go ahead.”

Angela was not the classically handsome woman that Belinda was, but she
was pretty enough to have her choice of dates before she and Martin married,
and she had character.

“I was only a year behind Martin and Belinda in high school, and I, like
everyone else, knew about their relationship.” She paused briefly, her eyes
softened and the corners of her lips turned up as she looked at Belinda. Then
she stared each of the grandparents firmly in the eye before continuing.

“I knew when Martin and I were dating that I was not his first love and
after we became more serious, he told me the full story about his and Belinda’s
relationship. At least as much as he knew at the time. To be perfectly honest,
I suspected Danny was really Martin’s son even though Martin didn’t have a
clue, but I kept it to myself, partially for selfish reasons I have to admit,
but also I didn’t want to upset the status quo. And for that, I’m truly ashamed
of myself. I mean in regards to you, Belinda. You were treated horribly.”

“She could’ve avoided all that,” Gwen Hathaway interjected. “If she’d
acted properly and done what she should’ve done,” she said and glared across
the table at Belinda. “All this . . . this mess was completely unnecessary.”

Delores Townsend, Martin’s mother, leaned across the table. “Do you
realize what you’re saying? Are you insane?”

“Don’t you speak to me in that tone of voice, Delores. You know full well
this could have been handled.” 

Belinda’s father laid a hand on Gwen’s shoulder. “That’s enough, Gwen. Be
quiet.”

Gwen shook his hand loose and glared at him, her lips trembling with
rage. “You don’t tell me to be quiet. I’ll say what I please to whom I please.”

“You wait your turn then. I’m not finished,” Angela said with an equally
caustic look at Gwen.

Gwen shrugged and crossed her arms, lips pursed in a tight straight line.

“I just wanted you all to know and especially Belinda and Danny that I
have no qualms with whatever Martin decided to do with his estate. When all
this came about after the incident at the church, I was quite frankly relieved.
I’ve thought all along that it was an insidious situation destructive to all
our families. That’s all I have to say.”

“Oh, poo paw. Get off your high horse. Miss high and mighty trying to
make an impression. You wouldn’t have stayed with Martin a day if it weren’t
for his money and—”

Delores’ palm slapped the table top. “Shut that foul mouth, Gwen
Hathaway.”

Bart Phillips stood up. “I’d hoped this would go smoother. The only real
reason you’re here Mrs. Hathaway is that Martin left instructions for me to
give you and your husband this letter. If you’ll just sign here that you
received the letter, you may go.”

“I don’t choose to leave,” Gwen said.

“Both of us need to sign?” Mr. Hathaway asked.

“No. One is sufficient.”

“Give it to me. I’ll sign and let you finish your business.”

Bart handed him the sealed envelope and Stuart Hathaway signed the form,
then firmly grasped his wife’s arm. “Come on. We’re leaving.”

Gwen sat still for a moment then with a toss of her head abruptly stood
and kicked the chair against the table. “Wasted my morning for this nonsense,”
she said and stalked out.

Stuart followed her but halted at the doorway and turned to Belinda. “I’m
so very sorry about all this, dear. I hope . . . well, I hope circumstances may
change before it’s too late. I think of you often.”

Belinda looked at him with glistening eyes. “Then change them, Daddy.”

Stuart blinked several times as the idea of him having any power at all
fought through the wall of servility Gwen had built in their many years
together. He left with drooping shoulders and halting steps, seeming to have
aged in just those few moments.

Danny put his arm around Belinda’s shoulders.

“Well, let’s get to the settlement then, shall we?” Bart Phillips said.

“Yes, let’s do. The air suddenly seems much fresher,” Delores said with a
smile.

“I’ll do this in chronological order. Martin’s inherited money from his
grandparents’ estates totaled seven million dollars at the time of inheritance.
Since that time and as of last week, from investments and interest, it now
totals 16 million, accounting for the only withdrawal of funds of two hundred
thousand for his house. Because this occurred before he married, he wants it
divided equally among Angela and the two daughters and Belinda and Danny, so,
divided five ways that comes to 3.2 million per person. The children’s portions
to be held in trusts by the parents until each child is 18 years old, at which
time, they will receive $50,000 dollars, $100,000 at the age of 21 years, and
half of the remaining amount either when they marry or at the age of 25 years
and the remaining half at 30 years of age.

“I think Martin must have been judging by his own level of maturity when
he set those conditions,” Bart said and smiled.

“I believe it to be reasonable,” MJ said.

“What if one of us decides to get married before we’re 21, Mr. Phillips?”
Danny asked.

“Then you’re out of luck, kid,” Bart replied with a big grin. “Sorry,
couldn’t resist. That heir would receive the $100,000 along with half of the
remaining portion the day of his or her 21rst birthday then the other half when
they reached 30.”  

“Angela and Belinda receive their portions forthwith, meaning as soon as
I can make all the necessary sales of bonds and such. A few days.”

“What if I wanted to keep the money as is? I mean take ownership of the
bonds and not sell them,” Belinda said.

“No problem. It would take longer to transfer ownership to your name, but
that’s all. You think about it and let me know. I’ll hold off until I hear from
you.”

Belinda nodded.

“The house and all tangible property pass to Angela, along with all
stock, bonds, monies, and any other assets. The house appraised at $600,000,
and the total of stocks and bonds at stock market close last Friday was 23
million. Martin’s real estate holdings appraised at a current market value of
five and half million. There is a life insurance policy with Angela as the
beneficiary of five million dollars, which will be double that amount because
of the manner of his death. There are also life insurance policies for each of
the daughters of one million each—same double indemnity applies—to be held in
trust by Angela until the girls are 21 years of age.

“Now, because of the special circumstances that we all know exist and
have been brought forth in part today, Martin paid for a life insurance policy
for Belinda years ago in the amount of 10 million dollars and one for Danny for
the same amount. His feelings on the discrepancies between the daughters and
Danny’s amounts were that, because Danny had been denied the benefits a son
would normally enjoy, he wanted to make it up to Danny in the only way he could
and hoped all parties involved would understand.”

Bart’s eyes twinkled. “Sorry, bud, but the same guidelines as the first
inheritance apply, so no high-priced sports cars just yet.”

Danny’s hand covered his lip as he grinned at Bart.

“I believe that’s it except a letter for each of you and two for each of
the girls: one to be given to them now and the other when they reach the age of
18 years.”

Delores approached Belinda before they left. “I thought you handled that
beautifully, dear. With class and dignity. Martin would have been proud. You
also, young man. I can’t imagine it was easy to sit and listen to someone speak
of murdering you.”

Danny’s eyes snapped to his mother’s. “Is that what she was talking
about? Abortion?”

Belinda nodded.

“Wow. And I thought Jessie Whitaker was crazy. She’s as bad as him. Now I’m
glad you left, Mom.”

“I spoke out of turn, I see,” Delores said sincerely. “I’m very sorry,
Belinda.”

MJ stepped forward. “Good to see you again, son. What say we go have some
lunch and you can tell me all about that gal of yours?”

Danny liked the tall straight man. He looked at Belinda inquiringly.

She smiled. “If you like.”

“Good. Listenin’ to all that talk about money made me want to spend some.
Let’s go get a big steak.” MJ grabbed Belinda around the waist, put an arm
around Danny’s shoulders, and led them from the room.