“I couldn’t place him at first, because he’s grown up, a lot. It clicked when Schickman told me about Billy.”
“Who’s the second guy?” Nwodo said. “The driver.”
“The kid has an identical twin.”
A smile played around Hanlon’s mouth. “Like The Shining.”
Nwodo stayed poker-faced. “You believe they blame you and Billy for what happened to their father.”
“It’s how they’ve been raised,” I said. “Rage and blame, making some other group of people responsible for all the shit in your life. On top of that, they’re young males, angry, isolated. Their dad’s dead, their uncle killed him.”
“Two brothers,” Nwodo said.
“Right. Exactly. Me and Luke. Eye for an eye. It’s how you think at that age, everything’s symbolic. Look, even at the time, something about this kid felt wrong. He’s watching me mop up his father’s guts and he’s got on this crazy, fucked-up grin. I thought he might try to kill me right then and there.”
“He didn’t,” Hanlon said.
“He will. They will. They’re orchestrating something.”
“Orchestrating,” he said, as if learning a new word.
“Luke’s been gone since Sunday,” Nwodo said. “That’s four days they’ve had to move on you. Why wait? Why wait to shoot Billy?”
“Maybe they got held up, or they haven’t had the opportunity. Whatever it is, I think Billy knew something was up. You saw yourself how many times he’s called me.”
“Is there another reason he might’ve been trying to get in touch with you?”
“I can’t think of one.”
Nwodo nodded thoughtfully. “I want to show Rashida the video.”
She took my phone into the conference room.
Hanlon arched his back. “Cool story, bro.”
“It’s more than that, it’s true.”
“Mm.”
“The truck’s the same.”
“It’s a white truck.”
I did not respond.
Monitors beeped, high-pressure toilets bellowed.
Nwodo returned. “It might be the guy she saw. She’s not sure. She’s upset, I’m not going to make her keep watching it.”
She gave back my phone. “If Billy knew he was being followed, he didn’t tell her. I asked Schickman, the rest of the Berkeley guys, too. Nobody heard a word about it.”
No surprise. Luke hadn’t told Andrea. I hadn’t told Amy.
All three of us practicing the same soothing self-deception.
It’d turn out to be nothing.
No call for panic.
“You haven’t noticed anyone following you, either,” Nwodo said.
“No. I haven’t been looking, though.”
Hanlon smirked and took out his cell.
“Okay,” Nwodo said. “Let’s start by gathering some intel on the Dormers.”
“Lieutenant.” Hanlon’s hand dropped to his side. The screen showed Instagram. “Really?”
“Call the uniforms,” she said to him. “Find out what they picked up on canvass.”
With a glance at me, he walked off.
“Thank you,” I said to Nwodo.
“Don’t thank me yet. Nothing’s happening till I have more information. That pans out, I’ll drive out there and see what’s up.”
“Fine. Great. I need to go home first and get my gear. I can meet you—”
“Uh-uh,” she said. “If I go — that’s if — you’re not coming.”
“Delilah—”
“You’ve done your part. I’ll take it from here.”
“I’ve been there, I know the layout.”
“Clay. Forget it. It’s out of the question.”
“These fuckers are dangerous. You can’t just roll up on them. You need a tac team.”
“More reason for you to stay away. They really are that dangerous, I don’t want you going home, either. Find someplace to camp out.”
“And do what?”
“Get yourself safe and stay that way.”
She was right. I was an interested party, running on fumes, a liability to myself and others.
I said, “At least let me draw you a map.”
She handed me her notebook.
“The entrance is hard to see,” I said, sketching. “There’s a barbed-wire fence. Look for a double post. That’s the gate. Six trailers, half a mile back from the road.”
She looked it over. “This is good. Thank you. Now go find a place to crash.”
“Can I talk to Rashida?”
“Depends on what you’re going to say.”
“I just want to give her some support.”
“Fine, but no questions. She’s been through enough.”
I started into the conference room. Nwodo touched me on the arm. Her gaze, usually sharp, was warm, searching, sisterly. “When was the last time you got some sleep?”
“I’ll get some now.”
“Will you?”
“I got nothing else to do.”
“I want to believe you,” she said. “But I’ve known you too long.”
I heard myself making a weird sound, felt my lips crack. I realized I was laughing.
Rashida Watts fell against me. Her shirt was stiff with dried blood. I could feel her heart through her ribs. “It’s nice of you to come.”
“I’m so sorry, Rashida.”
“Thank you.” She released me. “How’s Amy?”
“Fine, thanks.”
“Send her my love, will you? And Charlotte? How’s she doing? She’s so smart.”
“Great.”
“We need to get everyone together.” She wiped her eyes on her sleeves. “We need to do that soon.”
Chapter 21
False night cloaked the city, a rim of sour orange light curdling at the horizon like fat on soup. The renewed odor of smoke exerted itself on my limbs and in my chest. I hurried to my car, scanning for white trucks and seeing them everywhere.
The Dormer twins had spent two years nursing a grudge and doing research. They knew about my brother. Why wouldn’t they know about my parents? Or Amy’s?
I did a drive-by of both houses. Nothing looked out of order. I was tempted to stop and knock. But Paul and Theresa would have no clue what I was talking about.
My parents would go to pieces.
I went home. I didn’t plan on staying any longer than necessary. I put on jeans and a sweatshirt, tossed spare socks and underwear into a duffel bag. I wasn’t sure how long I was packing for. What I was packing for. Where I was going next.
Ride around all night, maybe, searching uselessly for Luke.
Just like old times.
Nwodo’s advice was wise. Find a motel and sleep.
I added my bulletproof vest to the duffel. I took the SIG Sauer and a box of ammunition from the gun safe and started for the bathroom. Nwodo called.
“Uniforms talked to Billy’s neighbor up the block. He has a security camera that runs on a mini solar panel. They checked back to last week. A white truck goes past on Saturday and Monday, both around seven thirty a.m. Same time Billy got shot.”
“That’s them. It’s gotta be them. They’re doing recon.”
“Or they got scared off. Either way, I’d like to ask them in person.”
“Good. Great. How soon can you get out there?”
“You know how this works. You’re telling me I need a team, that takes time.”
“All right.” I paused. “Whatever happens with Luke—”
“You’ll be the first to know,” she said.
“Thank you.”
“Head on a swivel,” she said.
The bathroom mirror confirmed what everyone was telling me: I looked like shit. My hair lay smashed atop my crown. Scorched pits ringed my eyes, the lids fluttered like a broken doll’s.
Every explanation I’d come up with for Luke’s disappearance centered on him and his character.
Crimes he could have committed.