And There He Kept Her (Ben Packard #1)(91)

“I’ll be coming around the east side of the house,” Packard said to Thielen. The land was thick with brush in that direction, but he had a clear line of sight to the house next door. There was nowhere on that side for Emmett to be hiding.

Packard pocketed the naloxone spray from the center console and got out of the truck, taking care to keep it between him and Emmett’s house while he called out to Wilson. “Do you see a Bobcat?” he asked.

“I hear it,” Wilson said. “Sounds like it’s down closer to the lake.”

Packard warned him about the gun, then ran across the open yard and alongside the house. He squatted low and peeked around the corner, saw the lower-level doorframe but not Thielen.

“Thielen, can you hear me?”

“Yes. I’m here.”

He tossed the box of naloxone at the woodpile beside the door. “Grab the spray if you’re clear,” he said. “Wilson is in position back by the garage.”

Thielen peeked out, gave him a nod, and snatched the box.

To Wilson, via the radio. “Can you see Emmett?”

“He’s driven off the path and deeper into the brush. I can still hear the engine. I’m seeing clouds of smoke move through the sunlight. I don’t know if it’s a cigarette or exhaust.”

Packard took a long look. He saw something white with straight lines through the brush, but it was too dense to make anything out for sure. He yelled, “EMMETT, COME OUT OF THERE WITH YOUR HANDS UP!”

No movement in the brush. Later in the summer the mosquitoes would have chased Emmett out of there in less than a minute. Now they might have to wait as long as it took for Emmett to smoke all his cigarettes. They knew he had a gun but not what kind or how many rounds. He was a slow, overweight old man from what Packard had seen on the video back at Gary’s. Still, you didn’t reach blindly into a snake hole, no matter how old the snake.

Wilson on the radio: “Something’s happening. I hear him revving up. He’s moving.”

Before Packard could ask a question, he saw a belch of black smoke rise up through the brush. The tops of the smallest trees and saplings shuddered. A second later, a green wall fell in a shower of leaves as the scoop laid everything flat and the Bobcat leaped forward. Emmett started raising the arms and tipping the scoop down as soon as he was clear of the brush, angling himself toward the basement door, where Packard could see Thielen squatting with her firearm drawn.

Emmett was focused on covering himself from Thielen and Wilson the way he kept edging the Bobcat back toward the lake while swinging the front end in a narrow arc between the two. Packard realized Emmett hadn’t spotted him on the other side of the house. The Bobcat arms were raised all the way up, the scoop pointed straight down so that it blocked most of the cage where Emmett was sitting. Packard could see him struggle to see around it.

Packard stepped forward with his gun drawn. As soon as Emmett saw him, he backed up farther and swiveled the front end in Packard’s direction while he reached for something between his legs.

Packard heard Thielen and Wilson both shout “Gun!” at the same time.

***

Emmett got off one shot, not even bothering to aim.

He knew he was seeing his house for the last time. Myra was the one who had wanted to live on a lake. He told her if she could find a house in their price range, then all right.

You could do a lot worse than Myra, Emmie. She’ll keep you a good home. You two could be happy together.

His mother’s voice.

He’d done everything she told him to do. Married Myra. Settled. A boy like him could only expect so much. The pink room, Wanda, the jogger were all attempts at grabbing more than he deserved. He’d forgotten himself.

The ringing in his ears from firing the gun muffled the return fire that immediately followed. He felt a bullet rip through his thigh and another punch his gut. He dropped Carl’s gun. He was hit a third time. He reflexively pulled back on the Bobcat’s levers, trying to retreat.

The Bobcat lurched backward and the rear wheels dropped off the edge of the eroded shoreline. The heavy bucket raised above the center of gravity pulled the skid loader over backward. Emmett saw his sad brown house and the bright-blue sky rush by him, and then he was suddenly underwater. He felt all his weight press the safety bar across his lap; then he was slammed against the side of the cab. Something heavy fell across his back. He strained his neck in every direction looking for the surface. He gasped and sucked muddy water into his lungs and stomach. His arms flailed. He tried to sit up but all the weight in the world was on top of him.

Myra, he thought.

This was all your fault.

I would never…

***

Packard’s last glimpse of Emmett before he went upside down and disappeared underwater was of his hands flying off the controls, his arms spread wide like wings.

Packard approached the water cautiously, watching for Emmett and his gun. Standing on the dock was as close as he could get to the Bobcat. Exhaust belched out from under the surface of the churning lake as the overturned Bobcat’s engine died. The cab was completely submerged, the weight above it pushing it deeper into the soft mud.

There was no point getting into the water. He’d sink to his waist in muck two steps from the shore. Packard squatted to steady himself on the shaky dock, ready to reach for Emmett if there was any sign of him. The Bobcat’s upside-down tires were motionless. After a minute, Packard stood up, looked at Thielen, and shook his head. He radioed the all clear and requested the ambulance be sent in.