Seeing Red(122)

While his cell phone battery drained, the phone on the other end rang at least two dozen times. He had about decided to hang up and call the switchboard back when a man answered, sounding harried. As soon as Trapper said his name, the guy identified himself as the floor’s supervising nurse and got defensive.

“We tried to contact you, Mr. Trapper. None of the numbers we had on your father’s chart went through. We tried persuading him to stay until you could be reached, but he was insistent on leaving. His doctor strongly advised against it, but—”

“How long ago was this?”

“Half an hour. Maybe a bit longer.”

“Was he taken home by ambulance?”

“No. Reverend Addison was here. He offered to drive him.”





Chapter 36




Aminivan Trapper recognized as Hank’s was parked in front of The Major’s house.

Trapper sped through the gate and kicked up dust on the drive. He braked so hard the car skidded before coming to a jarring stop. He was out of it in a blur and bounding up the steps to the porch.

The door was unlocked. Trapper rushed in. Then stopped dead in his tracks.

The Major was in his recliner but sitting upright. He looked pale and weak, shaky and shrunken, but also enraged.

Standing over him was Hank, who backed up a few steps and swung the barrel of the rifle he was holding away from The Major and toward Trapper, who said, “What the hell are you doing?”

Hank replied, “Isn’t it obvious?”

“No Bible?”

“This gets attention faster.”

“In anybody else’s hands, maybe. You just look like a jackass.”

Trapper was cracking wise, but his gut had drawn up as tight as a drum, and he was attuned to every nuance of Hank’s tone and expression, because his finger was tapping against the trigger of the deer rifle.

But his father’s labored breathing was Trapper’s immediate concern. “I’m going to sue that hospital for letting you leave.”

“He told me we were going to search for Glenn together.” He raised his chin toward Hank. “Instead he drove me here. Took that rifle from the cabinet …”

“Save your breath,” Trapper said. “I can figure out the rest.” His thinking had snagged on the need to search for Glenn. He was desperate to have that explained, but first he had to disarm Hank. “Do you even know how to load that thing?”

“It was loaded for me.”

“Huh. Let me guess. Jenks?”

“Handy guy.”

“I’m sure. But come on, Hank. Put down the rifle before you hurt somebody.”

“I’d love to start with you.”

“You never could hit the broad side of a barn. You’d miss me, and then I would have to kill you, and I don’t want to. Not because I’d miss you or anything, but it would be hard on your family.”

“Slowly, using one hand, remove your holster.”

“Holster?”

“If you don’t do it now, I’ll shoot The Major.”

“With the rifle my mom gave him? That’s unsportsmanlike.”

“Do it, Trapper.”

The gleam in Hank’s eyes made him look maniacal enough to turn this standoff bloody. Trapper couldn’t risk that until he had a better grasp of what was going on. “In order to reach my holster with one hand, I have to take off my coat.”

“Slowly.”

Trapper shrugged the coat off his shoulders, then let the sleeves slide down his arms. It fell to the floor. Reaching behind him with one hand, he detached his holstered nine-millimeter from his waistband.

“Now pitch it over your shoulder.”

“That’s dangerous. I’m not sure the safety is on.”

“Do it.”

He tried to pinpoint the spot of the thud against hardwood when the holster landed.

“Keep your hands raised,” Hank said.

Trapper held them at shoulder height. “Now what? We stand here until one of us caves? Your lifetime record for holding out is for shit, you know.”

“Shut up!”

The Major’s breathing whistled when he inhaled. “Hank, why are you doing this? Have you lost your mind?”

“His soul, I think,” Trapper said. “What’s this about having to search for Glenn?”

The Major said, “He hasn’t been seen or heard from since last night.”

“He was called away from the house,” Hank said.

Trapper didn’t like the sound of that, or the gloating expression on Hank’s face. “Called away?”

“By Deputy Jenks.”

“Department business?”

“Not exactly.”

“What exactly?”

Hank said, “I notified Jenks that Dad had—as you put it—grown a conscience and spilled his guts. Which presented us with a problem. Jenks lured him out to The Pit. No more problem.”

“He killed Glenn? Jesus Christ,” The Major whispered. “Why?”

Trapper said, “Because the reverend here wanted to take over for Thomas Wilcox as chief bad guy.” Trapper snickered. “But the thing is, Hank is so screwed and doesn’t even know it.”