Chapter 26

Jerry waited. Even after he had to strain to catch the sounds of Track Suit’s receding footsteps, he waited. The day’s light had faded and he knew it would be difficult to see in the growing dusk, but still he remained hunched behind the cement barrier.

The things he’d heard in that one-sided conversation had shifted his perceptions in a way that he hadn’t expected. He no longer had to worry about one Ray Santucci trying to get another job coaching soccer. Track Suit and his friend Rico planned to make sure of that.

Finally, after long minutes, distant sounds of normalcy began to penetrate. He shifted in his crouched position and felt a few joints pop – subtle complaints from his body at being held too long in the uncomfortable position.

As he began to move a plan started to form in his mind. Step one was to find Kim – who was probably going to kill him. Step two, was to get on a phone, whoever’s was closest, and call Steven.  No more trying to go it alone – this situation had more than convinced him that he was way over his head. Life-threatening danger wasn’t exactly a bullet point on his resume.

Poking his head around the side of the barrier, he looked toward the left, the direction that Track Suit had gone. He could see little more than shadows along the tree line, but it was enough to convince him that one person in particular was no longer in sight.

More tension eased from his body as he stood and then started up the incline at the side of the maintenance shed. An exhale of relief was cut painfully short just as he reached the top of the grassy slope.  

A form, shrouded in dimness, was fast approaching. He thought he could actually feel the blood drain away from his brain, leaving him cold. It then rushed back in force, making him almost dizzy as he recognized the man. Ray Santucci – looking very unhappy.

Jerry wasn’t sure whether to be terrified or relieved. The choice between murderous drug dealer and marked drug-dealer-of-unknown-intent didn’t strike him as good options.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Ray demanded, coming toe to toe with him.

Trying to remember how to breathe, Jerry thought, but figured against saying it aloud, especially as Ray’s anger only seemed to increase at not having received a rapid response. The urge to run flooded his system and he took a couple of stumbling steps back down the incline. Ray moved with him, as he had been expecting the motion and clamped a hand on Jerry’s arm in a tight grip.  

Jerry reacted by uttering the first words that came to mind. “Some guy named Rico is going to kill you.” Ray’s reaction came so quickly that Jerry wasn’t sure what happened, he only knew that one moment he was facing the shorter man, the next he’d been spun and his arm bent uncomfortably behind his back.

“Wait!” Jerry cried out, and tried to twist out of the hold, but movement only caused a sharp pain in the shoulder of his captured arm. Within the blink of an eye he crashed down onto one knee and then was face down in the grass, on the low side of the slope.

“Shut up!” The word was uttered in low tones past clench teeth. Jerry knew it without seeing the other man’s face. A knee settled in his back, keeping him motionless and up close and personal with the ground while the other arm was dragged behind his back as well.

“Ray, stop. Wait. Don’t do this. I didn’t hear anything. I was too far away.” Jerry felt sure he was babbling. He just wanted to find Kim and get the heck outta Dodge.  Steve and the police could sort the rest of it out.

“I said quiet down.” Ray twisted his arm further, causing him to stiffen and halting the flow of words. “Now listen. I’m going to ask you one question and when you open your mouth all I want to hear come out is the answer. Do you understand?”

Jerry nodded.

“How do you know Rico?”

Not exactly the question Jerry was expecting to hear. “Uh, I don’t really know him. I heard the Track Suit guy talking to him on his cell phone after you left. He called and told him that they had a problem.”

“What makes you think he’s going to kill me?”

“He said the best time to do you would be tonight.” From the movies he’d seen, that sounded like gangster kill gangster lingo for murder. He waited for Ray’s response.

What he got was a long moment of silence, and then the easing of the pressure on his back. Both his arms were released and then Ray moved away. Jerry hazarded a glance in the direction of the pacing foot falls and watched the other man walking a loose circle in the grass.  Oddly, he no longer seemed like the Ray he was used to. There was something different even in his stance.

“Get up.” Ray brought his pacing to a halt in front of him. He reached down and offered a hand in assistance.  

“Thanks.” Jerry took it cautiously, and allowed the other man to help him to a standing position. Flight still seemed like a good idea. Whatever Ray was mixed up in was bad news, but it all felt unfinished. There was another show waiting to hit the dirt. “So what now?” he asked.

Irritation flashed across Ray’s face. “For you, back to your car with your girlfriend and then the both of you are leaving.”

“But what about you?” Jerry wanted to know. “Kim’s brother is a policeman, he can help you. All I’d have to do is call him.”

Ray pierced him with a look that spoke volumes even in the dim lighting. It was more than apparent that the man was furiously angry.

“Or not . . .” Jerry lifted his hands in surrender.  Perhaps he shouldn’t have revealed that bit of information. The man was ready to let him go and here he was good as admitting that he was going to reveal to the authorities that he was dealing drugs again. It was probably a violation of his parole or something.

“Why don’t I just leave, like you said?” Jerry pointed vaguely over his shoulder. “You’ve got a lot to think about after all—.” Before Jerry could finish the thought three things seemed to happen at once.

A flash shown from the direction of the trees, a loud pop broke the night air and something slammed into him, knocking him once again to the ground.