8-Track (9 page)

Heading towards the lake Bill spotted the stand alone structure out beyond the leafy dense hedges. Having seen one when he was younger he knew what it was but never knew anyone who owned a boathouse. Whoever owned this property had built one to match the main house. Its lofty front door had to be close to fifteen feet high, sitting on a steel track embedded into the concrete and rolled open horizontally. In its center was the same stained glass insert like the main house, Bill recognized it as a
Fleur De Lis.

He got within a few feet of the front door and tried to peer in. Faded colors melded together, a cloudy reflection greeted Bill back. There was something else though, he felt it,
 the structure felt cold, dead. What was in there?

In the distance Bill could hear the faint sound of a Johnny Cash song, it got louder. 

Eli stood at the foot of his car holding two brown lunch bags when he saw Bill coming from the direction of the boathouse. “It ain't summer yet,” Eli called out. ”But if you wanna join me, I’m gonna eat down on the Pier.” 

“For sure.” Bill took one the bags and followed Eli across the yard. 

“Do you know what year this place was built?”

“1926.”

“Boy it’s really hip, just a beautiful location.”

“Yeah, you can find beauty just about anywhere if you look hard enough.”

“What do we got?” Bill asked opening the bag and smelling the food.       

“Nothing but the best, smoked barbecue steak sandwich, fries and a Coke,” Eli replied sitting down and removing his sunglasses.  

Clouds moved in over the lake, giving the water a greenish hue. Bill found the area tranquil. The same must have been true for Eli as he appeared to be alone in his own thoughts.          

“Those are odd looking birds,” Bill said pointing.

 Eli looked overhead. “They’re Grackle, common up here for this time of year.”

“You know something about birds huh?” Bill asked. Eli nodded.

“Yeah, among other things.”

“So, whose house is this?” Bill asked eating his fries.

Eli raised his Coke bottle to his lips and stopped short of drinking it.

“My father’s house. It was my dad’s.” Bill put his sandwich down and grabbed a napkin to wipe his mouth.

“Your dad’s? So the house is yours?”

“Yup.” 

“Well, it’s quite a house. Why don't you don’t live in it?” Eli shook his head as he began picking up the trash from the food.

“Nah, I just wanna get it remodeled and sell it man.” 

“Oh,” was all Bill could say without seeming too nosy. Eli finished his drink, stood up and left. Bill closed his eyes, he could feel his body rising and floating across the surface of the lake. Someone was speaking to him, the words were clear and reassuring.

“Bill, Bill, it’s gonna be OK.”

“Hello.”

“Bitty, thank god your home, is Eli there?”

“No, he’s out with Sig. Is everything OK?”

“I’m really not sure. It’s important that you have Eli call me as soon he gets home.”

“OK, I very happy Sam is OK.” 

“Thank you,” Vanessa said before hanging up.

Bitty was putting away the groceries when she heard Eli’s car in the driveway. Eli and Sig were sitting in the Lincoln when they saw her coming. Bitty’s arms were outstretched, her short legs taking long strides as they approached the car. “Baby, what is it?” Eli asked opening the door.

“Vanessa say to call her, it important.”

Eli held the phone tightly to his ear as Vanessa spoke about the letter she found. He confirmed the phone number on the cassette was Bill’s before hanging up. The letter left Eli confused, not to mention that he hadn’t even considered what Nessa said.
What if Sam wasn
’
t with Bill? What if she was going there to meet him but came across someone else? Like a burglar?
Sig had been sitting nearby eating cold Sushi and listening to the conversation.

“What’s up?” he asked with his mouth full.

“I have no idea but we’ve gotta go back to the lake house.” 

There were no street lights at the lake house, no neon signs to point the way, only the moonlight flickered off the surface of the water. Eli and Sig emerged from the car in complete darkness. 

“I’ve got a couple of flashlights, lemme grab ’em,” Eli said popping the trunk, and handing one to Sig. They crossed the lawn to the sound of crickets and an owl hooting nearby. A mouse darted out from the doorway, which was still slightly ajar. Sig grasped the handle and rolled the door open, both men aimed their flashlights at the ground.

“What are we looking for?” Sig asked.

“Don’t know, I didn’t bother to look in here earlier. I was more concerned about getting Sam to the hospital.”

Sig went off to the left while Eli stayed to the right, walking around the GTO. Combing the floor Eli came upon what looked to be drops of dried brown paint. Kneeling down he took a closer look,
blood
? The beam also revealed a crowbar lying on the ground. Eli picked it up,
w
hose is this
?

“Eli.”

Aiming his light at Sig he wasn’t sure what bothered him more, the way Sig had just said his name or the puzzled look on his face. The trunk on the GTO looked shut, it wasn’t. Neither man spoke as Eli opened it, each of them trying to comprehend exactly what they were seeing.

The parlor in Vanessa’s house was dimly lit and cheerless. The circular wall clock read 1:32 a.m. With the TV off and curtains drawn, Vanessa faded in and out on the couch until finally succumbing to sleep. She thought of Sam,
strong, smart, how brave of her to fight
, s
he certainly didn
’
t get it from me.
Vanessa dreamt. In her dream she saw the cliff, if only for a glimpse before deathly black bubbles rose below. A car door slamming shut woke her up immediately.
Was that an augury?

Opening the front door she saw Eli with Sig close behind, his hulk like frame filling the doorway. Raising her hands Vanessa brought them together like she was going to communion.

“What’s going on? Did you find something?” 

“After we got off the phone I drove back to the lake house and went out to the boathouse. The trunk on the GTO was busted open, looked like something was hidden inside of it?” 

“Like what? What would Bill or anybody want with that car?”

“I dunno?” Eli replied looking down at the ground. “But there’s another thing.”          

“What?”

“Hubble’s missing,” Eli replied, his voice trailing off. The moment was now beginning to feel like some delirious foggy dream. A small wave in the pit of Vanessa’s stomach grew bigger, she brought her hand to her mouth and covered her lips.

“Bill, what about Bill?” she asked in whisper.

Hubble intended on driving straight through to Miami, but the idea of getting high and grabbing a prostitute in Boston’s Combat Zone was more alluring. He needed to dump Eli’s truck anyway, it was too much of a risk. A dimly lit alley in Chinatown provided him with an opportunity to hot wire another everyday car close by. It was only a matter of minutes before he found a prostitute and scored some dope off her pimp.

Hubble finished with the whore in the back of the stolen car before shooting up and getting back on the highway. He was grinning like a school boy until a small pain behind his left eye began to build and throb. The headlights coming at him were becoming blurry and out of focus. Switching in to the break-down lane a pounding migraine came on like a 747 landing at Logan Airport.  A flushing sensation followed by nausea made him open the door to vomit. He knew immediately and punched the dashboard. “Fuck!”
It was the dope, it was bad.
In the distance he could see the sign for the next exit,
Quincy.
Hubble recalled a place that was quiet, secluded and somewhat off the beaten path, if it was still there. Shutting the door he shifted into drive and got off at the next exit.

From a distance the towering illuminated sign looked like a beacon for would be tourists.
Eddie’s Motor Inn, Air Conditioned, Television, Vacancy. 
Hubble turned in and parked out back behind Eddie’s diner. With his duffel bag in tow he stumbled across the lot to the motel.
Leave in the morning, be in Miami in twenty-four hours, easy. 

Vanessa was lying awake in bed the next morning when the phone rang. “Hello.”

“Miss Hearst, this is Peggy,  I’m one of the RNs here at the Hospital.”

“Yes,” Vanessa replied sitting up.

“Your daughter Samantha is awake. She’s fine, but was emphatic that I call you. Sam says she must speak with you and Eli in person. I told her we could bring a phone into her room, she said no. Apparently she has something to tell you both and it must be in person.” Vanessa placed her hand on her forehead and took a deep breath of relief knowing her daughter was okay.

“Sunny today in Boston with a high of about eighty-seven, the north shore can expect this heat to let up by Sunday. It’s seven fifty-one on this beautiful morning, you’re listening to WBCN, Boston’s best rock station.”

Sig was sitting in Eli’s car, his eyes wandering from the telephone booth nearby to the back door of Huggins Memorial Hospital. Hearing the phone ring he got out in a flash to answer it. Hanging up the receiver he spotted Eli coming toward him. Judging by the look on his face,
whatever Sam had told him wasn
’
t good.

“Boy have I got a story to tell you. It’s a damn good thing Vanessa found that letter,” Eli said reaching for a cigarette.

“Where is she?”

“Nessa’s  gonna stay with Sam for a while longer.”

“What about Bill, anybody asking questions?” Sig asked raising his eyebrows and crossing his muscular arms.

“No, the hospital bought Vanessa’s story about his little wood working accident. Bill’s gonna be fine, lost a little blood and took a stitch to close the wound, but he’s OK. They put him in the room two doors down from Sam. What about Hubble, we got a location on that mother fucker yet?” Eli asked looking like a storm cloud ready to release lightening.

“I just got off the phone with them,
they
know where he is.”

Hubble had planned to get up early, but the dirty hit left him weak and feeling nauseous. It was nearly noon when he finally got out of bed, his mouth felt like the desert. He could smell the rancid stench of dried sweat on his body. Hubble contemplated a quick shower, but knew time was of the essence. In an agitated haste he seized his duffel bag and left.

Vehicles were pulling in and out as Hubble hastened across the pavement, his left hand coiled tightly on the strap running over his shoulder. The sound of motorcycles made his heart skip a beat. Dropping to the tarmac, he ducked between two cars. Cautiously he peered out from behind a station wagon, there were three of them.

The bikes had come to a stop at a red light nearby. Hubble tried to make out their faces, it wasn’t anyone he knew.
No colors on any of the clothing
,
they could just be driving through
. Perched against the car’s side he waited. His left hand clenching the shoulder strap, while his right hand went for the knife in his boot.

All three took off up the hill when the light turned green. Hubble waited until they were far enough away before putting the blade back and standing up.
Paranoid, that
’
s all, just friggin paranoid.
 

Hubble got to within a few feet of the stolen tan Ford Maverick when a loud droning noise startled him.
Now what
? Licking his swollen lip he looked to the distance at the enormous crane. Its unique powder blue structure filled the cloudless sky like some giant saw horse. It was an air horn from the General Dynamics shipyard, most likely sounding for lunch.

Breathing a heavy sigh Hubble reached for the door handle, never once hearing the person behind him. A hand with lightning speed came around his head and covered his mouth with a towel. He could instantly smell it.
This wasn't good.
Pulling at the man’s wrist with one hand, Hubble held on tightly to the shoulder strap of the bag with his other. Heavy pressure against his lip reopened the cut. Hubble tasted blood as he went down on one knee. His right arm shooting into his boot, desperately reaching for the Morseth. He gasped for air through the now bloody rag, only to draw in a full breath of sweet smelling chloroform
.

Darkness greeted Hubble when he finally woke,
someone had placed a hood over his head.
A cold sweat and the taste of bile made him feel like throwing up. It took him a moment to realize that his body was tilted back. The feeling reminded him of the dentist’s chair at the prison. He hated the fucking dentist,
who would want to be one? It was like looking at an asshole with teeth all day
.

Wriggling he tried to move but couldn’t,
his hands and feet were bound to something and he was naked.
He tried to listen over the pain.

Muffled voices and a faint breeze
, blowing just enough that Hubble realized he was inside something. He licked his lower lip, a coagulated lump of blood sat on its swollen brim. A groaning noise caused him to turn his head to the left, warm air blew in over his sweaty naked body. He felt the hood along with some of his hair ripped from his head.

Through the darkness, his eyes began to adjust. A long silence fell between him and the woman he’d known half his life. Even in the gloom, Vanessa’s green eyes were piercing. She knew the kind of man Hubble was, long before anyone else. She knew he was the devil.

Looking down, Hubble followed his arms to the steering wheel they were now bound to. He knew only too well where he was. Its discolored chromed center reminded him of an eye examining his soul, speaking to him as if to say, “We know what you’ve done.” Hubble’s bare feet were bound to the gas pedal and brake. “Vanessa...I.”

“I don’t even wanna know what happened that night eight years ago. I’ve let it go, but you, you thought you could play us all? You’re pathetic and should be robbed of your manhood for what you did to my daughter.”

Hubble shook his head, the words falling from his puffy lip. 

“Vanessa there’s stuff you don’t know...there’s money! I’m sorry about Sam, I wasn’t going to hurt her...it was an accident...Matt knew about the money...I just...I didn’t know if it was still there.”

Vanessa reached down into between Hubble’s legs and took a firm hold of his penis. She squeezed it tight and tugged on it like an accordion. Hubble winced in pain as Vanessa brought his knife into view. Holding it directly over his chubby shaft she eyed him, “I wouldn’t want you forgetting anything before leaving us.” Driving the blade down into the leather seat, just nicking the tip of Hubble’s penis.

“You fucking Bitch!” he yelled with his fat lip.

Eli stepped into view and Vanessa stepped aside. Even in the shadows, her eyes remained a constant presence.

“If that nasty scar on your face was a cross and you do believe in God, I would pray now,” Eli said patting his clothes, searching for his cigarettes.

Hubble began to plead, “Eli...this is all wrong,” his sunken eyes bulged.

“Save it,” Eli replied flipping the top of his Zippo open. Rolling the thumbwheel over his right thigh in one swift motion, Eli lit the smoke hanging from the corner of his mouth. He took a long drag before speaking.

“They say Swingle’s Quarry is the deepest hole ever dug on the South Shore. I don’t know, but that’s what
they
say. Close to 360 feet down to its murky bottom. At that depth, who knows what’s lurking down there? You’re gonna need a few things for your trip.”

Vanessa stood over the missing portion of the windshield holding the money bag, she emptied it into the car. Wads of bundled cash fell in, bouncing off the dash and landing on the floor by Hubble’s feet. 

“You fucking bitch..stop..stop..stop!” he yelled. Vanessa made sure it was empty before hurling the zippered case at Hubble’s face. 

“Y’all in it together, you can all go to fucking hell!”

Eli nodded at the three men standing nearby. Without words each of them took one of the wheel barrels from behind the car, and dumped them over the edge. There was a long pause before they all heard the barrels crashing into the water below, a distant low sounding splash resonating up out of the hole. On deflated tires the GTO began to roll backwards, Hubble felt its rear end drop off. Only the driver’s door which was still open and now embedded in the dirt was keeping the car from going completely over the edge.

From an upside down view Hubble could see his fate. A yellow luminescence revealed a sheer wall, beside it were individually cut granite blocks, stacked in columns rising up out of the unwelcoming water. Eli took one last drag before flicking his cigarette over the edge. In a swirl of wafting smoke he bent over to pick something up.