C.O.T.V.H. (Book 2): Judgment (24 page)

"I should have snapped his neck!" Amber said, angrily. 

"Just have her checked out as soon as possible."  Charlie checked her pulse.  "But it can wait.  Let’s get you kids out of here.”  The sirens began wailing outside.

“Cops!”  Buck yelled out dropping his beer to the ground, the bottle shattered.  “Let’s go!”  He grabbed Amber’s hand and followed after Charlie.  Chris and Whisper were right on their trail, her hand in his.

Donnie very gently picked Diana up in his arms.  Her eyes opened looking into his.  “Hi!”  she said, her speech badly slurred. “What happened?  Why am I sooooo high off the gwond?”

“Hey girl.  I’m glad you’re okay.  Listen, I’ll explain later.  Right now we’ve got to get you out of here.” Donnie said, rushing her past Jake.

“Where’s Jake?” she slurred.  “Is heeeeee okay?”

“Jakes fine sweetie,” Donnie answered.  “He’s just fine.”

“Awe that shucks.  He’s such a jerk!  And a pervert too!  He touched one of my boobs!”

“I did not!” Jake said then thought better of it. 
Why am I defending myself to a drunk girl?

He followed them out the back.  Right outside the door lay an alleyway with two huge dumpsters.  Across from it was very large, very dark field full of mesquite trees and tall grass.  Charlie slammed the door behind them.

“Hide!” he screamed at them.  “Get into the field!”  The group stumbled about a hundred yards tripping over weeds and mesquite, and then dropped to the ground as the back door to
The Station!
burst open.

Charlie leaned against the wall smoking, as if on his break.  Jake could just make out what he was saying as the cops pointed their guns in his direction.  “What the hell!” he yelled out in mock terror throwing his arms up in the air.

“What are you doing back here?” one of them asked.

“I work here!  I was just taking a smoke break.”

They didn’t look convinced.  Charlie dropped the cigarette out of his mouth and began stomping it furiously.   “It’s just a cigarette I swear!”

“Don’t move asshole!”  One of them said, grabbing Charlie by the shirt and shoving him against the wall.  “Have you seen a group of about fifteen gang bangers come this direction?”

“Fifteen?” Buck whispered loudly with a chuckle.

“Gang bangers?” Donnie, Amber, and Whisper echoed each other.

“Gang bangers!” Diana exclaimed drunkenly.  “Oh my god!  Where?”

“Shhh!!!” Everyone said.  Luckily, the cops didn’t seem to have heard.  They escorted Charlie back inside, his hands held firmly behind his back.

“We owe that guy,” Amber said, “We owe him
big.”

“No joke,” Jake replied.  “Brother or no brother, I think we just got him fired.”

“Shoot, I think we just got him arrested,” Buck said, “That wasn’t a cigarette he was smoking.  I could smell that much on him in the bar.”

“Hey where’s Whisper?” Chris said, looking around. 

“She was right here a second ago,” Amber said, glancing behind her.

“Damn that girl can’t stay put for two seconds,” Donnie said, peering around angrily. “Whisper!” he called out in a loud undertone.

“I’m sure she’s fine,” Jake said, trying to calm everyone’s nerves.  "If she can hide from Lucas, she can hide from a few cops."

“What do we do now?” Chris asked.

“We sit tight, wait for the cops to leave,” Donnie answered.

“Where’s Jake?” Diana asked again.

“Hell that could be hours,” Buck said, “They could be here till sunup and we don’t have that kind of time.”

“The parking lot has got to be crawling with cops,” Donnie said, “We’ll never make it to the truck." 

“Not without a miracle,” Jake agreed.

For the next twenty minutes, they lay unmoving.  Every so often, a cop would step out the back door and take a look around.  Then from behind them, somewhere off in the distance, came the dull roar of an engine.  “Everyone stay put,” Donnie said, covering Diana’s now snoring form.

The heavy thrum of a truck’s exhaust grew closer.  “Someone’s driving through the field,” Jake said looking across the grassland.  “Without the lights on!”

“Wait a second . . . I know that exhaust.”  Donnie lifted up and looked in the direction of the sound.  “That’s my truck!”

The truck pulled within twenty-five feet then stopped.  Whisper climbed out of the driver’s seat.  “Come on!” she yelled.

They didn’t need to be told twice.  In one big mass, they rose from the dirt and ran for the truck.  “Where’d you get the keys?” Donnie asked setting Diana in the passenger seat and buckling her seatbelt.

“Wow you’re so strong!” she said, in her helpless drunken state.

Whisper rolled her eyes.  “They were in the jacket pocket Jake put around Amber.  I saw them glimmer in the moonlight when we stopped in the field.  So I took them.”

“You could have told us!” Amber said, climbing into the bed of the truck with Buck and Chris.

“Bet you’re glad I’m not driving a low rider now, eh Buck?” Donnie joked.

“No kidding!” Buck laughed.  “I’ll never diss this 4x4 beauty again!”

Jake started to climb up as well, but Donnie stopped him.  “You drive.  You’re the only one that didn’t have anything to drink.”

“You’re sure?” Jake asked.

“I trust you,” Donnie replied.  “But we’ve got to hurry; the cops will be back around any minute.”

Jake climbed in next to Whisper and Diana and shoved the truck in gear, then sped off back across the field.  “There’s a small farm road about a half mile ahead,” Whisper said, pointing.  “Get on it and after about a mile take a right, it will take you back to the highway.”

“Cool.”  Jake followed her directions exactly.  A few minutes later, he pulled onto the highway and flipped on the headlights.

Jake looked over at Diana.  She frowned at him before yelling. “Jerk!”

“Shut up.”  Whisper placed her hand over her older sister’s mouth.

Diana continued to talk though her voice was muffled by Whisper’s hand.  Jake was glad for it, he recognized a few of the choice words coming out of her mouth, none of which were nice.  After several minutes, she stopped talking and her eyes closed.

“Whisper.  How’d you find us out there?” Jake asked.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, other than the moon it was pitch black out there.  How’d you know exactly where we were?”

“I don’t know,” she shrugged.  “I just knew.”

“You’re something else, you know that.”  Jake put his arm around her giving a squeeze.  “We’d be in big trouble right now if it wasn’t for you.”

“Yeah well . . .” she said, shyly.

“Is your sister going to be okay?”

“Physically I’m sure she’ll be fine.  But tomorrow . . .”

“What?” Jake asked concern filling his voice.

“You really hurt her feelings Jake.  She’s had a thing for you for a long time.  It took her getting drunk too finally make a
real
move on you.  The only reason she cozied up with that big jerk, was to make you jealous.”

"I know Whisper and I feel just awful about it," Jake said. The guilt lay heavily on his shoulders.  "I like your sister, I really do and honestly . . ." he whispered so that if Diana awoke she wouldn't hear.  "I was tempted . . . to . . . well you know.  But, I just don't feel that way about her."

"That makes you a lot different than most guys.  Most guys would have been all over her.  And don't feel guilty Jake, it's her own stupid fault for ending up like this.  She never should have messed around with that football player.  I love my sister but sometimes it amazes me that we came from the same gene pool.  But I guess the heart wants what the heart wants.  Some things you just can't change."

Jake shifted around uncomfortably.  “Yeah, I guess so."

“And yours wants Amber,” Whisper said, as if stating a commonly known fact.

Jake swallowed.  “Is that what Diana told you?”

“She didn’t have to.  I’m not blind.”

“Yeah . . . I suppose I do make it obvious sometimes.  Does Amber know?”

“No, she’s so enamored with Buck she can’t see what’s going on right in front of her.”

“Okay, you’ve got to tell me. 
What
is up with that?  Why is she with him?  I mean, sure he has his moments but overall he’s a complete douche bag.  He almost got us killed in there!”

“You’re telling me,” Whisper said, her face lit only by the glow from the dashboard lights.  “I don’t know, no one knows.”  They sat there with only silence between them for the next ten miles.  “Do you love her Jake?”

“What?” Jake asked, startled by her directness.

“Do you love Amber?”

“Uh . . . no . . . I mean yeah . . . I mean, I think so.  I mean . . . I don’t know . . . it’s complicated.” 
You know you do!
  A voice screamed in his head.

“No it’s not,” Whisper said, quietly.  “I love Chris.”

“What?” Jake said, completely stunned by this revelation.

“I love Chris.”

“What?  I mean . . . why?  I don’t even know what to say!” Jake said, half laughing.

“What’s the big deal?  He’s a very kind, very smart person.  Plus he’s
always
been nice to me.”

“That’s because he loves you too.  At least I’m pretty sure he does,” Jake said, hoping he wasn’t betraying his friend’s trust.  “I know for a fact he likes you quite a bit.”

“Then why doesn’t he say something?  Anything?” she asked turning to look at him.  Jake could almost see the hope in her eyes.  "Tonight is the first time he's
ever
shown any interest in me, and even then I felt like he was just a good friend."

“He’s a lot like you Whisper.  He doesn’t know how to.  He’s shy.”

“Are you sure that’s it?”

“I’m about ninety nine point nine percent sure.”

“Hmm,” she said, thoughtfully.  “Good.” 

Jake could tell she was trying very hard to hold back a smile.  They turned down the road leading back to the Williams’ ranch.

“You know something Jake.  I think you and Amber would make a good couple.  She really doesn’t know what she’s missing out on.”

“Thanks.”  Jake smiled.

“No problem.”

Less than a half mile from the house Jake knew they were going to be in big, big trouble.  Every light on the Williams’ property was lit up.  Jake pulled very slowly into the drive to see four more cars than there had been when they’d left.  One of them was John’s, who was supposed to be staying at a hotel in town.

“We’re dead!” Diana suddenly yelled out.

“Yeah,”  Jake agreed, nodding slowly.  “We
are
totally
dead.”

Billy, Ben, Talon, Chef, Mr. Orwell, and John suddenly appeared at the end of the driveway.  All three were crossing their arms.  “I was really hoping it would be the Sarges,” Whisper said, “I would rather face them any day than my dad.”

No sooner had the truck come to a stop then Jake’s door was yanked open by Talon.  “Get out of the truck!” he yanked Jake’s arm, pulling him completely from the driver’s seat.

“Talon!  Easy!” Jake heard his dad’s voice say.

“Shut up John!” Talon answered with a snarl.  He took one look at Diana and Jake saw a violent rage fill the big man’s face.  For the first time in a long time, Jake felt genuine terror.  Talon shoved him out of the way and climbed over Whisper.

“Dad!” Whisper cried out.  “Dad!  It’s okay!  She’s okay!”

Talon ignored her and quickly paced around the truck lifting Diana into his arms then carried her into the house.  The enormity of how serious the situation really was struck Jake like a ton of bricks.  “You okay?” John asked, coming up beside his son.

“Yeah.  I’m okay,” he nodded.

“Good.  Whatever you do, stay out of Talon’s sight.”

Both Billy and Ben were yelling furiously at their kids, Jake was a little unnerved that his dad wasn’t doing the same.  Buck stood at the side of the truck quietly, not wanting to place himself in their crosshairs.  Amber, Chris, Whisper, and Donnie were all taken inside the main house so Sandra could check their cuts and bruises.  Only John, Jake, Ben and Buck remained outside.

“Alright,” Ben said, crossing his arms.  “Which one of you wants to tell me just what the hell happened tonight?”

A brand new Ford pickup pulled into the drive interrupting whatever answer the boys could have given.  Wes Turner stumbled out of the driver side, clearly drunk.  “What’s going on?”  he asked looking over the somber looks on John and Ben’s faces.  “What I miss?”

John held up his hands shaking his head.  “Wes, buddy.  You don’t want to know.”

“Where’s Buck?” Turner asked, looking around.  “Buck!  Boy get your ass over here!”

“Dad, I’m right here.” Buck said, still leaning against the truck in front of him.

Turner grabbed him by the hair and yanked hard. “What have you done now?  Huh, you little shit!”

Buck cried out in pain.  “I didn’t do anything!  We just wanted to have a little fun!”

Turner backhanded him hard across the face.  “Are you having fun now?”

“Turner!” Ben’s voice called out.  “Leave the boy alone!”

“Stay out of this Morris.  This is between me and my son!”

“He’s right Wes, back off.”  John stepped a few feet closer.

“Mr. Turner.  I suggest you release the boy,” Mr. Orwell said.

“Shut up freak!  Don’t tell me how to handle my own son!”

Chef let out a deep guttural growl.  He stepped forward hair sprouting from his hands and arms.

“Dad let go!  You’re hurting me!”  Buck cried out in pain.  Jake looked from one man to the other. The seriousness in their faces was lit by the dim glow of the streetlamp.  This was going to end badly.

“Let him go Wes!” John yelled stepping in front of Chef.

“You siding with the freaks now Bishop?” Turner said, turning to face John.  “You know the only difference between them and a vampire is the amount of hair on their chest.”

Several loud, angry howls erupted from the darkness around them.

“You’re drunk Wes,” Ben said, in a calming voice.  “Go sleep it off.  These kids have had one hell of a night; we can deal with them in the morning.”

At this point Donnie came back outside and stood next to Jake, a bandage taped across the cut on his forehead.  “What did I miss?” he whispered to Jake.