Out of Time (Nine Minutes #2) (20 page)

Ralph rubbed his eyes like he was trying to make sense of the scene that was before him. He sat up and reached down to pull his pants on. He stood up, and while zipping them, answered Red, “No phone in here. Sorry. I can take you down to the office and let you use the one in there.”

He walked toward Red and started to take the office key off a peg by the door. He could see through his peripheral vision that Red was scanning the room. He was looking for a phone.

He walked in and brushed past Ralph as he headed back toward the bedroom.

“You sure, kid? Maybe your grandpa has one I can use.” He headed back to the bedroom and fumbled for the light switch. Ralph was right behind him and could tell he was taking in the room slowly. No phone. No old man, either.

Still feigning sleepiness, Ralph answered, “No. No phone back here, either.” He brushed past Red and walked to the nightstand. He took the lit cigarette and quickly stubbed it out. He then looked toward the bathroom door. The light was on and steam was coming out from underneath the door.

“Your grandpa always take showers in the middle of the night?” he asked nodding at the bathroom door. He didn’t sound as drunk.

“Yeah. Said the steam helps his lungs. Makes it easier to breathe. He’d probably breathe easier if he’d quit smoking.”

Ralph shook his head and started to walk back to the living room, leaving Red in the bedroom doorway.

Red took one look around the room. There was no phone here and he was certain there wasn’t a phone in the bathroom. He fake staggered back out to the living room. Ralph had already laid back down on the couch.

“Sorry to bother you, kid. I’ll just use it in the morning. If I can remember by then who I wanted to call.” He switched off the light and closed the door behind him.

Ralph jumped up and peeked out the window. He watched as Red retrieved the motel’s master key ring from the grass and made his way back to the office to return it. He wasn’t staggering.

The next morning, the three bikers asked for a skillet, some eggs, and any kind of meat. Ralph brought them what he had and noticed they’d restarted the fire and placed a grill from one of the barbecues on it. A coffee pot was sitting on top of that. They had what looked like army mess kits, so he didn’t need to provide them with any cups, plates, or cutlery. He was glad.

He went about his chores and acted like nothing unusual had happened the previous night. They finally finished their breakfast and used the motel hose to clean up their mess kits. Red announced they were leaving. They had packed up their bikes and were standing around the fire talking. Ralph walked over to them and started to pick up a chair. He was going to return it to the pool area. He had his back to them as he started to walk away.

“Hey, kid, what’s this? You dropped something.”

He turned around and noticed the guy that had been introduced as Dusty was holding something. He dropped the chair when he realized it was the picture of Ruthie and Razor. It must’ve come out of his back pocket. He considered it his good luck talisman and had never considered what he’d do if he lost it.

He lunged for Dusty to grab it away from him, but Dusty had anticipated it and took a step back.

“Whoa, whoa, kid. Give me a second to look at it. Don’t have to get your balls all twisted.”

Ralph reached for it again and Dusty took another step back and held the picture up high.

“Quit fucking with the kid. Give him his picture,” Red growled.

“I will. Just don’t see what all the excitement’s about. Just some girl and her mutt.”

He started to hand it to Ralph and when Ralph reached for it, Dusty swiped it away before he could grab it. The quick movement caused him to lose his grip on the picture and, as if in slow motion, it softly floated over the fire pit and landed in the burning embers. It quickly caught fire, and before Ralph could reach for it, it was gone. He stood there and stared.

They were gone. He would never see Ruthie’s smiling face again. He would never see her curls. He would never see Razor’s intelligent eyes.

Never.

“Gee, kid. Didn’t mean for that to happen.” Dusty was being sincere.

The three men shook their heads and started walking away, single file, toward their motorcycles. Dusty was bringing up the rear.

There was a loud cry, almost guttural, and before they could turn around, Dusty was on the ground and Ralph was on top of him. Ralph had picked up one of the pieces of wood from the fire and clobbered Dusty as hard as he could as the man turned to see where the sound was coming from. Dusty was now on his back. He hadn’t been knocked out by the blow, but he was too dazed to fight back. Ralph was sitting on his chest and bloodying his face. It took both Red and Chops to pull him off.

Red hoisted Ralph up by grabbing him beneath each armpit and pulling him to his feet. Then in a common wrestling move, he clasped his hands together behind Ralph’s neck, making it hard for him to break free. He was breathing heavy. Red held him back while Chops tried to help Dusty.

“Calm down, kid. Take it easy and catch your breath. I know why you got mad. Dusty is an ass, but I know he didn’t mean it. Calm down.”

Ralph’s breathing slowed as they watched Chops help Dusty into a sitting position. He took a bandana from his pocket and gave it to Dusty to wipe his bloodied face.

Dusty looked up at Ralph. “I should fucking kill you, you little bastard. You fucking broke my nose.”

“Shut up, Dusty. You pulled your shit on him. You had it coming. You two. Get on your bikes. Get outta here. I’ll catch up.”

He never relaxed his grip on Ralph as they watched Dusty and Chops get on their motorcycles and take off. Dusty had staggered a little bit. That hit to the head was pretty rough. Apparently, he had a hard skull.

When they drove away, Red let go of Ralph. Ralph turned around to face him.

“He had it coming.”

“I know he did. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

They stood there and stared at each other. Red sized him up. Red was an intimidating man. He was large and rough in appearance. He was covered in tattoos and had a deep voice that resonated long after he spoke. Ralph broke the stare first and looked at the tattoo that was showing just above the neckline of Red’s shirt. Without being asked, Red answered him.

“It’s a devil. You’re seeing its red tail.”

Ralph didn’t say anything, just looked back up at Red. There was something in the glance Red recognized. This kid knew something. He never found a phone, but he knew this kid had been listening. This kid had a secret, too, and even though Red didn’t know what it was, he intended to find out. He could beat it out of him, but something told him this kid wouldn’t crack.

Red looked over at number four. There was no old man in number four. This kid was smart enough to be living here by himself. He glanced back at Ralph and the boy’s cold, green eyes told Red he was right.

He gave a half smile and nodded. He needed to get this kid to come to him. To trust him.

“Look, kid. If anything ever happens with your grandpa,” he paused. “You know what I’m talking about?”

Ralph didn’t answer so Red continued.

“You know, with his health? Anything ever happens and you don’t want to be out here by yourself, you come find me. I’m in Fort Lauderdale. I’ll give you a job.”

Ralph didn’t say anything at first. He just stared with those intense green eyes. He finally asked, “How will I find you?”

“You find my bar down by the beach and you’ll find me.” He started walking toward his  bike and called out over his shoulder. “It’s called The Red Crab.”

Chapter Thirty-Four

2000

The three friends
had had so much to talk about, they hadn’t even realized the sun was coming up until Carter’s rescued rooster, Victor, began to crow.

Ginny was exhausted, but she felt immensely relieved. She’d told the girls everything and they never interrupted. They knew she had to get some things off her chest. The journalist in Casey found it very difficult not to jump in and ask questions. But, Casey had reminded herself, this wasn’t a news story. This was a dear friend, a friend who just needed them to listen. And that’s what they both did.

They’d even had some good laughs.

“I remember when that guy came for Grizz’s chess set,” Carter said after hearing the story about how it had shown up at Tommy and Ginny’s house, how Jason set it up as a surprise.

Ginny couldn’t help herself. She smiled. She knew the story Carter was getting ready to tell.

“What?” Casey asked. “I’m sensing a story. Did I miss something?”

“Yeah, you were out of the country,” Carter answered her. She took a sip of her wine before continuing. “The chess set was here when I first moved in,” motioning with her hand. “You’d just left for Africa and Ginny had moved back here after staying at Stephen and April’s a while. I noticed she kept avoiding this room.”

“Some things were just so hard,” Ginny said in a small voice.

“I know, sweetie. That’s why I had Tommy come over one day and pack it up and put it in the guest house over the garage. I had taken you to one of your doctor’s appointments so you wouldn’t be here. I didn’t know if you ever realized I moved it.” Carter looked thoughtfully at Ginny.

“I don’t really remember what I thought,” Ginny answered honestly. “Getting through each day was such a struggle.”

“Okay.” Casey looked from one to the other. “So, what was so funny?”

“Yeah, that part,” Carter continued. “It was about two years later. After Grizz was sentenced to prison. I was home one day and there was a knock at my door. I was expecting someone from an animal sanctuary. They were supposed to be picking up Phil.”

“Phil?” Casey asked.

“Yeah, that damn camel that gave me such a hard time. Anyway, Tommy left a message saying someone would be coming by to get the chess set. But I hadn’t listened to my messages.”

“And—” Casey used her hand to urge Carter to continue.

“And, I swung the door open and the most handsome man I have ever laid my eyes on was standing there. A big, gigantic Native American! I know I just stood there and gaped at him.”

“Anthony Bear,” Ginny explained to Casey. “One of Grizz’s friends. I don’t think either one of you met him. He came over with his wife, Christy, a few times, but I’m not sure you were ever at my house at the same time as them.”

“I think I would have remembered a big, handsome Indian.” Casey wiggled her eyebrows.

“Especially this one!” Carter added. “Anyway, it was just awkward, because I thought he was there to pick up Phil. He knew he was getting something to deliver to Grizz, but nobody told him what it was. We weren’t communicating and it didn’t help that I was totally tongue-tied. I swear, I turned into a giggling eighth-grader!” Carter grinned. “I walked him to the back of the house and pointed to Phil. The look on his face was comical. That’s all. It was just funny.”

Casey just shook her head, a bemused expression on her face.

“You’d think it was funnier, Casey, if you’d ever met Anthony. For starters, he’s bigger than Grizz and I think even more serious.” Ginny paused, looked at her lap. “If that’s even possible.”

There was a lull in the conversation.

“Carter, do you have any aspirin?” Ginny asked.

Carter started to get up, but Ginny beat her to it. “I can get it myself. Still keep some in the kitchen?”

“Medicine cabinet in my bathroom.”

Ginny walked toward the back of the house. Carter’s bathroom would be the master bath. The one she’d shared with Grizz.

She remembered when they were having the home built all those years ago. Grizz had insisted on a gigantic tub.

“Why in the world would I need a tub this big?” Ginny had asked him as she’d stood over it, hands on her hips. The bathroom wasn’t finished yet. She’d been there to talk to the contractor about tile selections.

Grizz had come up behind her and put his arms around her waist. Pulling her to him, he bent down to nuzzle her neck. “It has to be big enough for me to fit in it with you.”

“You’re going to take a bath with me?” she’d asked, surprised.

“Yep. And I’m going to make love to you in this tub. I’m going to make love to you in every room of this house, Kitten. The tub, the kitchen, in front of the fire. Everywhere.”

He’d turned her around then and gently kissed her. The kiss deepened and she could feel his arousal press against her stomach.

She’d broken the kiss and looked up at him. “Grizz, not here! The builder is going to be here in a minute.”

“I could kiss you all day, Kitten,” he said, taking her face in his hands. “Nothing’s going to happen, honey. Just let me enjoy you for a few minutes.” And he’d lowered his mouth back to hers.

Ginny felt the tears start as memories of Grizz washed over her. She sat down on Carter’s bed. What was wrong with her? She’d been in this house many times since Grizz’s arrest. Why was she reacting this way now?

Maybe it was the fact that he was gone. For good. Maybe she’d never gotten to properly mourn him. She moved her wide wedding band forward on her knuckle as she rubbed the spot where Grizz’s name had been tattooed almost twenty-five years ago. Long before ring tattoos had become popular. There was still a slight burning sensation from the visit to Eddie’s Tattoo Parlor on Saturday. She finished rubbing it and moved her wedding band back in place.

She didn’t know what she was feeling and she didn’t want her friends to come looking for her. She stood up and wiped her eyes with her hands.
Deep breath. Brave face, Ginny. You can go in there and get the aspirin.

Carter and Casey whispered, head to head, after Ginny left the room. They were worried about their friend, but they knew she would get through this.

“Do you think it’s up to us to tell her some things Tommy told us?” Carter asked softly.

“Maybe.” Casey frowned. “I just can’t believe Tommy was deceitful for any other reason than to protect her all these years. He needs allies. I think he’s a good guy, Carter. I’ve never seen anything to make me believe otherwise.”

“Do you think he ever told her the prom story? Or maybe Sarah Jo told her.”

“I really don’t know. When Tommy told us I never thought to ask if Ginny knew. And the fact that Gin has never mentioned it makes me wonder what she has or hasn’t known about all these years. You know, other than Tommy being Grizz’s son.”

Their conversation was interrupted by a bloodcurdling scream coming from the master bathroom.

“Carterrrrrr!!!!!”

“Uh oh,” Carter said, jumping to her feet and heading toward the bathroom. “I guess Gin just met Richard Pepperbloom. I forgot to tell her about him.”

“Who the heck is Richard Pepperbloom?” Casey followed at her heels. “You didn’t mention him to me either.”

“I’m keeping him in my tub until someone comes for him tomorrow.” Before Casey could comment further, Carter added nonchalantly, “He’s an alligator.”