me. Some of them I didn’t know; they were officials working with Walter to tie up all the loose ends, a job I didn’t envy them. Then there were the people that mattered to me. First to come forward was Rink, who bulled his way past the others and grabbed me in a bear hug. I was glad to find that his shoulder wound wasn’t troubling him as much now, judging by how tightly he squeezed me. When he put me down, his eyebrows worked like a couple of thunderheads.
‘He’s really dead this time. You’re sure, Hunter?’
‘I shot him in the head and watched him sink to the bottom of the ocean.’
‘Good, it’s what the frog-giggin’ sumbitch needed. What about that other asshole, Baron?’
‘I got him as well, Rink. I got them all.’
‘I’m glad, but I wanted Baron for myself.’ He knuckled me in the chest. ‘You shouldn’t have run off like that, goddamnit! You should’ve given me a couple hours to get my shit together and I’d’ve come with you.’
‘That’s exactly why I left when I did. You were in no shape, and if I’d told you I was going you’d have never stayed behind. I’m happy to see that Rene Moulder worked her magic on you.’ The veterinarian was standing in the crowd, but she hadn’t come forward. I winked my thanks at her and she smiled.
Rink leaned close to my ear. ‘It was me that was working my magic, brother.’
‘So rank’s no longer an issue?’
‘No, man. Now Rink’s the issue.’ He laughed, and I gave him a nudge with my elbow.
Harvey was there as well, but he just stood quietly, regarding me with calm eyes. He dipped his head in a slow nod of respect that I could only reciprocate. We’d been friends for some time, but lately our bond had grown even tighter; that’s what comes of fighting for your life alongside someone. Like Rink, he’d have preferred to have accompanied me on my final fight against Tubal Cain, but he also knew the reason why I’d chosen to leave him behind.
Standing at Walter’s shoulder were new hard-faced bodyguards, replacements for the men who’d died alongside Bryce Lang. One of them was the guard who’d been at the back door of Walter’s cabin that first day I arrived, the one who’d given me the knowing look. I wondered how much he’d known at the time, about how Walter, the man I saw as a surrogate father, had been lying to me. Walter had his unlit cigar clamped as usual between his teeth.
‘Let’s go inside, son.’
I followed him towards the cabin.
Behind me, Rink grunted a curse. He hadn’t been invited, but he wasn’t staying out of the loop. He followed close behind and damn the consequences.
Once we were inside Walter dismissed his bodyguards. This meeting was personal. I regarded Walter like I was seeing him for the first time.
‘I’ve done everything I can for you, son,’ Walter said. His voice was flat, and held little strength. ‘For now you’re off the hook for the killings. But I can’t promise that something won’t come back to bite you on the ass further down the line. You might still be brought to book at some point.’
‘I knew the consequences of going rogue. If I have to, then I’ll pay my dues.’
‘We’re talking murder, son.’
‘Don’t forget I’ve also outstayed my visa,’ I said. ‘I don’t even have a green card. What’re the chances that I’ll be kicked out of the country as an illegal immigrant?’
‘You can joke at a time like this?’
‘I’ve cried all the tears I’m going to, Walt. I’ve none left to shed.’ I hadn’t wanted to believe that Walter would lie to me about my brother’s death. I’d suppressed the doubts, the way I’d suppressed the tears. The only ones I’d allowed were those I’d shared with Jennifer on the boat, and when she’d finally boarded her airplane home.
Walter hung his head, but it wasn’t from genuine shame. ‘I should have come clean about John. I’m sorry.’
‘Sorry doesn’t cut it, Walter. When did it happen?’
‘Three days after Jubal’s Hollow.’
Three days. A long time before I was sent after Luke Richard, before I foiled Carswell Hicks’ and Samuel Gant’s racist plot to detonate a dirty bomb in Manhattan. On both those occasions Walter had used me and I’d gone along with him through loyalty. Well, wasn’t I the misguided fool?
Walter noted the anger building in me. Misreading the signs, he tried to appease me. ‘He didn’t suffer, son. John never regained consciousness and despite the best care he died from complications. I wanted to tell you…’
‘But then you’d have had nothing to hold me on,’ I snapped. ‘I felt indebted to you while I thought you were protecting my little brother. Fuck sake, Walter! Why didn’t you just tell me?’
‘It wasn’t my decision, son. I was ordered to keep his death from you.’
‘Who ordered you, Walt? Your Arrowsake bosses again? Or was it just the CIA this time? There must be a shortage of assassins if you’ve to keep me around like a fucking attack dog.’
‘I’m sorry, son…’
‘Don’t,’ I said.
He blinked up at me, incomprehension plain on his wide face.
‘No father would treat his son like that.’
‘Joe, if there was any way, I’d have changed things.’
‘You’d have saved John over Cain, would you?’
‘You know I would have, goddamnit!’
‘So tell me the truth. What was the real reason for sending Hartlaub this time?’
‘Extra protection for you, help to get Jennifer free, what else?’
‘I think he was there to bring Cain in alive, and that makes me wonder who would have been sacrificed to ensure that. Luckily, Hartlaub proved to be a better man than that.’
‘I can’t believe that you’d even suggest that…’
‘Walter. Hendrickson was dead. Even if he wasn’t, the case against him wasn’t going to go ahead, because you knew all along that your star witness couldn’t testify. If all you wanted was Jennifer safe and Cain dead you could have sent in an entire team of Navy Seals. Instead you chose to send me and one of your own men. Like I said, Hartlaub was sent to protect Cain, not kill him. Hartlaub witnessed first hand what Cain was capable of and realised — in wanting to keep him alive — what kind of monsters he was serving. Thankfully he chose to disobey his orders…’
‘You’re deluded, Joe, but if that’s what you think then there’s nothing I can do about it.’
‘It’s just the way it is,’ I said.
Suddenly, Rink rounded on Walter and I thought I’d have to step between them. But it was Rink himself that was hurting. He was feeling the betrayal as much as I was. ‘That ain’t right, Walter. You can do something… a goddamn apology wouldn’t go amiss.’
‘I’ve said I’m sorry,’ Walter said.
‘No, Walter. You just repeated what you’ve been ordered to say. Just like you always do.’
Walter shook his head sadly. He knew that Rink was right. His face reddened, in itself proof of his guilt. I was too wrung out to push him further but Rink wasn’t finished with him yet.
‘Even if Joe’s wrong about you, you still brought this on everyone. You realise that Cain wouldn’t have needed stopping if you’d admitted that John was already dead. Son of a bitch! Hendrickson wouldn’t have got him outa prison, and all of those people wouldn’t have died as a consequence. Bryce, Hartlaub, Louise… everyone! I hope you’re fucking proud of yourself, Walter?’
The old man looked around the cabin, taking in the plastic sheets and the chemical smell, and that was a more potent lesson than any Rink could fire at him. He sat in his chair, pulled out his cigar and dropped it on the floor. Then he folded at the waist, placed his face in his hands and began to weep.
We left Walter to grieve alone.
Chapter 50
