The man you shot, Bill thought. He knew Jake didn’t have to say it. It was one of those things that could go unsaid, but they both knew it to be true.
“I wonder where his wife is?”
Bill slowed the Jeep at his words and stole a glance at the boy. “Wife?” Bill stared at the abandoned car. “The man had a wife?”
Jason nodded and sat back down in his seat as they passed the car and slowly rolled farther down the road. “Y’all didn’t say anything about him having a wife,” Bill said. “Was there anybody else in the car? Kids?”
Jason shook his head. “No, just him and his wife.” He didn’t elaborate any further, and Bill didn’t know if it was because the boy chose not to, or simply didn’t know.
Bill sighed as he tried to decide what to do. The infected shouldn’t have made it this far out. For one to have made it? A fluke. Two…well, they were travelling together, so, it’s understandable. But one is now gone, the other unaccounted for.
Bill slowly rolled the Jeep to a stop. “Why are we stopping, Bill?” Jason asked. Bill didn’t even notice that he didn’t call him ‘uncle’ Bill. The boy may be young, but he wasn’t stupid. He knew there was no relation between himself and the large Texan.
“We need to stop this, Jake.”
“Keep them from getting out of the park, you mean?”
Bill’s hand trembled as he thought of Richard sitting alone in the house, intent on becoming infected with his wife. If what the boy said about them being in pain was true, there was no way he could leave the man like that. And there was no way that any authorities could know that it had gotten all the way out here.
“I don’t know what I mean anymore,” Bill replied softly.
“You want to help my grandpa, don’t you?”
Bill nodded, his mind drifting back to the gentle man he’d met at the park. He hadn’t known him for very long, but he had grown to really like him. He respected him. And now here he was, running away with the man’s grandson. He was a peace officer. His job was to help people, not turn and run.
“Yeah, son. I guess I do.”
“I’m glad,” Jake said as he slipped his hand over to pat Bill’s. “It will be all right. I promise.” Bill turned and gazed at the little boy, his eyes still bright with innocence and somehow, he felt that it would be. He didn’t know how, but he did.
“Well, okay, then. Let’s turn around and see about that, shall we?” Bill turned the Jeep on the narrow road and flipped a quick U-turn.
The trip back didn’t take near as long as Bill drove faster than he had during their departure. He pulled into the driveway and slid to a stop. As he unbuckled his seatbelt, he turned to Jason. “No matter what you hear, you stay here. If I’m not back in ten minutes…” he considered the kid’s options, “well, just lock the doors and stay low. Hopefully somebody will come for you sooner or later.”
“You’ll be back,” Jason said.
Bill stepped out of the Jeep and released the safety on his 9mm. “I hope you’re right, kid,” he replied softly under his breath.
Bill entered the house through the rear entrance. He stepped into the living room and scanned the empty room. The lights were still on, but turned low. He went down the hall and the bedroom door was slightly ajar. He could hear a noise inside, but wasn’t sure what it was. Stepping closer, he heard sobbing.
Bill stepped closer and pushed the door open.
Richard sat on the floor next to the bed, holding the body of Harriet in his lap, tears running freely down his face. Bill lowered his weapon and stepped inside the room. “I’m sorry.”
Richard looked up at him through tear-swollen eyes and shook his head. “She begged me to end the pain,” he cried.
“I know,” Bill said softly. “I know.” He knelt down beside his friend and took his hand. “But right now, there’s a little boy out in my Jeep that really wants his grandpa.”
Richard looked up at him and shook his head. “I can’t, Bill. I can’t look him in the eye after killing her,” he sobbed. “She was everything to him. He was the apple of her…” he trailed off, his words catching in his throat.
“Believe me, that kid knows more than you give him credit for.” Bill patted his arm. “And he needs you.” He pulled at Rich and helped him up from the floor. They sat Harriet gently on the bed and Bill spread the comforter over her body.
“What am I going to do? She was my everything.”
Bill shook his head. “I can’t answer that one, buddy.” He eased him out of the room. “But she’s at peace now, and you ended the pain. You came through for her in the end.”
Richard sobbed again, and his legs started to go out from under him. “Easy there,” Bill soothed. “Come on.” He directed him out of the room and sat him on the couch. “Do you need clothes or anything?”
Richard shook his head. “I can’t think right now.”
Bill nodded. “Right.” He sighed heavily and glanced out the window to the Jeep where Jake sat. “Well, I still have your bag of money, so anything you need we can get on the road. But your grandson is sitting in your driveway. Anything creeps up on the house, and he’s a sitting duck. We really need to get gone.”
Richard seemed to snap out of it then. He stood up and Bill gave him a helping hand as he walked out the door. “Just get in the back and try to rest. I’ll get us to a hotel or something for the night.”
Richard nodded as Bill led him to the Jeep and opened the back door. He slipped
