Eyes Wide Open (aka Killing Hour)

I looked up and saw my brother, one hand pressing a red hole in his own stomach, the other holding Dev’s own gun.

Dev reached for his back, grasping at it like he was trying to pull a knife out of himself.

“Move away, Jay,” Charlie said, his eyes like a furnace. “Just get away.”

“Charlie, no. Don’t! ” I begged him to stop. “He has Maxie!”

Dev’s face twisted, his flannel shirt matted with blood, and he let out a groan and fell off me.

I looked around. Susan Pollack was sitting on the floor with a shard of wood through her throat, a hand stuck to each side.

And Gabby… Poor Gabby … My sad gaze fixed on the sight of her slumped against Susan Pollack’s legs, her eyes completely still and wide.

Charlie sat holding the gun. “I’m sorry, Jay, get away. He killed Evan. I want him dead.”

“Where’s my son?” I yelled at Dev.

His eyes rolled toward me, gloatingly.

“Where’s my fucking son! ” I said. “Tell me, or I’ll let him kill you, so help me God.”

Dev smirked and spat a glob of blood out of his mouth. Wobbly, he pushed himself up to a knee and grinned. “Tell your brother to take his shot, doc. Then we’ll see where it goes, huh? We’ll see who wins.”

Pressing his thigh and reaching around to his back, Dev winced in pain and staggered toward the open door.

Charlie raised the gun again, and I could see him trying to summon the strength to squeeze off one final round, his aim wavering.

I begged him, “Charlie, please, no…”

He trained the gun on Dev’s midsection. He strained in anguish to find the power. His eyes lit up with hate.

Then he just silently set it down.

Dev grinned and turned to me. “Enjoy the ride, doc.”

Coughing blood, his hand reaching for his back, he slipped through the door.

I went over and took the gun out of my brother’s hand. I saw a hole in his chest that was bleeding badly. He needed attention fast. I checked the wound on my side. It was ugly and red, but I was pretty certain nothing vital had been hit. Charlie looked toward Gabby, who was slumped against the wall next to Susan Pollack with an open, lifeless gaze.

I said, “I have to go after him, Charlie. Just hang in there, please…” He stared back blankly at me. “Keep pressure on your wound. Here…” I put his hand there. “I’ll be back as soon as I can. Don’t die…”

He nodded, eyes sagging behind his wild hair.

I ran out the door. It was dark, the courtyard erratically lit. Some people had come out of their apartments. “ Call 911! ” I shouted. “There’s people dead in there. My brother’s barely alive. Help him! ”

My abdomen was on fire and when I pressed my hand to it; blood leaked out.

Don’t let me bleed to death.

Twenty yards ahead, I caught the sight of a figure staggering into the darkness. I followed, spotting dots of blood on the pavement. He was probably headed for the woods across the street along the tracks, but I knew there wasn’t far he could go. My biggest fear was that he would die-that I would find him rolled on his back, glassy eyed-without telling me what he knew about Maxie. I headed after him onto Division Street. I saw him up ahead, one arm hanging limply, dragging his leg.

I pointed the gun in his direction and squeezed off a shot above his head. “ Stop, Dev . It’s over. There’s nowhere to go.”

He took two or three more steps, unsteadily. Then he did stop, at last. He turned slowly, blood oozing from his mouth. He had a crazed look in his wolflike eyes, a mixture of fury and defeat.

Suddenly I heard the wail of sirens. From all directions.

Dev whirled, almost losing his balance, and faced two police cars that had turned onto Division Street. Flashing lights everywhere.

I set the gun down on the pavement and raised my hands. Police leaped out of their vehicles, weapons drawn, shouting at both of us, “ Hands in the air! Get down to the ground! ”

“Don’t shoot! ” I yelled. “Whatever you do, don’t shoot. He’s got my son.”

One of them knelt behind their car door and pointed his gun at us. “ I said put your hands in the air and get onto the ground! ”

Nervously, I crouched down, lowering my knees to the surface of the road, hands raised.

Dev just stood there, ignoring their commands. He shifted back toward me. “Want to know why you’re still alive, doc?” he said, almost smiling.

My hands were in the air, an eye on the approaching officers. “Yes, I do.”

He winked. “Because you still have work to do. Things yet to find out.”

“Tell me what you did with Max, Dev! Please!”

More police arrived on the scene. Six or seven had now basically encircled us, barking for Dev to get down.

“Don’t shoot! ” I hollered, raising my palms. A couple of them were approaching, weapons drawn. “He has my son captive.” Then I turned to him again. “What do you mean, Dev, things to find out?”

“Ever play cards, doc?” the bleeding killer asked.

“No.” I shook my head. “Not since college.”

“You oughta.” He stretched a smile.

A heavyset black policeman came up, pointing his weapon directly at him. He shouted, scaring the wits out of me, “Put your hands above your head and get your ass down. Now! ”

“You know the jack of hearts?” he said, turning away from him.

I nodded.

“You should. I think you might learn something from it. That card just might have your future in it.”

The jack of hearts. I had no idea what he was talking about.

The officer bellowed one last time. “ Get on the fucking ground! ”

Dev seemed to smile, glancing at them, then back at me. “ Me -my future’s run out.” He finally raised one hand high in the air, as if complying-but with the other, kind of in slow motion, reached under his shirt and came out with a knife. The same one he had waved in my face at the motel. That he had used to cut me.

I pleaded, “ Dev, don’t .”

“I think you remember.” He grinned in my direction. “Some people feel I can do just about anything with this thing… The jack of hearts, doc. Don’t forget. One day it’s gonna give you a real smile. The day the devil sprouts horns.”

He started to come toward me, the knife in his fist, raised high.

“Don’t do it,” I said, almost helpless, “please.”

His pace picked up.

Now the police were really pointing their weapons at him and screaming.

“Don’t shoot, ” I hollered, “ please don’t shoot! ” getting up and putting out my hands to push them back.