Divine Justice

CHAPTER 51

AS STONE WALKED down the hospital corridor he heard laughter. When he reached Willie's room he understood why. Danny was in the bed next to his friend and Abby was sitting between them.

They all looked up when Stone walked in.

Danny's head was bandaged and one eye was swollen and there were cuts on his face. When he sat up he moved slowly and stiffly. Still, when he saw Stone he grinned in his usual cocksure manner.

'Looky what the cat dragged in. Dudley Do-Right. Savior of mankind, or at least two sorry-ass mountain boys.'

Abby smiled. 'The 'boys' seem to be doing a lot better ever since they were put in the same room.'

'I can see that.' Stone pulled up a chair and sat down next to her. 'Danny, how you doing?'

'Thinking better than ever. See, couple knocks on the head straightened my brain out.'

Willie piped up, 'Too bad it didn't happen when we were playing football. Remember that godawful play you called in the state semis our junior year? I was wide open but you threw it right to the safety. Almost cost us the game.'

'Play was fine. Only problem was I was checking out the other team's cheerleaders when I let go of the ball. One of 'em kept bending over. Trying to distract me, I expect.'

'Some things never change,' said Abby wearily. 'Boys never grow up, they just get bigger with more hair and people start calling them men.'

Stone said to Danny, 'Tyree told me he came by to see you.'

Danny's look changed. He glanced toward the window but uncharacteristically kept his mouth shut.

'Those men almost killed you, Danny. They almost killed me.'

'I'm sorry about that, Ben. Sure wasn't your fight.'

'Who were they?'

'Can't really remember. Docs say I got a concussion.' He looked back and his face brightened. 'Had a few in high school. Didn't I, Willie?'

'Hell, yeah. He always held on to the ball too long.'

'Had to so your sorry butt could get open. If you'd run a little faster my brain would be doing better.'

Willie grinned.

'Once we get out of here me and Willie are heading to California. Ain't that right, Willie?'

Willie nodded. 'We talked it over last night. Got it all worked out.'

'You sure it wasn't the painkillers talking?' said Abby.

'I'm sure. Divine ain't big enough for the two of us, is it, Willie?'

'No way.'

'He's getting out of the mines and I'm gonna be a movie star. Willie's going to be my agent.'

'What do you two know about any of that?' asked Abby with an incredulous look.

'Actors are just paid liars, far as I can see. They memorize a bunch of lines and then just say 'em. And, Ma, you've always said I could spout the biggest load of crap you've ever heard.'

'He's got a point there, Mrs. Riker,' said Willie.

' California is a long way away,' she said slowly.

Danny looked over at her. 'You want me to stay here?'

'No, I mean, I want you to be happy, honey. And safe. So if that means California, then so be it. Maybe I'll come and visit.'

'Hell, when I hit it big I'll buy you a place next to Brad Pitt. But you got to let me use it too so I can sneak peeks at Mrs. Pitt.'

'Okay, Danny, okay,' she said quietly, but looking anxious.

Danny seemed to notice this. He slid a hand out from under the covers and took one of hers.

'Ma, it'll be okay. All right? I promise.'

'Sure. I know.'

'You can't remember anything about last night?' said Stone persistently.

'No,' Danny said firmly. 'But you'll be the first to know when and if I do.'

Stone was about to say something else when a nurse walked in. 'Willie, the doctor's releasing you. We're getting the paperwork done up. You have a way to get home?'

Stone said, 'I drove here in your truck. I can take you back.'

'Okay, but I'll call Gramps. He'll want to be there when I get home.'

'Hey, Willie, don't you forget now. California here we come.'

'I'm there, man.'

The two did a little knuckle smack to seal the deal.

Stone said to Abby, 'How long are you staying here?'

'A few hours. Why don't you come by for dinner tonight?'

Danny said, 'Hey, you two got something going on?'

'Look, Mr. Movie Star, you're not the only one with dreams,' said Abby, who blushed slightly as she said this.

On the drive back to town, Stone asked Willie something that had been puzzling him.

'You said Debby called you the night before she was found dead. Where from?'

'The bakery. She was doing some work there. They liked her to come after hours. Folks coming in to get muffins and cookies don't want to smell paint. Ain't good for business.'

Stone thought of the half-finished mural he'd seen on the wall there. 'And the bakery is right across the street from Rory Peterson's office.'

'That's right. So?'

'So he was killed too.'

'But in town. And the night before. Debby was out at her folks' house.'

'No. Debby's body was found the next morning. But you said she'd been dead awhile. Maybe she was killed the night before. The same night Peterson was. His body was probably found that same morning too.'

'Okay, but her parents' place is a good fifteen miles from town.'

'But at eleven o'clock she called you from the bakery in good spirits. Let's say Peterson was killed around then or a bit later. The mural she was painting was in front of the store, with a good view of the street and the buildings opposite.'

Willie sat up straighter. 'Are you saying she maybe saw who killed Peterson?'

'At the very least she might have seen someone go in his office. Then she might have gone to investigate or the killers saw her and grabbed her because she was a potential witness. They take her back to her parents' house, kill her, make it look like suicide and no one thinks to connect the two together.'

'Damn,' Willie said slowly. 'That makes a lot of sense. We gotta tell Tyree about this.'

'I plan to.'

When they pulled into the front yard of Willie's home they saw Bob Coombs' truck parked there. Willie got out as the front door opened and Bob was standing there smiling and waving. Willie hurried up the steps to embrace his grandfather while Stone, who'd been following Willie, turned and walked back to the truck to grab Willie's bag.

He had just closed the truck door when the force of the explosion knocked him off his feet and slammed him facedown into the mud. As debris rained down around him, a dazed Stone lifted up his head. Where the trailer had been there was now nothing. He could see straight through the gap to the trees behind. Something large landed next to his head, smoke rising off its sizzled surface. He didn't recognize it. And one could hardly blame him.

They were the earthly remains of Willie Coombs, what little there was of him left.

Stone's head dropped back into the mud and he lay still.