Kevin's Homecoming

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Present

Jordan Brown sat behind his desk and appeared to be meditating. The office was dark except for the single lamp on his desk. The ballast was weakening and caused the fluorescent light to buzz and crackle as it flickered. His hands folded together as if in prayer while both his pinky fingers tapped nervously on the aged wood surface. He drew in a deep breath and reached out to push the intercom button.

“Make the call, Jasper.” There was a hint of defeat and disgust in the warden’s tone of voice. “Sanchez slipped through our fingers.”

Brown sat back in his chair and studied some photos taken of the cell. They slightly troubled him. The telephone rang and he picked up the receiver. As he spoke, he continued to thumb through the photos.

“Hello... No, he did not pull through.” The professional edge returned to Jordan Brown’s voice “Sanchez will be tried for murder one when we apprehend him. There are a few things that do not click with me about his escape. I am not at liberty to discuss it right now... Suffice to say it was too easy for him to walk on out the door... No, but I have a good idea where he might be going.” He tapped a picture of Kevin. “It appears Sanchez had an obsession for Kevin Fletcher... No, Fletcher was straight as an arrow as far as I knew... No, if there was some type of relationship between those two, I don’t want to jeopardize capturing Sanchez. I’m sending someone to Pine Springs tomorrow. If Sanchez shows up there, we will get him.”

Jordan Brown felt self-assured as he concluded the phone call. He picked up Kevin's picture after pushing the phone away in exasperation. His countenance softened as if he spoke directly to the young man. “Please don’t be involved in any of this mess.”

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Present

Mark sat at the bar slowly, stirring a drink. He watched the patrons mingle with idle thought. The ride out to Dallas had not been all that bad, but there had been a wreck in Crandall on 175 that had traffic backed up all the way into Seagoville. His nerves were shot, and he needed to cool down before he completed the last leg of his journey into Pine Springs. The bartender was cleaning glasses behind the counter.

Mark took a drink just as Joseph Stevens strode in. He raised his glass in greeting and patted the empty barstool beside him. “Have a drink on me, sheriff.”

Joseph Stevens nodded cordially to accept the invitation and sat down after giving a hand signal to the bartender for a shot of whiskey. “How is it going, Mark?” He started off the conversation with a cordial clap on the shoulder.

Mark could offer only a weary, dry response. “I’ve had better days.”

“I won’t keep you long then.” Joseph Stevens affirmed.

Mark shrugged indifferently after he had taken a big gulp of beer. “It isn’t that bad. I just had a long day on the road, and now I must go home. It’s my anniversary.”

“Well, then I’ll take even less of your time.” Joseph Stevens said in a congratulatory tone. “I just needed to ask you some questions about your brother.”

A sour expression masked Mark’s face as he turned back to his beer in disgust. “I don’t want to talk about him.”

“It’s just about some concerns that I have,” Joseph Stevens pressed.

“Oh really?” Mark turned back with his interest piqued.

The sheriff leaned into Mark and lowered his voice. “I thought you ought to be warned not to let him around your little girls too much.”

Mark frowned. “Why?”

“Inmates often brutalize other men who spend time in prison, especially when they are young and good-looking.” Joseph Stevens spoke as if his information was the most important in the world. “When those men come back into society, they find it hard to socialize with women again. However, I am not saying that this happened to Kevin, of course. But the possibility is there.”

“You are implying that something may have happened to my brother?” Mark could not contain his sarcasm.

Joseph Stevens nodded slowly. “There is a strong possibility.”

Mark grew concerned. “You think that Kevin might do something to one of my girls?”

Joseph Stevens lowered his voice to a desperate whisper. “I would be very concerned if they were my girls.” He leaned in closer. “I noticed him with a little boy last Sunday. He seemed too friendly with the child if you ask me.

Mark frowned with confusion. “That is weird for someone just getting out of prison. You don’t think Kevin might have a liking for little boys, do you?”

Joseph Stevens shrugged indifferently. “Between me and you, I would not trust him with anybody…woman or child.”

Joseph Stevens chugged down the shot of whiskey that the bartender had poured him and stood up. Mark turned on his stool to look up at Joseph Stevens. The sheriff clapped him on the shoulder and turned to leave. Mark watched for a few silent moments as the sheriff left the bar, and then gathered his own things. He left a bill on the bar, nodded to the bartender, and started walking out.

******

Minutes later, Mark turned his pickup into his driveway. The sheriff’s cautious admonitions were sinking into obscurity as the light buzz from the beer dulled his senses. He stepped out of the truck and started to walk toward the house. He glanced back and saw he had forgotten to close the door. He turned back and shoved it closed in frustration. Then he noticed the forgotten card lying on the seat and grunted at his stupidity.

Mark’s keys were rattled as he entered through the kitchen door. “Terri, I’m home.” He seemed to be a bit fatigued as he called out to her. “I got you a card for our anniversary.”

Terri sauntered into the kitchen from the hall wearing a revealing nightie. “A card is acceptable...but that’s not what I really want.” She presented herself in an alluring manner. “I bet you would like to have those tired muscles of yours rubbed.”

Suddenly reenergized, Mark admired every delicious curve of her body with his eyes. “I sure would. A full body massage would be nice.”

Terri approached him and draped her arms over his shoulders. “Happy eighth anniversary, my love.”

Mark met her with a passionate kiss. “Happy anniversary.”

“I have chocolate covered Oreos in the bedroom.” Terri pulled him toward the hall.

Mark threw himself on her in the hall. “You’re just going all out, aren’t you?” His words slightly slurred in execution.

“Anything for the man I love.” Terri giggled as they bumped into the hall table. “Are you drunk?”

“Maybe just a little.” Mark nuzzled into her neck. “Have the girls been asleep long enough not to wake up?”

His nuzzling tickled Terri. “Don’t worry. Paul is taking care of them tonight.”

Mark stopped suddenly. “What?” He pushed her back and stared into her eyes incredulously.

“Paul offered to take them home for the night.” Terri felt puzzled at his sudden mood change.

Mark pulled away from her with a sense of urgency. “We have to go get them.”

“What’s wrong?” Terri felt her own gut twisting with the growing confusion.

“I have to keep them away from Kevin!” Mark said with desperation. “Sheriff Stevens told me he might be a threat to them.”

“That’s ridiculous!” Terri dismissed. “Kevin wouldn’t do anything to hurt those girls!”

Mark was stubborn, though, and would not listen to reason. “You don’t know that! He has been in town for over a month now and has not seen any women. The sheriff said he saw him with a little kid.”

“Maybe he isn’t ready for a relationship yet,” Terri argued. “Sometimes it takes a while for people to let go of their fears.”

“I don’t want them around him.” Mark demanded. “He is nothing but trouble.”

Terri pleaded, “Oh, Mark...”

Mark turned to leave. “I’m going to get them.”

Terri chased after him. “Leave them there. They will be okay.”

Mark shrugged her off. “Let go of me woman!”

Terri tried to hang onto his arm as long as she could. “Mark!”

Mark waved her off as he grabbed his keys and stormed out of the house.

******

Paul sat at the table and waited impatiently, drumming his fingers on the surface. Terri had already called him to warn about Mark’s arrival. He took a drink of tea when he heard Mark's pickup pulling up outside. He glanced at the time and readied himself for the ensuing confrontation. A moment later Mark lumbered up onto the porch and threw open the back door. He looked mad.

Paul did his best to remain calm. “Hello, son.”

Mark acted like an enraged bull. “I’m here to pick up my girls.” He said that a bit too gruff toward his father.

Paul resented the disrespect but stood his ground. “Kevin is upstairs with them, now. They’ve already dressed for bed.”

Alarmed, Mark started to charge past Paul. “You left them alone?!”

Paul grabbed Mark's arm in a painful grip and halted his progress. “They are fine! Your brother is reading to them.”

Mark turned on his father with a glare in his eyes. “You don’t know what he is capable of!”

“Neither do you! But I do know that he will not hurt those little girls!” Paul stood up without releasing Mark. “You can take that foolish notion back home with you and bury it forever!”

“I’m not leaving here without my girls!” Mark stated with a defiant frown.

“They are already in bed!” Paul’s blood pressure rose as his face turned an alarming shade of red. “Come back in the morning! You will see that nothing happened to them.”

******

Kevin could hear the commotion inside the kitchen as he descended the stairs. He frowned as he approached closer to the kitchen. The argument between the other two men had been loud enough to frighten the two girls upstairs. He intended to leave them alone long enough to comprehend what was going on. His blood began to boil when he realized it was about him.

******

Mark’s voice rose even higher. “That’s right! Nothing will happen to them because they will not be allowed to stay here while that man is in your house!”

Kevin stopped in the kitchen doorway with an aggressive stance. “What does my being here have to do with whether or not the girls visit?” he demanded of his brother.

“Kevin, don’t worry about this.” Paul felt overwhelmed as he now needed to calm both of his sons.

Mark tried to push past Paul to get within striking distance of Kevin. “You stay away from my girls. I don’t want you anywhere near them.”

Kevin took the defensive approach when he realized his older brother was just trying to take care of his children. “They helped me in the garden earlier today. We had an enjoyable time.”

“If you touched them...” Mark threatened.

Blood boiled red in Kevin’s face as his anger exploded with such force, both other men had to take a step back. “I did not do anything to hurt them! What exactly are you accusing me of?! They are just little girls! That is sick!”

“Sheriff Stevens saw you with that little boy...” Mark retaliated with accusation painting his voice with loathing.

“Get out!” Paul shoved Mark to the door away from his brother. “I will not have you accusing your brother of something he would never do!”

Mark blinked as the rage suddenly exited him. “You are taking up for him?” He stared at his father in disbelief.

Kevin began to pace back and forth and was angry enough to hit someone at any moment. He knew it would be a mistake. He turned away from everyone and left in a blind fury through the front door. He needed to find a way to vent his rage that would not hurt someone else and resorted to throwing around lawn furniture and screaming.

Mark dodged a chair thrown at his pickup as he scrambled to get in. He did not realize Tina and Dianna had approached the upstairs window. The two girls cried as they watched the scene unfold in terror. Kevin threw another lawn chair after the pickup as Mark roared back out of the driveway, slinging mud, and gravel splattering against the front of the house.