Brother Against Brother by Franklin W. Dixon Read Free Book Online Page A

"Someone is trying to kill you!"
    Delbert seemed to sag. "I understand plenty, he said quietly, dropping into one of the kitchen chairs. Rita stepped behind him and began to rub his shoulders and neck.
    "Try to relax," she told him. "It makes no sense for you to stay here. Come with us. Please come with us."
    "I can't!" Delbert moaned. He looked up at Joe. "Why did you come back? Did you start remembering?"
    Joe reached into his pocket and took out the undecipherable message. He held it out to Delbert. "Was this meant for you?"
    Delbert gave him a calculating stare. "If I say yes, you'll stay and try to help me. So I'll just tell you to get it to the sheriff—along with Rita."
    "I'm not leaving you," Rita insisted. "We'll see this through together." She was shaking with tears.
    "No, we won't," Delbert said. "I'll end it here. See, honey, I don't have much time left for running, anyway. I'm terminally ill. The doctor in Corralville told me months ago. There's no hope for me."
    He picked up the box on the kitchen table and ' reloaded his pistol, looking totally drained. Then he slumped down in his chair, facing the door. The golden retriever came over and lay down at his feet.
    "There's only one thing I want," Delbert said. "And that's seeing Rita safe." He stared at Joe. "I can't escape. And I'd just as soon die here. Maybe I can take out the guy who's chasing us."
    "You don't have to die," Joe said. "All three of us may die if you two insist on staying here," Delbert said. "Now go, and that's an order. Take the Jeep and clear out."
    "Let him go," Rita said, motioning at Joe. "I'm staying."
    Delbert pushed himself to his feet. For a moment it looked as though he were about to lose his temper, then his expression softened. "Rita, girl, you are my life. Please. If you won't leave because I order you, leave because I'm begging you. You must go on without me."
    Rita ran into Delbert's arms. They embraced each other fiercely—as if they knew it was their last goodbye.
    After a moment Rita reluctantly pulled away. "Come on," she said to Joe. "We'd better get going."
    Delbert tried to give Joe the pistol. "Here," he said, "you may need this."
    Joe shook his head.
    Delbert gave him the ghost of a smile as he saw them out the door, but his face was set and pale. All he could manage was a wave of his hand as Joe led Rita from the cabin.
    They got into the Jeep, threw it into first, and climbed the ridge behind the cabin. The road was steep and loaded with hairpin turns, so the cabin was in and out of view, getting smaller and smaller with every turn.
    Rita, her eyes swollen and teary, stared over her shoulder at her home.
    Joe wanted to console her, but didn't know what to say. Instead, he concentrated on his driving. It was so weird. How could he remember how to drive a Jeep—yet not remember his own name?
    The Jeep came around a sharp hairpin turn, and, below, the cabin came back into view. It looked so peaceful down in the clearing, like something in an enchanted forest.
    And then it exploded! A star of brightness appeared on one wall, and chunks of wood and stone shot high into the air. Flames blossomed in the wreckage.
    As smoke and ash filled the air, Joe braked to a stop, staring in disbelief. For a moment, he wasn't seeing the cabin anymore. He was seeing a car exploding in a mall parking lot, the girl he loved vanishing in a ball of flame.
    "Iola," he heard himself whisper.
    Rita's screaming brought him back to the present. She had vaulted out of her seat and was running blindly back along the road to the cabin.
    He gave chase, running in front of her to get her to stop.
    It was as though he were invisible. Rita rammed right into him, and tried to keep going.
    Joe wrapped his arms around her as she tried to pull free. Now he could hear what she was yelling. "No, no, no! Dad! Dad!"
    "Dad?" Joe's grip slackened as he stared at Rita in amazement.
    But Rita stayed where she was, sobbing wildly. "He wasn't my uncle," she choked.