The Last Kind Word by David Housewright Read Free Book Online

me.”
    â€œGet your ass in this cabin right this minute.”
    A moment later I heard heavy footsteps on the deck. The door flew open and Roy stepped into the room. He was tall and clean-shaven, ten years older than Josie, with the furrowed brow of a man who would rather have his car stolen than admit he had forgotten where he parked it. He leaned down toward Josie, bringing his face within inches of hers.
    â€œDon’t talk to me that way,” he hissed.
    â€œHey, pal,” I said. He pivoted and looked at me as if he were surprised to find me standing there. I angled the barrel of the shotgun so it was pointed between his eyes. “Stand by the old man and be quiet.”
    His eyes narrowed, and he smiled with soft hostility. “Make me,” he said.
    â€œWhat, are you five years old? Get over there.”
    â€œDo what he says, Roy,” Skarda told him. “I already saw him kill a man today. Shot him three times—”
    â€œHey, Dave, hey.” I whacked Skarda’s ear with the barrel of the shotgun. “You didn’t see anything. Did you?”
    Skarda rubbed his ear. “No, I didn’t see anything,” he said.
    â€œGo stand over there, Roy,” I said.
    Roy moved next to the old man. The young woman joined him there. She set a hand on his arm, a gesture meant to assuage his anger and frustration. He brushed it aside and glared malevolently at her. She backed away.
    â€œJimmy,” I said. “You still out there?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œCome on in.”
    â€œYou won’t hurt me, will you?”
    â€œWhy would I do that?”
    Apparently Jimmy couldn’t think of a good reason, because he entered the cabin and moved to where the young woman was standing. He took her hand and squeezed it.
    â€œAre you okay, Jills?”
    She cradled his head and rested it against her shoulder. “It’ll be all right, Jims,” she said.
    â€œIt’ll be all right, Jims,” Roy said. The disdain in his voice was unmistakable. “What do you know about it?”
    She looked from Roy to me. Her remarkable eyes darkened and she found a spot on the floor to stare at. Jimmy lifted his head from her shoulder and stood straight, but he did not release her hand.
    â€œNothing bad will happen as long as we all keep our heads,” I said. I was still using Skarda as a shield, still balancing the shotgun on his shoulder. “Who are you people?”
    â€œYou know me,” Josie said. “You know my brother. This is my father.” Her gesture swept from the old man to Jimmy and the girl. “These are my cousins Jillian and James Neihart. This is Jill’s husband, Roy Cepek.”
    Now we know where she got the bruise, my inner voice said.
    â€œWhat is this?” I asked. “A family reunion? Never mind. All I want to do is get my money and get out of here.”
    â€œWhat money?” Roy asked.
    â€œThe fifty thousand dollars that Dave promised to pay if I broke him out of jail.”
    â€œWe don’t have it,” Josie said.
    â€œYou said twenty-five,” Skarda said.
    â€œAll right, I’ll settle for twenty-five,” I said.
    â€œWe don’t have it,” Josie said.
    â€œRemember what I said about nothing bad happening? We might want to rethink that.”
    â€œMr. Dyson—”
    â€œHow much do you have?”
    â€œNothing.”
    â€œNothing?”
    â€œI’m sorry.”
    I whacked Skarda’s ear again. “Nothing, she said.” He brought his fingers up to soothe his ear, and I whacked them, too. “Nothing,” I repeated.
    â€œI can explain,” Skarda said.
    â€œVolatile personality, Dave. Remember? I did warn you.”
    â€œNick,” Josie said. “Your name is Nick, right?”
    â€œDyson. Just make it Dyson. Let’s not get overly friendly here.”
    â€œDyson, we don’t have fifty thousand dollars. We don’t have