FOLLOW THE LEADER - Chapter 58

Chapter 58


The lights were dim inside the farmhouse. Then the front porch light clicked on. Sheriff Calder opened a screen door and stepped onto the porch, his eyes adjusting to the yellow “insect” bulb.  He kept one hand on his holster. Calder stood for a while, listening and watching.  He turned and looked behind him. All he saw were row after row of threes. He heard cars and trucks on 101, but nothing else save a few night birds.

He stepped back and rapped softly on the front door. 

The door opened and Rhonda slipped out, looking to her right and left. Someone closed the door behind her. She carried something small, wrapped in a bath towel.

“Stay between me and the house,” whispered Calder. He quickly led her to his nearby patrol car. “It’s open.”

Rhonda opened the door and slid inside, shutting it softly. Calder took the bundle and set it in the back seat.

“Let’s hope we got some partials,” he told her.Three people had handled the Smith and Wesson gun already:  Jason, Rhonda, and the farmer. 

Rhonda heard the sheriff mumbling something on his car phone. It had ended with: “Roger that. Over and out.”

The sheriff drove up the dirt road that led to Highway 101. They were both silent.  She was crying softly.

“Why don’t you tell me what all this is about?” he said. 

“It’s just like he told his parents.”

“Who?”

“Jimmy. The guy we picked up. He was with me, he ought to know.”

“What did he say?”

“Told his folks I was ordered to kill him.” 

“And were you?”

“Hell yeah.”

They were both quiet for a bit.

Rhonda thought maybe the sheriff was deciding whether
or not to believe her.

 “How’d you get the gun?”

“My Leader gave it to me.”

“Some leader!” he scoffed. Give me his name.”

“I can’t.”

“Did he threaten you?”

“It was just a rule: All traitors would lose their heads.”

His eyes widened. Had he heard her right?

“ As in—”

“Decapitated.”

She was frustrated now, having to repeat everything twice.

A long silence ensued. She wondered if he was going to make her repeat everything.

Don’t push her, he thought. Find out more. 

She sighed.

He waited.

“The truth is I fucked up. He had faith in me and I let him down.”

Calder shook his head.

“You make it sound like he’s your father.”

“He’s much more than that. I’d be living on the street if it weren’t for him.”

You’d be better off there, he thought.



 

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