A Small Gray Dot

Crouching, we moved through a gap in the holly bushes and ran down the slope. Percy slipped and muttered a low curse. Duncan pulled him to his feet and we continued across the yard, keeping below the windows on the front of the house – which also didn’t have curtains. We reached the garage and I tested the side door’s knob. It turned. I shook my head. Somebody had left it unlocked. Either Bedlow wasn’t real smart – or he had excessive confidence. I guess since he’d never been bothered, he put his trust in the cameras and the guard watching them, and didn’t do a personal check.

We slid silently into the dark, two-car garage. I pulled out my flashlight and swung it around. The only vehicle parked there was a model I hadn’t seen in a while, a black Chevy sedan. I swept my light around. Two cans, one for trash and the other for recycling, sat against a wall, and there were several shelves, most of which were empty. A plastic gas container occupied one, and a couple of oil cans sat on another. Neatly folded rags were on a bottom shelf. Up a couple of wooden steps, my light came to rest on the door into the house. I listened. No alarms or outcry so that meant the guard was either still asleep or hadn’t seen us enter.

I went up the steps and tried the knob of the entry door. Locked. I checked it. A simple knob-lock, sometimes called a credit-card lock, no deadbolt. Easy. There were no longer any credit cards, however, I had something that would work just as well. I pulled out my wallet and removed my plastic library card. I threaded it through the crack and slipped it between the frame and lock, leaned on the door and it quietly popped open. I looked into a dimly lit kitchen. I doused my light and listened for footsteps but heard nothing. The house was still.

I reached down and took the 9mm from my boot, and tucked it in my jacket pocket. The guys stared but they didn’t say anything. I wasn’t after killing anyone unless I had to, and I figured the small gun would be enough to scare the guard. It also wouldn’t inflict a whole lot of damage or be as loud if I had to use it. I could get to my mini .45 or my .357 fast enough if I needed to inflict more damage. I unfastened my jacket and handed Duncan the .45 I’d taken from the guard earlier.

I whispered, “Take this. Easier to operate at close quarters than a rifle. You and Percy go get Bedlow. Lem, come with me.”

Duncan eyeballed the gun, probably recognizing it as the type issued to the guards. “Where did you get this?”

“Tell you later, and don’t fire it unless you have to. Now let’s get going.”

We moved through the kitchen and entered a hall. Duncan pointed down the hall, indicating the way to the room with the guard, and he and Percy paused outside a door. I wanted to get to the surveillance room without alerting the guard so I mouthed, “wait”, and he nodded. I got up the short hall and when I saw the light from the room, I waved him in as Lem and I rushed the last few feet and burst in on the sleeping guard. I heard the ruckus from down the hall as Duncan and Percy accosted Bedlow but the deeply asleep guard didn’t stir.

Lem unslung his rifle as I kicked the side of the chair. The guard’s eyes flew open and his head snapped up as he came awake. His eyes widened. So did mine. I knew why the guard that took Morgan had limped. He’d gotten fatter since the last time we’d met but I never forget a face.

His mouth dropped open and he gasped. “Tennessee Murray! Wh… what’re you doin’ here?”

I wasn’t surprised he remembered me. “Abe Harlow. I might ask the same of you, but I won’t. Put your hands where I can see them. Where’s the girl?”

He raised his hands in the air. “What girl? Ain’t seen no girl here! How’d you git in?”

Lem pointed his rifle, and Harlow flinched and threw his eyes on him. “Hey, I ain’t done nothing! I swear I ain’t seen no girl!”

I looked at him. “Let me see your hands.”

“Huh?”

“Your hands, lay them on the table.”

He laid them down. There was bruising on the knuckles of his right hand. Looking closely, I noticed red welts on his face. Looked like Morgan got him down his left cheek. And then the bastard had hit her. My anger rose.

“You’ve seen her. Now, where is she?”

He looked scared. “I done told you, I ain’t—”

I moved fast and he screamed as my knife pinned his sleeve to the table. I pulled it out.

“The next one will be in your hand. Now, answer my question.” I heard Duncan and Percy coming.

He started blubbering as he looked past me. “M… M… Mr. Bedlow! I swear don’t know how they got in here! I ain’t told them nothin’!”

Duncan and Percy had Bedlow by the arms and walked him up to me. His hair flopped over his forehead and he wore a black suit. I wondered if he took it off to sleep. If he slept.

“This asshole was in a bed that stands him almost on his head – and still in his suit, Tenn,” said Duncan. “Told you he was a weirdo!”

So, he didn’t take it off to sleep. That was weird.