The Man in the Mirror by Mark Time

Author:Mark Time
Format: epub

26

SPILLED MILK

Joe awoke late the next morning after a spate of nightmares about being trapped at Rosenblatt’s motel again. He heard a concerned, hushed conversation beyond the door. Sleepily, he made his way out of the bedroom. When he entered the common area, he saw Eva concealing tears and Karl holding her hands in reassurance.

“Good morning.” Joe didn’t know whether it was appropriate to pry.

Eva turned her head to look out the window while her husband squeezed her shoulder.

“Hey, Joe, we need to talk,” Karl said in a low, shaken tone.

The nephew felt his heart sink in trepidation. He walked outside and braced for whatever was next.

“I went into Lafayette for a supply run this morning, and I saw Sheriff Perry,” Karl began slowly.

Joe had a feeling of where this conversation was going.

His uncle continued, “He pulled me inside the diner and insisted I have breakfast with him. He said that some feds are poking around the town looking for a fellow named Karl Blaine.”

“Did the sheriff tell them where you were?” Joe asked anxiously.

“No, he’s solid. And public record backs him up. There’s no record of me being here. I bought the property with a phony social security card and driver’s license.” The elder Blaine turned to face Joe and showed grave concern. “So, how did they know to come looking for me in this neck of the woods? Did you tell anyone that you were coming here? And I mean anyone.”

The nephew racked his brain worriedly. With a sudden sinking realization, he remembered telling Wallace he was headed to Utah along the rail. Worse still, he mentioned that he had an uncle in the area.

Karl noticed the anxiety forming on Joe’s face. He grabbed him by the shoulders and interrogated, “Did you tell anyone you were coming here?”

“Not exactly,” Joe began with trembling.

“Not exactly?!”

“I mean, that cop who helped me escape, he told me where each train was going”—the nephew nervously placed his hand on the back of his head—“and I mentioned I had an uncle in Utah.”

Karl widened his eyes slightly and turned around. He walked a few paces with his hands on his hips and exclaimed, “Gosh, Joe! Don’t you remember when you visited before college when I told you that you should never mention that I live here?!”

Joe’s heart sank with the memory. “I’m sorry, it just slipped out.”

“Slipped out?!” His uncle faced him once again and rubbed his face, “Okay, okay, it happened. We’re going to stay calm. We adapt and overcome. The feds still don’t know jack. You’re lucky Perry ran interference for us, but he doesn’t have a clue how much risk he just incurred and I don’t intend for him to find out.”

The fugitive moved over to a stump and sat down with his head in his hands. “I’m so sorry. I knew I shouldn’t have come here.”

Karl stood for a moment, then approached the sullen soul.

He placed a firm hand on Joe’s shoulder, “Spilled milk, buddy. For now, they still don’t know we’re here, praise the Lord.

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