The Face Out Front by Robert R. Irvine

Author:Robert R. Irvine
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
Published: 2015-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

Since I wasn’t producing I left to avoid watching The Six O’Clock News. Once in the Volkswagen I switched on a rock-and-roll radio station and drove toward El Cortero. I parked in front of the Wilson house and waited for an old Beatles record to end before getting out of the car.

I’d barely knocked on the door when Ben rushed out at me. He herded me off the porch and back out toward the street. On the curb he said, “I didn’t want Doris to hear this.” His face, usually a mass of wrinkles puckered with good humor, stretched taut, giving him a flat unhealthy look.

Despite the August heat, I felt chilled with premonition. I don’t believe in ESP or fortune-telling, but I would have bet money that Ben’s face and words reflected something to do with Harold Franks.

“I took a strange call this afternoon,” he said. He glanced over his heavy shoulder to reassure himself that his wife hadn’t followed us. “I was showing your house to a client when the phone rang. I know you have an unlisted number, so I figured it had to be someone from work and answered it. When he asked for you I told him you weren’t home. That’s when the trouble started. I told him I represented Wilson Realty.”

“Yes?” I prompted.

Ben screwed shut his eyes. “I want to get the words just right.” With a squint he pushed out his lower lip, suck in a noisy breath and continued. “The man said, ‘Tell Bishop it won’t do him any good to move, that Franks will find him no matter where he goes.’”

Memories, as vivid as sixteen-millimeter news film, flashed by. I struggled to stay with the conversation, with reality. “Did … did he say it just like that … that Franks would find me?”

“Yes, those were his words, I’m sure.”

“But it wasn’t Franks on the phone?”

Ben shrugged and looked away. “Look, Tim,” he whispered, “I’ve got a gun. You’re welcome to borrow it.”

“All right.”

“I’ll bring it up to the house later, after Doris has gone to bed. No use worrying her about this.”

I shook my head slowly. “No, Ben, I think we have to tell her. For all I know that maniac might come around here. He’s crazy enough to grab one of the kids. She’s got to know what she’s dealing with.”

Guilt stirred in my bowels. Once before I’d failed to protect my loved ones. Would I do any better the second time around?

“On second thought, Ben, you keep the gun. I’ll buy my own.”

“Get a .45 or a .357 then. They’ll stop just about anything.”

“Okay,” I said. But I had my doubts. From what I remembered of Harold Franks, and the display he’d put on in court requiring four marshals to subdue him, nothing short of dynamite would stop him. His flame-red hair and burning eyes had seemed to add to his awesome power.

“Ben,” I said, “What do you think Val would have wanted me to do?” It was an unfair question.

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