Page 89 of Legacy of Lies
“Oh my God, you just sent that kid to his death. He’s not going to last, wearing sneakers. He doesn’t even have a coat.”
But when she stumbled toward Zach’s retreating figure, Hank yanked her into his chest and dragged her back to the shack.
“That’s no longer your problem, Sarita. I am.”
• • •
Ripping the classroom door open, Garrison rushed inside and scanned inside his son’s locker.
A backpack and coat still hung inside the metal box.
At Zach’s desk, supplies littered the surface, like his son had stepped away for a moment and planned to return to finish the worksheet of multiplication tables.
Garrison’s mouth turned into a desert.
He searched the rest of the room. At the teacher’s desk, a coat still rested on the back of her chair. Her planner open on the flat surface. Opening the drawers, he blinked. Why was her purse still here? Her car keys? It made no sense. Unless she had some involvement in Zach’s disappearance. No, that didn’t make sense either.
And what about her message? Maybe she had taken off with Hank.
Why hadn’t he jettisoned his ethics and used his power on her in the first place? Or second place? Or third? Hell, he had ample opportunity to catch her lying, and he’d held back on his power out of misguided morals. Stupid decision.
Butch Brand jogged down the hall toward him, out of breath. “What the hell are you doing, Taggart?”
Son of a bitch, wanted to punch every Brand guy, including this oldest brother, with his thinning hair and paunch and all. By some miracle, Garrison kept his hands at his sides.
“Look, man. Zach’s gone.”
“I know. The superintendent called a few minutes ago.”
“Your psycho brother is behind my son’s disappearance.”
Butch rocked back on his heels. “Whoa, there. Let’s not go throwing stones.”
“Who’s throwing stones? Hank called me and threatened Zach’s life.”
“He did not.”
“Are you kidding me? Don’t you think he’s been acting weird lately? He’s nuts.”
Butch stared at the ceiling for a moment. “He’s a little vindictive and driven, but not crazy.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure.” Garrison repeated the interactions with Hank over the past few days, which culminated in the phone call a half hour ago.
Butch smoothed strands of hair away from his sweaty forehead. He might be only ten years older than Garrison, but he looked much older than that. “My God. If you’re correct, we need to find them, fast.” He shook his head. “I never thought he’d do anything like this.”
“So you knew he wasn’t acting right?”
“I chalked it up to him being super focused on a project recently.”
“Project?”
“Hank’s been cooking up a new scheme to get rich or something like that. He hasn’t let me in on the details, though. Ever since I took the job here as principal five years ago, I haven’t been on the ranch as much, so I don’t see my mom and brothers and sister as often as I used to.”
“He wants to get rich?”
“Well. Not in as many words. Mining for ores. I presume for gold or silver. So I figured that meant he was trying to make money. Kind of obsessed by it over the past year. Why? What else would they be digging for?”
“You tell me.”
