Page 52 of The Last Grift
Turning his back to the road, Gabe hefted the trash bags into his trunk, glad he’d left his bags and boxes in Elton’s spare room, and slammed it shut again. A single sheriff’s vehicle with the siren and lights on sped past and splashed through an inconvenient puddle, blowing muddy water over the side of the road and onto the back of Gabriel’s jeans.
“Fuck me,” he said, brushing the worst of the mud off. But now he either needed to do laundry or buy new clothes. Or both.
The low-level anxietyhe’d been harboring all morning dissipated when Gabe turned past the massive Kraken that guarded Elton’s driveway and he didn’t find a police car parked in front of the house, just Elton’s muddy pickup. He pulled in next to it and barely had one foot out of the car when Elton’s door was flung open.
“Howdy, damn glad to see you,” Elton said.
It was the first time Gabe had heard the old man cuss. Something must have happened. It was also the first time in recent memory that someone seemed truly pleased to see him.
“Glad to see me? Surely not,” he joked, glancing around. “What happened?” Gabe bumped a new phone even higher up on his list. Also, groceries for the boat, a space heater, and anall-weather extension cord. Maybe one of those dorm-sized fridges.
Elton turned to step back in the house. “Yes, I am glad to see you, son.” He waved his hand. “Hurry up and get inside. It seems that the last time—at least, this is what Deputy Nolan shared when he stopped by—anyone saw Dwayne Perkins alive was Tuesday around noon. The day you showed up. And Gordon’s truck was found last night but he wasn’t in it.”
Gabriel stopped halfway up the stairs. Sometimes he hated being right.
For purely personal and petty reasons, Gabe was glad for a sign that Ranger Man wasn’t perfect.
“Deputy Nolan said he could have gone over the cliff but there’s no sign that he did. Until I hear otherwise, I’m assuming he’s alive. From what the deputy inferred, they want to question Gordon about Dwayne and, unfortunately, a stranger who had an altercation with the Perkinses Tuesday afternoon,”
Gabe stepped past him into the house, suddenly feeling even older and very tired. “Well, damn. Gordon did call 9-1-1, cops, sheriff, whatever.”
“The sheriff runs the county. Police are city only, and the closest station is in Westfort. Technically, the sheriff also has jurisdiction over their chief of police, but Rizzi tends to let them solve their own problems.”
“Thank you, Schoolhouse Rock, for that lesson in law enforcement authority.” Maybe he was going to have to put Heartstone in the rearview mirror after all. “I wish you were kidding about them looking for me.”
Elton shot Gabe a grumpy what-the-fuck-is-Schoolhouse-Rock frown, but the man was smart and chose not to ask. “Definitely not kidding.”
“Nope, you look as serious as a heart attack.”
“I had one of those once, do not recommend.” Eltonplopped down in his recliner and flipped the footrest up. “What needs to happen it this,” he said, “we figure out who really took care of Dwayne Perkins before Rizzi has you or Gordon behind bars. Because the sheriff thinks one of you two is his man.”
Gabe stopped himself from making a joking reference toRockford Files. Barely. Because there was the off chance that Elton would take him seriously about being Rocky in the amateur detective scenario. And also because, as much as he used humor to deflect, this situation was not funny.
“Agreed. The worst I did was bruise his balls.” And he’d do it again—if the guy weren’t dead.
“I’m sure he deserved it.”
“He did. So did his brother.”
Elton’s eyebrows shot upward. “You got both of them?”
“I did.” Gabe pointed at his forehead. “That’s where I got the knot from. Dwayne had a hard head.”
Elton’s chest rattled with what Gabriel assumed was a chuckle.
“Have a seat, dammit. Your looming is making my neck hurt.”
“The boat is clean enough. I was thinking about sleeping there tonight.” And he wanted to start the search for Gordon without Elton tagging along.
One of Elton’s bushy eyebrows rose. It was as if the man knew Gabriel was not a fan of roughing it.
“Spend the night there if you insist, but we still need to talk about Dwayne and Gordon. Sit down,” he said again.
“I guess I would like to clean up.” He gestured at the mud on his jeans. He should probably just accept Elton’s offer. “One more night.”
“Sure, and the shower’s free. Tell me what you learned from Casey.”
“I confirmed that Ranger Man doesn’t trustme.”
