Page 77 of Dark Roads
Vaughn left the helmet on the ground and turned back to the truck. He searched through the glove box, yanked out papers, checked the console and under the front seat.
“Well, look what I found.” He stepped away from the door, holding up a small bag of white powder—his flashlight shining on it. “You’ve upgraded yourself to drug dealer.”
“That’s not mine!” Jonny’s head lifted off the hood. “You put that in my truck.”
Vaughn strode back to him and smashed his head down on the hood. Jonny’s legs sagged but he stayed upright.
“I told you not to move. You’re a little pissant. Nothing but white trash. You even smell like shit.” He leaned over and sniffed Jonny’s hair. “Just like I thought.”
I pulled my knife free, held it in my hand, but I didn’t know what to do. If I threw it and missed, Vaughn would come after me. If I succeeded, then I’d killed a cop—major bad news.
A rock. I’d try that first. I found one by my feet and heaved it into the woods. Vaughn drew his gun and spun in that direction. He waited, tense and quiet. The only sound was Jonny’s ragged breath. Vaughn took a couple of steps toward where the rock had landed.
I crouched low in the bush and crept closer. I was only a few feet behind Vaughn now. Did I dare run for the truck? A branch snagged on my shirt, snapped. Jonny’s eyes widened when he saw me. He coughed to cover the noise. Vaughn turned back around.
“Didn’t I tell you to keep your mouth shut?”
“I know you took photos of Hailey.” Jonny was looking into my eyes as he spoke. “She told me everything. Pervert.” Vaughn kicked him between the legs and Jonny dropped to his knees, gagging and coughing. Vaughn used his boot to push himdown, then he sat on his back, wrapped his hand in his hair, and ground his face into the dirt.
“You trying to resist me, you little punk? You trying to go for my gun?” He jabbed his fist into Jonny’s ribs—two times, hard. Jonny grunted, gasped for air.
I shimmied under the truck. Screw it. I didn’t care. I was going to kill Vaughn.
Jonny was spitting out dirt, laughing in a crazy way. “Fucking pedophile.” Why wouldn’t Jonny shut up? He was making things worse.
Vaughn was kneeling on his back now. The click of handcuffs. “You’re under arrest.”
“What for?”
“Possession of a controlled substance. That’s just for starters. I’m going to make sure you stay in prison.” Jonny laughed again, but his eyes were angry when he met mine under the truck.
He mouthed,Get out of here.
“Where’s Hailey? What did you do to her?” Vaughn’s knee pressed into Jonny’s kidney.
“Don’t know… where she is.” He groaned out the words, gasping.
“You were with her that night. I know you were.”
“She never showed.”
Vaughn smashed Jonny’s face into the ground again. Rock hit bone and a wound opened above Jonny’s eyes. His nose was already bloody, same with his mouth. The color dark in the dim light. I wiggled forward on my belly. One inch at a time.
“Stop!” Jonny was talking to me, not Vaughn, but I had no intention of leaving him here to goad Vaughn into killing him. It was like he wanted to be punished.
“You’re going to get caught.” Jonny was still staring at me, blood dripping into his eye.I don’t care, I mouthed back, and I made a throat-slitting motion.
Vaughn laughed. “For doing my job?”
“Take me in,” he said to Vaughn. “Take me to jail.” He was trying to get Vaughn to haul him out of here. Away from me.
Static crackled from Vaughn’s radio. Vaughn hesitated, then pushed himself up, leaving Jonny flat on the ground. I crawled under the axle, using the tire to hide me—my face inches from Jonny’s. Vaughn was sitting inside his car, talking into his radio. Had he reported Jonny? Maybe I was the only person who knew he’d pulled him over. He could do anything he wanted with no witnesses.
“I’m going to cut him,” I hissed.
“Get the fuck out of here,” Jonny slurred through his broken lips. “If he catches you, then this last year was fornothing.” He turned his head to look at Vaughn’s car. “You have to clear out my place. Get rid of the burner phone. And find Beth. Tell her what happened.”
“I can’t leave you.”
