Page 5 of Letters Book Two
“Dude, are you ok? What the hell are you talking about?Watch me? Nobody needs to watch me! You’re getting creepy, Bowers. This shit has to stop. There is nome and you. Well, there never was, but you know what I mean.” I felt safer, so I turned and closed the door. It appeared he was just his usual goofy love-struck self.
“I only watched you on nights when he wasn’t with you. You know, just to be safe.” Clint was a musclehead, but even this was weird for him.
“You’re not spying on me hoping I’ll be with you?” I asked, curious as to where this visit was going. I’ll admit, he had me wondering about his judgment at this point.
“I wish it was that, but I know you don’t want to be with me, Lucas. I’d be withWall Streettoo if I was gay. Well, maybe I am, I don’t know, but you look happy with that guy.” He leaned forward and put his elbows on the table before resting his head in his hands. He looked exhausted and had dark circles under his eyes. “I guess I was just happy to see you doing well with him is all.” Clint was being sincere about me and Perry, but I was still confused by his visit.
“So, if you’re not stalking me, why are you parked across the street all the time?”
“Look, I don’t wanna alarm you, but I heard some crazy shit over at Billy’s three weeks ago or so.” He lifted his face to me, his eyelids were heavy, and concern was still evident on his face. Billy’s was one of the local bars in town. My daddy’s favorite actually. I hoped his news wasn’t about Daddy.
“What’d ya hear, Clint? Were you drunk when you heard this?” I was pretty sure he’d just been involved in some bullshit session and misunderstood someone or something.
“I wasn’t drunk, Jenson. I don’t drink no more. I need to get my shit together. Swilling beer all day don’t help that.” He started unlacing his boots.
I pointed to his feet. “Don’t! You’re not getting comfortable or staying, so spill it, Clint.”
“Shit! I done put myself in a heap of shit. If I tell you this, you gotta keep it on the DL, Jenson. You understand me?” He leaned back, placing his thick hands in his lap. “Sheesh, fuck this!”
“Out with it!” My patience was as thin as the rug in my attic apartment, and it was at least forty years old.
“I was at Billy’s and this creepy fucker was hanging out with Johnny Hopkins. You know Hopkins, he went to school with us. I work with him over at county now. Anyhow, I stopped to sayheyto Hopkins and ended up shootin’ the shit with them for about fifteen or twenty minutes.” Clint took a deep breath and concentrated on recovering all the details of his long-winded story. “So, this other dude is running his mouth about the Tiltons, and he spills the beans that one of their goons was asking around about some fag in Beaufort.” Clint realized he’d saidfagand raised and hand in apology. “Sorry, man.”
“I don’t care, Bowers. Finish it up. Get to the meat of it, ok?” I was impatient and tired. All I needed was somehe said, he said,crap.
“The other guy was telling Hopkins that the Tilton family needed you to disappear, and they were willing to pay someone for the assist.”
He had my attention now. “The Tiltons know where I live, dontcha think? Jesus! I’m right under their noses, Clint. They know where to find me if they wanted to.”
“I’m not talking about the Beaufort Tiltons, Lucas. We’re talking the Columbia Tiltons. As inLieutenant GovernorTilton. The dude said some of Tilton’s goons told him they couldn’t have you in the picture if he decides to run for governor next year.” He placed his hand on the tabletop and wiped away an imaginary crumb. “The dude said, ‘in the picture?’What the fuck do you suppose that means?” he asked, lifting his hands over his head and resting them behind his neck. He looked exhausted.Poor guy.
“I have no clue, Clint,” I lied, knowing damn well what they were worried about, but I couldn’t tell him that.
“I’ve been watching you because I’m worried about you.” He had the saddest eyes. He looked like a puppy that just got kicked, and I felt like a schmuck.
“You’ve been looking out for me? Seriously? You did all this for me?” I was shocked and embarrassed at how I’d been thinking he was stalking me. “I’m sorry, Clint. I feel shitty now.”
“For what? It ain’t your fault, Lucas. I just don’t want you hurt is all.”
I couldn’t tell him I thought he was a nutjob after this act of kindness and worry. “I’m sorry you had to hear all that nonsense at Billy’s. I’m sure it’s gonna be all good but thank you anyway. You’re a good friend, Clint.”
His brow narrowed. He wasn’t buying my shrug off of his news. “I don’t think you just ignore this, Jenson. I’m serious as a motherfuckin’ heart attack here, this guy was a mean-looking bastard. He looks like a junkyard dog that ain’t eaten in a month. He is not from around here either. I’m worried, Lucas.”
“Don’t be. I’ll be careful. Promise.”
“You need to callWall Streetand get his ass back here. Either that, or you go visit him.” Clint closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. He was obviously concerned. He viewed the threat as legit, and his mannerisms proved it.
“I’m not going anywhere,” I said
“Then neither am I, Jenson. Where you want me to sleep?”
CHAPTER SEVEN: Perry
“Let’s go to the Hamptons, Perry.” Chad whispered his request, half-hoping I wouldn’t hear him. We were two hours out of Columbia, South Carolina, headed for Virginia Beach, and Chad’s parents’ home.
“What did you say?” I was pretty sure he’d said, Hamptons. “The Hamptons? You’re serious? What about your folks? Aren’t they expecting us?” I needed to take a piss, and this was as good a time as any. “Hold that thought, we’ll take the rest stop exit a mile or so ahead and then we can chat about what you’re asking here.”
I pulled into the rest stop and shut the car off before turning to Chad. “Ok, what’s up, my friend? Some voodoo shit just come your way? Is Jack bugging you about something again?” I barely knew Chad, but I’d never seen him look concerned about anything. He was usually Mr. Sunshine.
