The two teens were sitting at home like scared rabbits. Crying at the site of Wolf and Rachette, they confessed they were with Jerry Wheatman when he fell. Some moronic idea sprouted in the Mulroy kid’s mind to keep it a secret. It was an accident, and there was no need. But Wolf knew kids will act strange when they’re instilled with life values from alcoholic meth-head parents.
“Been quite a good day.” Rachette’s voice was thick with sarcasm as he stuffed a pinch of snuff in his lower lip.
Wolf nodded his head. Rachette threw the can of chew to him. Wolf took a pinch and threw it back. A well rehearsed act.
Lightning flashed, immediately followed by a smash of thunder. Droves of rain and pea sized hail had been cascading from the sky the last twenty minutes. Wolf and Rachette stood in the doorway of the garage of the Rocky Points Police Station, the wind spraying them with moist droplets.
Rachette spit out onto the frothing ground, “Are you going to tell me what the hell happened up there or what?”
“I’m really not sure,” he lied. Wolf was still running through options for how this was going to play out.
“You are going to get the job next week, right? I mean, that’s pretty much a done deal, right?” Rachette’s look was unmoving. “We cannot have that guy as Sheriff of this department.”
“It’s not up to me.”
“Yeah, but…come on. That guy has been pretty much abusing the rest of the force for the last few months. I saw him slap Blaine the other day.”
Wolf looked at him with furrowed brow.
“I’m serious! That guy is a crazy meat head.”
“And you didn’t report this to Sheriff Burton?”
“Pssssshhh. Yeah, right.”
Of course he didn’t. One didn’t advance very far in the force by tattling their way to the top. No matter how bad it got.
Wolf rolled his neck with a grimace and yawned. “I’m going to head home. I’ll see you tomorrow. If Burton comes round looking for me, tell him he can call me.”
“Alright, sounds good.”
“Later.” Wolf got in the Explorer, fired it up, and drove out into the rain.
His wipers wrenched back and forth at the top setting, still not affording him much of a view out the dash. Lighting was splicing the sky in all directions, thunder so close it was audible over the radio, the pounding rain on the car, and revving engine.
There was a good chance he would run into Gary in the next few minutes if he was at the ranch. What would he tell him?
On top of his ongoing financial stress, Danny’s mother being back in the picture, and the whole Sheriff appointment thing next week, he didn’t know how things could get more complicated.
Chapter 4
As he made his way through the southern end of town and out along the dirt road home, the rain let up. Sun streamed in through the clouds, reflecting brightly off the wet road. Large puddles and new small streams gouged across the only way to the ranch. All in all, the road held up well through the last few weeks, but it would need a new grading before fall.
Wolf crossed the cattle guard that marked the northern edge of the ranch property and continued up the hill, reaching the top of a low plateau that was set twenty feet above the river meandering to the right. The majestic view that rose into view through the windshield as he reached the flat never ceased to inspire him.
The three-hundred-acre property was part forest, part grassy meadow, all rugged beauty. There were two separate buildings with three uses — an understated one-story house that had plenty of windows, sprawling in a wide L-shape that faced southwest — one half of the “L” being a workshop and garage, the other twenty-five-hundred square feet living space. Then there was a small red barn thirty yards to the south.
If he actually got the Sheriff job, something he’d refused to fantasize about too much, he’d be able to begin putting some real money towards the payments again — payments to Gary Connell, the proud owner of this estate ever since Wolf’s father’s death over fifteen years ago. He laughed out loud. The irony of the present situation was thicker than the dark clouds in the rear view mirror.
Thanks for helping out the family Gary
…and
sorry about your son’s face.
Driving up to the ranch plateau also meant driving back into cell coverage. He picked up his phone and hit the button with anticipation.
Four missed calls. One voice message.
Jesus
.
All from his mother.
He gave her a quick call without bothering with the voicemail. She answered after a half ring.
“Where have you been?” she screamed through the phone.
“What? What do you mean?”
She began sobbing deeply into the phone. He didn’t like the sound of that sob. It was the kind of sob that was followed by earth shattering news — life altering news he’d heard one too many times before.
“Your brother’s dead,” she said simply.
He stopped the truck and got out, suddenly feeling very claustrophobic. “What? What do you mean?”
“He died this weekend.”
“What do you mean this weekend, when?”
Her sob was a loud crackle in the earpiece. “I guess Friday night, they are saying.”
“Who is saying? What happened? In Italy?”
She sniffed and then let out another shaky sob.
“What happened Mom? What happened to John, Mom?” His eyes were swimming as he stood slack jawed looking towards the mountains.
“He killed himself.”
Shock and confusion overwhelmed him. He sat down right there on the muddy road.
Chapter 5 - Tuesday
Wolf stirred his fourth cup of strong coffee. He glanced at his watch. Almost one in the morning. The computer screen was the only light in the darkened study besides the sliver of moonlight entering the open blinds. An owl
hoo’d
on the roof as he stared at the email once again.
On Mon, Sep 10 at 8:20 PM, John S. Wolf wrote:
Hey Bro, what’s happening? How are you doing man? How’s Points? How’s Jack doing?
I just wanted to catch up. I know it’s been a long time that we’ve connected, but…eh, you know how it is.
Lately things have been going well for me (about time!). The blog is doing very well, and I’ve finally got everything squared away with my third book — it was picked up by Nordberg Publishing, and they are going to release it in mid October. In other words, this one will actually be in real book stores. Can you believe that shit?
I was in New York a month ago meeting with them, and they are projecting some numbers that I don’t even want to talk about…at least until I see it happen. No sense jinxing it. But I’m excited.
Italy is going very good. I’m finding the life here really pleasant and great for productivity, as I’ve been writing non-stop since I got here. Let’s see, what else? I’ve been hanging out with the girl who lives right above me, and have met a few people around town. It’s fun, but I miss Colorado. I’ll definitely be coming back at the beginning of the year, then who knows.
So how about you man? I hear from Mom that you are a shoe-in for the Sheriff job. Although I didn’t need to hear that from her to know that. Because you are. I can’t wait to come home and tell everybody my bro is the Sheriff…plus I’ll pretty much be above the law. Maybe I’ll start growing some weed (again).
We’ll have to have a serious talk about the ranch too. If this book deal goes like they are saying, well, again, I don’t want to jinx it.
Talk soon brotha.
-John
Wolf shook his head and stood up.
There’s no way he killed himself.
Looking at his watch, he was hit by a wave of dizziness. He exhaled and thumbed the phone number he’d received from his mother earlier. Italy was eight hours ahead, and nine am seemed a respectable time to call.
“
Pronto?
” The voice sounded distant, like an old vinyl recording.
“Hello, my name is David Wolf. Do you speak English?”
“David Wolf?”
Dahveed Vowlf
. “Un momento…”
The phone rustled and he waited for five full minutes. He heard bustling activity in the background. After a while, he wondered if he had communicated anything at all to the person who answered the phone.
“Hello? Mister Wolf?” It was a young male voice with a thick Italian accent.
“Yes, this is David Wolf. We received a call earlier today, I mean, yesterday, with the news of my brother’s death. His name was John Wolf.”
“Oh yes. I am a-so sorry for you.”
“Can you tell me what happened exactly?”
“I don’t know too much. I was a not-a part of the team who found him. But I know he killed heemself.”
“Okay.” David squeezed the phone. “Can I speak to someone who found him? Someone who was on the team that found him?”
“I am-a sorry, everyone is gone.”
Wolf raised his watch and studied it carefully. “Okay. Is there a specific time I can call back?”
“Uhh, yes. I would try back tomorrow in the morning.”
Wolf blinked, looking again at his watch, “In the morning? Tomorrow? Isn’t it the nine in the morning there now? They won’t be back later in the day?”
“I think so, yes.”
Wolf inhaled deeply and switched phone hands, “You think they will
not
be back?”
“Yes.”
Wolf’s blood pressure climbed. “Do you have a direct phone number for someone that was on the team?”
“I don’t think I am allowed to give-a those numbers.”
David clinched his teeth, holding back a tirade he desperately wanted to unleash. “Okay. What is your name?”
“My name uh-eez Tito.”
“Tito, I am in desperate need to talk to someone in the next few minutes. I cannot wait any longer. There is no way I can wait until tomorrow. You guys have told us that my brother has killed himself. He is dead. My mother and I need to get answers as soon as possible, or we are going to go crazy. Do you understand what I am saying, Tito? Can you please, please help me out with a phone number of someone who was on the team that found him? Or is there something else you can do for me?”
A beat. “Okay, I will give you the cell phone number of detective Rossi.”
Wolf closed his eyes. “Thank you so much Tito. My mother and I very much appreciate it.”
Chapter 6
David got the number and gave it a call, immediately getting a recording of a pleasant sounding Italian female voice, sounding like a long-winded reason why the cell phone company couldn’t put the call through. After thirty minutes and six tries later, he got a ring — a two second high pitch single tone followed by a pause, then another single tone.
“Rossi,” a husky male voice answered.
“Detective Rossi?”
“Yes?”
“Hello, my name is David Wolf. I received news of my brother’s death today from someone there. His name was John Wolf? Was that you who called us?”
“Yes. That was me.” He exhaled. “I also found your brother in his apartment.”
“Okay, as I just got done telling Tito at your station, my mother and I are desperate for some information, and we are going crazy. Can you help me?”
“Uh, yes. Of course Mr. Wolf. How can I help you? Please, you can call me Valerio.”
“Okay, thanks Valerio. Well, I guess, what happened? I’m a police man here in the States, so you don’t need to sugar coat details with me because it is my brother. I just need to know what happened.”
“Uhh, we were called by a person who lives at a-di apartamento…So we went to there and found him, where he had killed himself.”
“Okay, I’ve got that much.
How
did he kill himself? ” Wolf tried to restrain any frustration from seeping into his voice.
“He was found hanged. It looks like the time of death was Friday night.”
“Okay. Thanks. Can you tell me anything more about the scene? Did he leave a note?”
“No, there was no note. We did not find one. He was hanged with a belt, from a light in the ceiling, but the light fell out so he was on the ground.”
David was beyond confused. “He was hanging from a light from the
ceiling
? A chandelier?”
“Ah, yes. That is right. But he was on the ground. The light pulled from the ceiling,” Valerio added.
“Okay. So he was on the ground when you entered his apartment and found him,” David stated.
“Yes. Mr. Wolf, we also found drugs…cocaina? How do you call…”
“Drugs? I hadn’t heard about that yet.”
“Yes, well, I-a was the one who spoke to your mother earlier, and I just didn’t have the heart to tell her that after I told her about your brother’s death. I am sorry for your loss, Mr. Wolf. I have no idea how you must feel. I will personally help you with the transfer of the remains to your home. There is a lot of, ah, paper work and procedure to follow here in Italy, but I will make sure it happens fast and smoothly. I have a brother myself…”
“Uh, thank you…” Wolf held the phone to his ear in silence for a moment.
“I am sorry I did not tell your mother about the drugs. I did not have the heart to tell her.”
“Okay, yeah, thanks. It was obviously a difficult phone call for you to make. Thank you Valerio.”
Wolf asked some favors and made some plans. They hung up after a half hour and Wolf went into his bedroom and collapsed into a dreamless sleep.