Jason Deas - Benny James 02 - Pushed (21 page)

“Oh no. He’s real. I was able to find a birth certificate and his social security number. Definitely not a ghost. He even went to public school for one year. After that, he kind of disappeared from anything I could find. Nothing before that either. Maybe he talked his dad into it and then it didn’t work out. I was able to find a yearbook picture of him as a ninth grader.”

“How are you able to do these things the FBI can’t?”

“I’ll take the fifth,” Ned said. “The less you know the better in case we ever have to explain ourselves.”

“I appreciate that, Ned.”

“Beth Marvin used her credit card yesterday.”

“Where?” Benny was excited.

“Place called Dirk’s Rentals.”

“No way!”

“I’m guessing you’ve heard of it.”

“I have.”

As Benny and Ned entered the Tilley City limits, the rainstorm reached its peak. Ned turned on the windshield wipers.

“Am I taking you to Red’s house? I saw your Jeep there.”

“Yeah, I thought leaving it there would make people think I still lived there. I don’t want people finding out that Red has money and taking advantage of him.”

“You don’t have to worry about Red. He told me some girl came by the other day looking for you and he ran her off.”

“What?”

“From what I understood, a woman came to the house pretending to spread the Gospel, but she was really looking for information about you.”

“Oh crap.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t mention it earlier. I thought it was just a reporter trying to do another story on you or something like that.”

“She’s been following me around.”

“Red freaked her out,” Ned said laughing.

“How?”

“He told her you were about to catch Brother Jim and he had guns and bombs.”

Benny doubled over with laughter. As he recovered from his laughing spell, Ned pulled the car into Red’s driveway. Benny and Ned both immediately spotted Red, standing in the middle of his garden with a gigantic yellow umbrella. Galaxie was huddled against Red’s leg. Red heard the vehicle and turned. Seeing Ned’s car and knowing who was inside, Red bent over, scooped up Galaxie, and ran to greet Benny.

“Bendy!” he yelled as Benny stood from the car. “Red missing you so bad. Galaxie not, but Red do.”

Benny hugged Red. As he did, Benny felt his heart gush with warm feelings for the kid.

“I missed you too, Red. Let’s go inside.”

Red set Galaxie down on the front porch and let the umbrella down. Red hung it on a hook just outside the front door and held the door open for Ned and Benny. Inside, Benny saw the blanket over the television.

“Is that television still watching you?” he teased.

“It try. I not let it. Can I get you some lemons water?” he asked Benny and Ned.

“Please,” Benny said. “You make the world’s best lemons water.”

“No thanks Red; I gotta run,” Ned said. “I’ll bring you the picture of Brother Jim tomorrow morning when I drive you back to the airport.”

“Cool,” Benny said. “Thanks for everything. I have something to give you tomorrow as well. Can you take a magazine and run the fingerprints for me somehow?”

Ned smiled. “I’ll take the fifth. Bring the magazine.”

Ned took off and Red disappeared to the kitchen to get the lemons water. Galaxie shot Benny a look and followed Red into the kitchen.

When Red came back with the drinks, Benny let Red tell him all about the plants, and Galaxie, and more about the plants. Red showed him the telephone and how Ned had helped him label it so he would know which end did what. Red talked and talked and talked. Benny loved listening to every crazy word.

When he finally seemed finished, Benny said, “Ned told me about some lady who came by here looking for me.”

“The good news lady. She say she having good news but she not. She only wanting to talk about you.”

“I’m sorry she bothered you, Red.”

“It OK. Red did a bad thing, Bendy. Red tell the good news lady a lie.”

“It’s fine, Red. I don’t think she’s a good person.”

“I should call her and tell her she the bad news lady.”

“I wish we could call her.” 

“If you talky machine broke, you use mine.”

“I would have to have her phone number.”

“Red have.”

“You do?”

“Yep, the bad news lady give me some numbers and tell me call if I see you.” Red shuffled some papers on the coffee table and pulled out the one with her number. “Here,” he said. “Bad news lady number.”

Benny held the number in his hand and said, “Oh my God, Red. Is this really her number?”

“Yep. Red not tell any more lies. It feel yucky inside.”

Benny smiled. “Pack a bag buddy. I need you to go to Florida with me tomorrow.”

It took Benny two plus hours to talk Red into leaving his plants and Galaxie for Florida. Once Red found out he and Benny would be travelling by airplane, he almost backed out of the trip entirely. Benny was finally able to convince him that the plants and Galaxie would be fine, and that air travel was safe. Ned promised Red over the phone on four different phone calls that he would take care of the plants and Galaxie like they were his very own. To satisfy Red, Ned had to finally promise Red that he would sleep at Red’s.

Benny gave Ned the girlie magazine on the way to the airport in a brown paper bag. Benny did not want Red to see it as he was sure it would raise a lot of questions. Ned gave Benny the picture he had found of Brother Jim.

Red screamed bloody murder as the plane took off from the Peachtree Dekalb Airport. Benny and his brother Douglas laughed at Red’s innocence. Once in the air, Red relaxed and marveled at the sights out the window. He went on and on about the little squares on the ground.  The landing brought him terror once again, and once again he had Benny and Douglas in stitches.

Rachael picked Benny and Red up at the airport. Red talked a mile a minute about what he had just experienced. As Red talked, he mentioned that the air smelled funny in Florida. Benny and Rachael both realized simultaneously that Red had never seen the ocean. Rachael made a beeline for the closest beach as Red continued to blab.

As the ocean came into view, Red’s talking abruptly stopped. Benny turned around in his seat to get a look at Red’s facial expression and saw the magnificence of the moment spread across his features. It began in his eyes. Benny mentally categorized it as an instant of fear giving away to wonder and disbelief. It trickled down his rising cheeks to his mouth which dropped, unable to speak.

“Pretty cool, huh Red?” Benny asked.

“The coolest coolest. I not can see the other side.”

“That’s how big the ocean is.”

“Can Red touch it?”

“Yes, you can’t see the ocean for the first time without touching the water.”

Rachael took a peek in the rear view mirror at Red’s face and the wonderment and innocence tickled her insides.

Red exited the car in a zombielike state. Without being told, he took off his shoes and peeled off his socks. Benny and Rachael did the same. Red walked across the sand and approached the water with reverence. The tide was coming in. A wave crashed as Red neared the water’s edge and he froze. Benny and Rachael stood on opposite sides of Red. Red grabbed their hands and together the three walked forward. Another wave crashed and the water poured over their feet with great force. Red laughed as if it was the first time he had ever laughed. Pure joy radiated from deep inside.

Letting go of his hand, Benny said, “Come on, Red,” and he ran into the ocean before the water took him out at the knees and he fell into a wave.

“You have you clothes on,” Red shouted.

“The ocean doesn’t mind.”

“Let’s go,” Rachael said, still holding Red’s hand. She tugged at his arm and he began to run. Just as they were about to reach the point where Benny was, a wave crashed and they both went down.

Red popped up, howling with glee. “It tastes not like you lake water.”

“It sure doesn’t,” Benny said.

After swimming and talking for awhile, Red looked at Benny and Rachael and said, “Red ready.”

“Ready for what?” Benny asked.

“I ready to help you catch that bad man.”

“Let’s get him, buddy. Let’s get him.”

Chapter 30

Benny set Red up in an adjoining room at the hotel. Red had never in his life experienced such luxury and went on and on about the two toilets. Benny tried to explain to him what a bidet did, but the idea was too foreign for Red to comprehend. Red pulled the comforter off the bed and threw it over the television and Benny held his tongue. After Red covered the television, he noticed a wrapped piece of chocolate on the pillow.

“Bendy, I hope you not paying too much monies to this place. They not clean up very good.”

Again, Benny tried to explain.

“Let’s look at your view from the balcony,” Benny suggested.

Benny pulled open the sliding glass door and the ocean’s scent drifted into the room. Red walked to the balcony and once again was under its spell.

“I can hear her from all the way here,” Red said.

“You’re already referring to the ocean as a her. That’s a good sign.”

Red ignored Benny’s comment and sat down in a chair, putting his feet up on the railing.

“I’ll be next door if you need me.”

“I be right here. I don’t want ever to forget how she sound and smell.”

As Benny re-entered his and Rachael’s room, she hung up her cell phone and beamed.

“Reverend Jim agreed to an interview,” she said.

“That’s great, babe. When?”

“He has agreed to be on tomorrow night’s show.”

“That’s terrific.”

Benny’s phone rang. It was Ted.

“They did what?” Benny asked. “I’ll be damned. Thanks for the call. Is it OK if I tell Rachael? Thanks.” Benny hung up the cell.

“What?” Rachael asked.

“The police found another body under a bridge. Do you remember the cheerleader who caused such an uproar from the Jacksonville Jaguars because she was topless in a television show?”

“Yeah. Kendra Perkins.”

“The FBI identified a new body as hers.”

“Are you getting close to figuring this out?” Rachael asked.

“I am.”

“How do you know?”

“It’s a feeling. I have it every time.”

“God, I hope it’s right.”

“It always is.”

The next morning, Rachael’s television crew was busy creating a set in front of one of West Palm Beach’s bridges. Rachael thought it was tacky, but her thoughts were overridden by her producer. She hoped it would not offend Reverend Jim.

Benny and Red had plans to visit Jacksonville, with a quick stop first at Dirk’s Rentals. Benny hoped Dirk would remember Beth and be able to give him some valuable information about her.

“Are you returning the car?” Dirk asked.

“No. Do you remember a Beth Marvin?”

“Nope.”

Benny pulled a hundred dollar bill out of his pocket. “Do you remember now? She charged something on her credit card here three days ago.”

“Oh, that Beth Marvin,” Dirk said, taking the bill and shoving it into his pocket. “I remember.”

“What did she want?”

“I don’t remember.”

Benny was not a man of violence, nor did he like it very much, but enough was enough. Benny thrust his arm across the counter and grabbed Dirk by the neck and pulled him to where the two men were face to face.

“I don’t like to be an asshole, but you’re forcing my hand. What did Beth pay you for? And don’t tell me she rented the Air Jordans.”

“She was looking for you.”

“And what did she pay three hundred dollars for?”

“I told her where you were staying.”

“What else,” Benny said, tightening his grip on Dirk’s neck.

“I swear that is it. I told her where you were staying and what kind of car you were driving.”

“What else?”

“I swear that’s all.”

Benny loosened his grip and pushed Dirk against the wall. Dirk’s back hit the fake wood paneling, and he collapsed to the floor.

Red, who had been standing behind Benny the entire time decided he would pipe in and said, “You bad person.”

“You
told
him,” Benny said to Red as they exited the building.

“I not like him hat,” Red said. “He not a real cowboy.”

“No, he isn’t. Let’s get on the road to Jacksonville.”

“OK.”

“We’ll call Beth as soon as we get back tonight.”

“OK.”

“Did you bring a few cassettes like I asked?”

“Yep.” Red dug around in a little duffle bag he had packed for the day trip and pulled out two cassettes. He studied them both and popped one into the player. Moments later the sounds of the
Byrds
filled the car and Red eyed Benny with a devilish smile.

“Perfect,” Benny said. Benny peeled out of Dirk’s lot and headed north toward Jacksonville.

Rachael drove over to have a late breakfast at the Finer Diner. She hoped to see Azim, but knew it was probably too late. Rachael thought he would already be home and in bed. Being an odd hour in between breakfast and lunch, the diner’s parking lot was fairly empty. Rachael imagined the staff caught their breath during this time and geared up for the lunch rush.

Inside the restaurant, where one is usually greeted by a host or hostess, there was no one. Rachael pleasantly spied Azim toward the back of the restaurant at his private booth with his back to her. Instead of calling out to him, she thought she would surprise him.

Rachael approached him and lightly put her hand on his shoulder. He jumped as if he had been zapped with a Taser.

“I’m so sorry,” Rachael said as he turned around to see who it was.

As he turned, Azim tried to hide what was in his hands, but Rachael saw what it was—a braided snake.

“You startled me,” Azim said. He put the braided snake on his lap and out of sight. “Please have a seat.”

Rachael sat. “What are you hiding from me?”

“You saw that?” Azim looked frightened.

“Yes.” Benny had told Rachael about the braided snakes. “How did you make it?” This method of questioning was a trick she had learned in school. The professors had taught that you never give them an easy out with a yes or no question. The idea was to make whomever you were questioning explain their answer.