More tape came around Jimmy's mouth. Then Jake grabbed Jimmy's glasses and covered his eyes with another cloth. Jake pushed Jimmy through the house. Jimmy tried to yell, but the only sounds that came from his mouth were grunts. He hit his leg against a table, then tripped over a chair and would have fallen if Jake hadn't grabbed him. Jimmy's cap fell off his head, but Jake replaced it. Jimmy wasn't sure where he was in the house. Jake didn't speak until he pushed Jimmy against a wall and forced him to sit on the floor.
“Stay there!” he commanded in a rough voice.
A door opened, and Jimmy felt the outside air. He heard Jake's footsteps move away, and he tried to stand up. Jake returned, jerked him through the door, and roughly shoved him onto the floorboard of a vehicle. The door closed, but Garner didn't get inside. Jimmy lay still. One of his nostrils was blocked, and it was hard to breathe. He heard the sound of something being put in the back of the vehicle. The door opened, and the motor started.
Jake backed out of the driveway, stopped for a second, and started forward. Jimmy felt every bump in the road, and the side of his head banged against the floorboard. Garner turned on the radio. It was not the sort of music Mama and Daddy listened to. It was so loud that it made it hard for Jimmy to think. Jake stopped several times, turned to the right, and began to pick up speed. He turned off the radio. Jimmy heard a series of beeps as Jake pressed numbers on a cell phone.
“I've got him,” Jake said. “After a week going crazy with boredom, it couldn't have been easier. Early this morning, he rode his bike to a house on the south side. Nobody was home. I grabbed him in the kitchen and threw his bike in the back of the truck. I'm already clear of the city limits. He's tied up in the floorboard.”
There was silence while Jake listened. Jimmy could faintly hear the other voice on the phone but not enough to understand what was said.
“I think he was taking care of a woman's cats,” Jake said. “That's why no one was in the house. I didn't leave any prints, and there won't be any sign of a struggle. The bike gives me a great setup. The only downside about grabbing him in the morning is that I have to keep him hidden all day.”
Jake was silent again.
“There will be a call to the sheriff's office sooner rather than later. His parents won't wait around wondering what's going on if he doesn't show up on time. But it won't matter. In five minutes I'll be at the house where we'll be safe and cozy.”
A short period of silence followed.
“No. I got the envelope and will pick up the rest at the usual place on my way out of town.”
A longer period of silence followed.
“Of course, I'll try to find out what he's told his parents and let you know. He'll be well acquainted with the hot end of a cigarette before I'm finished with my questions.”
Jimmy heard a click as Jake closed the cell phone. The radio came back on. Before the song ended, Jake turned onto a very bumpy road and drove so fast that Jimmy bounced up and down several times. He couldn't figure out why this was happening to him. Then the truck stopped abruptly, and Jimmy hit his head against the floorboard one last time. Jake turned off the motor and left him alone. Jimmy tried to wiggle his hands, but they didn't budge. Pain shot up his arms. His mouth was dry, and he was thirsty. Jake grabbed him by the right arm and dragged him out of the truck. Jimmy fell to his knees.
“Get up,” he said.
Jimmy, still blindfolded, struggled to his feet. Jake pushed him forward. Jimmy took a few steps, tripped, and fell face forward. He landed on the right side of his head so hard that he saw stars behind his eyelids. Stunned, he lay on the ground. Jake grabbed him by the back of his shirt, pulled him to his feet, and guided him forward with his hands on Jimmy's shoulders.
“Climb three steps,” Jake said.
Jimmy hit something solid with his shoe, then climbed the steps. He crossed a porch and went through the door of a house. Garner turned him around several times, then directed him forward a few steps to the left. A door closed.
“Stand still,” Jake commanded.
Jimmy felt Jake's hands at the back of his head. The blindfold came off his eyes. Jake put Jimmy's glasses back on roughly, poking him in the cheek. Jimmy blinked rapidly as his eyes focused. He was in a small bedroom with a bare lightbulb in the ceiling. A mattress without any sheets on it lay on the floor to his right. There was no furniture. A single window had been boarded up on the outside. Jimmy could see slivers of light through the cracks between the boards.
“This is your new home,” Jake said. “But just temporarily.”
Jimmy started to turn around and face Jake, but a hand quickly hit him in the back of the head.
“Don't move unless I tell you to. If you understand, nod your head.” Jimmy nodded.
“I'm the boss around here,” Jake said. “You've caused me so much trouble over the past two weeks that I'd like nothing better than to beat you bloody. Do you understand?”
Jimmy wasn't sure what he meant but nodded anyway.
“Sit on the mattress.”
Jimmy stumbled over and sat on the mattress. He glanced up at Jake. The snake man's dark hair was cut short, and he'd shaved his beard. He sported three earrings in his right ear. The head of the snake that coiled around his arm bared its fangs.
“Don't look at me!” Jake screamed.
Jimmy's eyes opened wider. Jake lunged toward him.
“Look at the floor!” he yelled.
Jimmy dropped his head and stared at the scuffed wooden floor.
“Watch the floor until I leave the room.”
Jimmy kept his head lowered. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Jake open the door and close it. There followed two distinct clicks. Jimmy looked up. He was alone.
He looked around the room. The walls were painted a tan color. Faded yellow wallpaper peeked out from under peeling paint. The door was wooden and painted dark brown. Jimmy shifted his weight on the mattress. The pain in his arms returned, and his face stung where he'd struck the ground. He tried again to wiggle his hands, but he couldn't. He dropped his head and closed his eyes.
He thought about Mama. Never had his heart ached so much to be with her. He knew what she would do. In an instant, she would release his hands, take the horrible cloth from his mouth, and hug away the pain. Tears came to his eyes and rolled down his cheeks. His chest heaved up and down in rhythm with his sorrow. His nose began to run, but he couldn't turn his head enough to wipe it on his sleeve. He edged back on the mattress until he could lean against the wall. He closed his eyes to block out the room.
He could hear Jake moving through the house. Then there was silence. Jimmy strained to listen. The silence continued. Maybe the snake man had left. Jimmy scooted forward off the mattress and managed to stand up. He walked to the boarded-up window, bent down, and peered through the largest crack. All he could see were the trunks of trees. He was somewhere in the woods. The sun was shining. He wished he could put his lips to the small opening and breathe fresh air.
He heard a click at the door. Turning
around, he rushed back to the mattress and sat down. He remembered to stare at the floor as the door opened.
“That's better,” Jake said.
Jimmy glanced up. Jake was in the doorway with a cigarette hanging from his lips.
“The floor!” Jake yelled. “Look at the floor!”
Jimmy jerked his head back down.
“Stand up and face the window,” Jake ordered.
Jimmy obeyed. Jake came up behind him and exhaled a puff of smoke that wrapped around Jimmy's head.
“Do you like cigarettes?” he asked.
Jimmy shook his head.
“You're going to like them less in a few minutes. Are you ready for me to take off the cloth covering your mouth?”
Jimmy nodded.
“If I do that, you have to promise not to say anything unless I tell you to. Do you understand?”
Jimmy nodded again. He felt Jake's hands at the back of his head. Another wave of smoke came around to his nostrils. He felt the gag loosen, fall from his nose, then from his mouth. Jimmy gasped for breath.
“Is that better?” Jake asked.
“Yes, sir.”
Jake hit him sharply in the back of the head. Jimmy stepped forward.
“I didn't tell you to speak!” he screamed.
Jimmy stood still and focused on breathing in as much air as possible. He licked his lips. His mouth was dry.
“Was that gag too tight?”
“Yeâ,” Jimmy started, then stopped.
Garner hit him again but not as hard.
“That's better. I can ask a question, but that doesn't mean I want an answer.”
Jimmy didn't move.
“If I hear a sound I don't like, then the cloth goes over your mouth tighter than I had it before. Do you understand? You can speak.”
“Yes, sir,” Jimmy answered in a weak voice. Then he flinched in anticipation of a blow.
None came.
“That's the way it's going to work. I like you calling me âsir.' It's a nice touch.”
“Do you need to go to the bathroom?”
Jimmy nodded.
“Okay. I'll show you that I'm not such a bad person.”
Jake reached up and tied the blindfold around Jimmy's eyes.
“The bathroom is this way.”
Jake led him by the arm from the room and a few steps down a hall. He stopped and adjusted the blindfold just enough for Jimmy to see what lay at his feet.
“Go. I'll be here waiting.”
Jimmy stood still.
“What are you waiting for?” Jake asked sharply.
Jimmy didn't answer. Jake laughed.
“How stupid of me,” he said. “Your hands are still tied.”
He spun Jimmy around. Jimmy felt something cold like metal against his wrists, then heard a ripping sound as the tape was removed. Jimmy grunted in pain but didn't cry out. His hands came free. He rubbed them together.
“Is that better?” Jake asked.
“Yes, sir.”
Jake struck him on the side of the face where Jimmy had fallen. It hurt, and Jimmy couldn't help but cry out.
“I didn't tell you to speak!” Jake screamed. “Now get in there before I change my mind! Don't touch the blindfold.”
Jimmy went to the bathroom. When he finished, he flushed the toilet and moved to the sink. He felt the faucet knobs for the water.
“That's a good boy,” Jake said. “Wash your hands.”
Jimmy let the cool water wash over his hands and wrists. He wanted to drink some very badly. He cupped some water in his right hand and raised it to his lips. Before it reached his mouth, Jake knocked his hand away.
“A drink will have to wait,” he said. “I have some questions to ask you first.”
J
ake returned Jimmy to the tiny bedroom.
“Stand still and face the window,” he commanded.
Jimmy stood at attention facing the boarded-up window. Jake left the room with the door open. Jimmy glanced over his shoulder. For a split second, he wondered if he should try to run. Trying to escape from Jake Garner would be a lot harder than getting away from Walt. Jimmy kept his feet planted. In a moment, Jake returned and came up close to Jimmy's left ear. More smoke floated up toward the lightbulb.
“I was in the hall waiting to see what you'd do,” Jake sneered. “If you had tried to run, I would have broken your jaw.”
Jake grabbed Jimmy's hands, jerked them behind his back, and wrapped a few turns of tape around them. The loss of freedom crushed Jimmy. He began to sniffle.
“You don't like that?” Jake asked. “Get used to it.”
Jimmy's lower lip quivered. Jake spun him around.
“Now look at me.”
Jimmy looked into the face of his tormentor. There were dark circles under Jake's eyes. His short hair stuck out in several directions at once. His nose was creased with a deep scar. Not a tall man, Jake wasn't much larger than Jimmy. He took the cigarette from his mouth and held the glowing end in front of Jimmy's nose. Jimmy tried to hold his breath, but Garner kept the cigarette close until Jimmy had to breathe. He coughed slightly as a wisp of smoke entered his lungs.
“Do you want me to move the cigarette?” Jake asked.
“Yes, sir.”
Jake slapped Jimmy with his free hand. Jimmy stepped backward and closed his eyes.
“I didn't tell you to speak!” Jake screamed. “How can anyone be so dumb?”
Jimmy's body shook. He tried to stop, but his shoulders and chest continued to tremble. Garner stared at him for a few seconds, turned, and left the room. He slammed the door and set the locks.
“We'll talk later!” he yelled through the door. “You're going to tell me everything you know!”
Jimmy moved shakily over to the mattress and sat down. His body settled down. He realized that he was breathing hard like the day he passed out in Coach Nixon's office, so he tried to slow down. The shaking stopped, but it took a few moments for his breathing to return to normal. He licked his lips again, but there wasn't much moisture in his mouth. He sighed and closed his eyes. He was suddenly very tired. He leaned over on his left side and pulled his feet onto the mattress. He awoke with a start as the door opened.
“Nap time?” Jake said.
Jake had a bottle of water in his hand and another cigarette in his mouth. Jimmy sat up and looked longingly at the bottle. Jake followed his gaze.
“I thought you didn't like water,” Jake said.
Jimmy didn't answer.
“Stand up and come over here,” Jake commanded.
Jimmy obeyed.
“Do you want a drink of water?” Jake asked.
Jimmy stood mute.
“Good.
You may speak,” Jake said.
“Yes, sir.”
Garner unscrewed the cap but kept the bottle in his hand.
“You can have a drink if you answer my questions truthfully. Do you remember when you testified in court?”