My Brother's Keeper (7 page)

“You like to throw baseballs, huh?”

Ellis tugged on Rudy’s arm. “Jon’s talking to you.”

Jon repeated the question. Rudy said, “I like it but I think the hole is too small. It would be easier if it was bigger. But sometimes I get it through.” He went back to staring at the inflatable castle. “If I was smaller, I could go in there.”

Jon clapped Rudy on the shoulder. “If you were smaller, you couldn’t ride all the rides we were on.” He steered Ellis and Rudy toward the booths. “C’mon, I want to smoke some rubber duckies.”

“Smoking is bad,” Rudy said. “They smoke outside the grocery store sometimes and it smells like the trash barrel when it’s on fire.” He pointed. “Baseball throw.”

Ellis let Rudy go on ahead. Jon was still grinning.

“Your face is going to freeze like that.”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

Ellis rolled his eyes. “C’mon, duck smoker.”

They caught up to Rudy. He jerked his hand back from the baseballs and said, “No touching.”

Jon gave Rudy five tickets. “Here, pay the man, then you can touch.”

The booth owner handed over three balls. Rudy cradled two in one arm while he threw with the other. Every ball caught the edge. Rudy looked at Jon and said, “See, the hole is too small.”

Jon picked up one of the balls sitting on the counter. He held it out to the booth owner. “You mind putting this through the hole?”

The man narrowed his eyes. “Why?”

“Humor me.”

The guy snatched the ball out of Jon’s hand and went to the back. The ball fit, but barely. “Satisfied?”

“Yeah. Nice to know you’re running a scam.”

The man thrust his chin out. “Get the hell out of here, faggot, you’re messing up the scenery.”

Jon shook his head.

They walked down the alley between the booths to find more games. Bald light bulbs lit the way, adding a harsh glare to the already gaudy colors.

The man’s words played over and over in Ellis’s head.
Get the hell out of here, faggot.

“You okay?” Jon said.

“I guess I better get used to that, huh?”

“Not everyone’s a bigot.”

“But a lot of them are.”

“You regret it? You and me.”

“No. Never.”

Rudy stopped by a booth where a man sat shuffling plastic cups around on a table with a pile of tickets off to the side. He wore large hoop earrings and a purple vest. There was a tattoo of a horse on his right arm. A group of teenagers watched.

The shuffling stopped and the redheaded girl pointed to one of the plastic cups. The man lifted it, flashing the empty space underneath. “Aw, better luck next time.” He waved a hand, begging them forward. “You want to play double or nothing? I will even give you the first try for free.”

The teens grumbled and spat out a few choice words as they disappeared into the crowd.

Rudy said, “I want to play.”

“It’s a scam, Rudy.”

The man at the booth huffed. “You calling me dishonest?”

Ellis surprised himself by meeting the man’s angry gaze. “I’m just saying the house has all the advantage.”

“Tell you what. I give you three tries for free.”

“Can I? Please, can I play?”

“Rudy…”

“Please, Ellis. Three free tries.”

“What would it hurt?” Jon said.

It would hurt to see the disappointment in Rudy’s face, that’s what. But if the guy was willing to give three free tries, what did they have to lose? “Go ahead.”

Rudy stepped up to the table. “I love this game.”

“You’ve never played it,” Ellis said.

“I still love this game.”

The man laughed. He picked up one of the cups showing a quarter. “Now we shuffle. Keep your eyes on the quarter, my friend.” He shuffled the cups, easing one around the next, moving them slower than he had with the teenagers.

He stopped sliding the cups. “Now you guess which one.” Rudy pointed to the middle cup. The booth owner revealed the quarter. “You are very good at this.”

He shuffled the cups and, again, Rudy picked the right one. One last time and Rudy still won.

“I told you,” Rudy said. “I’m good at this game. I’m very good.”

The booth owner pulled out a handful of tickets. “You want to play to win?”

Ellis pulled on Rudy’s arm. “C’mon, let’s go.”

“Hey, I gave you a fair game. You should give me one back.”

“Ellis.” Jon held out five tickets. “Let him play.”

This could only end badly. Ellis handed over the tickets and the shuffling began. Rudy found the quarter the next two times. He clapped his hands and almost bumped into the table. Jon caught him by the shoulder. “Easy there, we don’t want to bring down the house.”

“I didn’t touch it.”

“No, but you almost ran into it.”

The man piled up his losses. “One more round? To see if I can win back what I’ve lost.”

Hope filled Rudy’s big blue eyes. It made it impossible to say no.

“One more time. That’s all.” Ellis stepped back. This time when the guy shuffled, the cups moved in a blur. Ellis glanced at Jon. They’d been played. Now he was going to be left with trying to explain to his brother why he didn’t win. The lack of tickets would also cut into their visit. He should have never agreed to this. Rudy falling for it was one thing, but Ellis didn’t have an excuse.

The man stopped moving the cups. His smile was crooked and his eyes narrow. It was the look of a man who knew he’d won.

Rudy stared at the cups.

The man said, “Pick one.”

Rudy kept staring at the cups.

“C’mon, my friend, pick a cup. Win the tickets, and then you can ride everything here twice.”

“What’s wrong?” Jon said.

Rudy shook his head. “The quarter isn’t there.”

Ellis looked at Jon. He raised an eyebrow.

The man at the table waved a hand at the cups. “Of course it’s there.”

Rudy shook his head again. “No, it’s not. You put it in your pocket. You shouldn’t lie. Lying is bad. The quarter isn’t there, Jon. I’m good at this game and the quarter isn’t there.”

“You just don’t want to lose. Now who’s ripping who off?” The man scowled, but flicked a nervous look at Rudy.

“Turn over all the cups,” Jon said. “If the quarter is under there, you can keep the tickets.”

The man’s Adam’s apple bobbed. The cups stayed where they were. “If you are going to accuse me of cheating, take your tickets and go.”

Jon scooped up the pile and stuffed it in his pocket. “C’mon.”

“He was lying,” Rudy said. “He was lying, the quarter was in his pocket.”

Ellis pushed Rudy forward. “Don’t worry about it, you didn’t lose your tickets, that’s all that matters.”

“But I won.”

“Yes, you did.”

“But I didn’t get the tickets.”

“It’s okay,” Jon said. “I’ll win you something at the duck shoot.”

As long as that game didn’t turn out like the first two.

They found the duck shoot stuffed between the archery and the darts. Lines of rubber ducks moved on a conveyor belt, hidden behind wooden water waves. It was almost as tacky as the assortment of stuffed animals covering the walls. The combination gave the place a kind of backwoods toy store feel. Plastic guns were held in place on the counter by Y shaped holders. People crowded the front, shooting at the ducks. On occasion, one fell.

“You sure this is safe?” Ellis said.

“The pellets are plastic, they’re safe.” He paid the booth owner and picked up one of the guns. Jon aimed and Ellis was reminded what he’d done for a living. It might have been a plastic gun, but somehow Jon made it look lethal. He pulled the trigger and every pellet hit home, knocking over a duck behind the conveyor belt. Ten in all then the gun clicked empty.

Rudy stared at Jon in awe. “You hit all the ducks.”

Jon blew on the end of the gun. “And that, Rudy, is how you smoke ducks.”

“I want to try.”

“No,” Ellis said.

“But I could hit the ducks.”

“No, Rudy.” Jon gave Ellis a look. Ellis said, “No. This is one thing I will not back down on.”

“But, Ellis, I didn’t touch.”

“It’s not about that, Rudy, it’s just…” It might have been nothing but a plastic gun, but the idea of it in Rudy’s hands scared Ellis. “Let Jon play again, he’ll win you something.” He pointed to the lines of stuffed animals. That seemed to distract him for a moment.

Jon reloaded the gun and shot another round. Other customers tried to copy how Jon held the gun. Another row of ducks bit the dust. Jon slid the gun back in the holster.

The booth owner walked over. He didn’t smile. “Which one do you want?”

Jon nudged Rudy. “You pick it, it’s yours.”

“Any of them?”

“Yup. Twenty in a row means anything you want.”

Five minutes later, Jon carried a giant bear on his shoulders as Ellis guided Rudy through the crowds.

“Can we eat now?” Rudy said, “I want hotdogs, and cotton candy, and maybe a caramel apple.”

“Let’s start with the hotdog.”

Jon moved the bear under his arm. It was ridiculously big and the ugliest shade of pink Ellis had ever seen.

“I’m going to run this to the car.” Jon tossed his thumb in the direction of the parking lot.

“Okay, I’ll take Rudy to the hotdog stand. We’ll be at one of the tables.”

“I’ll find you.” Jon leaned closer then stopped. He shook his head like he was answering something only he could hear.

Ellis had a pretty good idea what that something was. “I wouldn’t advise doing that in public.”

“Yeah, that might cause a scene. I’ll be back.” Jon put the bear back on his shoulders. He merged with the crowd and the bear danced across a wave of people.

Ellis led Rudy over to the hotdog stand.

“Can I have two?”

“Let’s start with one.”

“But I can eat two. It’s not very many. I can eat two slices of pizza.”

“If you want everything else on your list, it’s one hotdog.” He’d be sick to his stomach by the time he finished the cotton candy. But the wide-eyed expression on Rudy’s face as he watched everything around them, made it all worth it.

The line at the concession stand was chaotic so Ellis found an empty picnic table. “Sit.” Rudy obeyed. “Now, I’m going to go over there and get us some hotdogs. You are going to stay right here.”

“Right here.”

“I mean it Rudy. Right here.”

“I won’t move.”

“Rule number two, don’t wander off. Remember that.”

“I will. I’ll stay right here.” Rudy folded his hands on the table. “Right here. I won’t move. I promise.”

Ellis walked back into the pack of hungry customers. He stood in the outside line so he had a clear view of Rudy.

“What will your order be, sir?”

Ellis leaned closer to the speaker in the Plexiglas window. “I need three hotdogs and three sodas. Also, extra napkins.” Ellis stole another look at Rudy. He watched the balloon vender as he went past.

The woman returned to the window. “Did you want French fries?”

“No, uh wait. Yeah, that will be fine.”

“Three orders?”

“Yeah, three.”

The crowd between the concession stand and the picnic area thickened. Ellis held up a hand to shield his eyes from the glare of the bald light bulbs lining the walkway and stood on his toes. At first, the picnic table looked empty.

Rudy, you better not have…

The tall, thin man with hair down to his narrow shoulders stepped to the side. Rudy was still there, but he’d moved all the way to the other end of the bench and his cheeks were shiny with tears. The man beside him cast a look in Ellis’s direction.

Lenny narrowed his cold grey eyes.

Ellis pushed his way through the people to the picnic bench. “Get away from him.” He went around Lenny, and pulled Rudy away from the table. “I didn’t move off the bench. I didn’t. I didn’t touch anything. I didn’t. I promise.” He balled his hands up in the back of Ellis’s shirt.

“It’s okay.” Ellis inched back. “It’s okay. You did fine.” He glared at Lenny. “Leave.”

Lenny sat, propped his elbows on the table, and leaned back. The soles of his boots scraped the gravel as he extended his legs out in front of him. “Free country.” His mouth twisted into a smile. “Which means, I have just as much right to be here as you and your retard. In fact, I would say more right, considering I’ve had dogs smarter than him.”

“Shut up.”

“Why? You know he’s just a waste of space. Someone ought to do the world a favor and make room. That goes for you too, Queer Boy.”

“Keep threatening him and see how long you stay out on bail.”

“I’m not threatening anyone.” Lenny inspected his nails. “Just stating the facts. Isn’t that right, retard? I bet you can’t even wipe your own ass. Probably wear diapers so you don’t piss your pants.”

Rudy made a pitiful sound against Ellis’s back. “What the hell is wrong with you? Why are you doing this to us?”

“Because I can, Queer Boy.” Lenny laughed. “That’s all the reason I need.”

“C’mon, Rudy, let’s go.” Ellis pushed Rudy toward the open space between the barrels. Two other guys stepped into the walkway. They weren’t familiar, but the way they glanced at Lenny said he held the leash.

“I’m scared.” Rudy sniffled.

“It’s okay.” To Lenny Ellis said, “Tell them to get out of the way.”

“Why? They’re just being friendly.”

“Tell them to move.”

Lenny rested his elbows on his knees. His smile was cruel. When he spoke, his words were barely above a whisper, but somehow they carried above the noise. “Just so you know, I’m going to kill the retard first, and when I do, I’m going to leave him in a ditch like road kill.”

A darkness rolled through Lenny’s eyes.

Ellis swallowed back the bile in his throat.

“Ellis!” Jon shoved passed Lenny’s cronies. He got between Ellis and Lenny. “You okay?”

“Of course Queer Boy is okay.” Lenny swept a hand through the air between them. “Everybody’s friends here. We’re just sitting around having a civilized conversation.”

Jon drew his shoulders back.

Lenny stood and raked his gaze over Jon. “What are you going to do, Marshal?” And Lenny said marshal like a stand in for dog shit.

“How about I break you in half?”

Lenny gave a dramatic look around. “In front of all these people? You sure you want to do that?”