Ravens. Part 13

In her old white Cadillac. She was out on Gloucester Street, wanting to turn into the lot. One of the young cops tried to shoo her away.

But then Burris stepped up. "It's OK! Nell! Come on through."

The young cop was miffed at the interference. He started to b.i.t.c.h but Burris cut him off: "I said let her in. in."

Nell heard this. She laughed, and called, "That's the way I like to be treated treated!"

Burris told her, "You can park by the front entrance over there. You see where my cruiser is? Park right there."

She said, "Thank you, Burris. I love you, darlin'."

She said it skimmingly and carelessly, but still.

Burris knew that Nell wasn't beautiful, nor had she ever been. She had the haircut of a schoolboy playing hooky, and the shoulders of a stevedore. But her laugh was so musical it could melt iron; in fact long ago it had melted the chains that bound him to the codes of propriety and proportion. He didn't give a s.h.i.+t about the young cop who was now glaring at him. He didn't care about the Lottery guy complaining, "There's no room room! You can't let just anybody anybody in here." He didn't try to explain himself. He didn't say, "That's the mother of the winner," or anything like that. He just stood there gazing moonily after Nell as she pulled into the special place he'd saved for her. in here." He didn't try to explain himself. He didn't say, "That's the mother of the winner," or anything like that. He just stood there gazing moonily after Nell as she pulled into the special place he'd saved for her.

Romeo was in the Tercel right behind Nell. He'd followed her here to the inn, and watched her pull in. They wouldn't let was in the Tercel right behind Nell. He'd followed her here to the inn, and watched her pull in. They wouldn't let him him in of course, so he drove to the next street and made a right, and went one block to G Street and found parking at a dentist's office. He leaped out of the car and started running toward the hotel. The air was so damp he felt he was kicking through water, and by the time he reached the rear of the hotel he was wiped out. There was a hurricane fence covered in morning glory. He jumped up and gripped the wire and pulled himself to the top. On his way over, he sc.r.a.ped a pair of parallel gouges into his wrist, but he felt this only distantly. He dropped and rolled, and as he rose he was already into a sprint again. in of course, so he drove to the next street and made a right, and went one block to G Street and found parking at a dentist's office. He leaped out of the car and started running toward the hotel. The air was so damp he felt he was kicking through water, and by the time he reached the rear of the hotel he was wiped out. There was a hurricane fence covered in morning glory. He jumped up and gripped the wire and pulled himself to the top. On his way over, he sc.r.a.ped a pair of parallel gouges into his wrist, but he felt this only distantly. He dropped and rolled, and as he rose he was already into a sprint again.

Around the swimming pool. Trying doors one after another till he found an open one. It led to a laundry room. Old woman roosting amid dunes of unwashed sheets. She squinted up at him. "I'm lost," he said. "You know where they're having the press conference?"

She kept squinting. Clearly she didn't understand a word.

He said, "Jackpot?"

That worked. She led him to a narrow hallway and pointed out a door. As he approached, he heard a clamor beyond. He opened the door and found himself in a big conference room full of people. He was near the front, by the stage. No one cared about his entrance - there was too much going on. Lights ablaze, cameras whirring. On the stage was a microphone stand and two outsized checks, one made out to The Boat wright Family, The Boat wright Family, one to one to Mr. Shaw McBride. Mr. Shaw McBride. The amount on each of them, written in folksy slapdash cursive, was The amount on each of them, written in folksy slapdash cursive, was One Hundred and Fifty-Nine Million Dollars. One Hundred and Fifty-Nine Million Dollars.

Romeo scanned the faces of the audience. Who was here? They all were. Old cousin Alfred, looking distinguished. Patsy's brother Shelby and his wife Miriam. Vanessa and Henry. And up front was Nell - ensconced in her folding chair as though upon a throne. Romeo saw a small patch of standing room by the wall near her, and he went and claimed it.

Nell was the star here. Everyone wanted to be close to her. Folks kept coming up to pay their respects, and she'd smile and call out, "Well, hel-lo!" or, "h.e.l.lo, ba- ba-by!" or "Drew Wilson, I been look looking for you!" She kept reaching to touch their hands. Once, when she noticed a camera aimed her way, she posed and batted her eyes, and said, "I'm ready for my close-up now, Mr. DeMille."

Someone asked, "Nell, how come you're not up on that stage?"

"Well, I don't know know. I guess they're trying to cut poor Grandma out of the deal. Ungrateful wretches!"

She turned to a nearby matron. "Anita, you got kids?"

"Not yet."

"I'd advise against against it," she said, and cackled. She had no worries, no baggage. If there was an insurrection brewing, she wasn't in on it. it," she said, and cackled. She had no worries, no baggage. If there was an insurrection brewing, she wasn't in on it.

Suddenly the room erupted into applause. The Boatwrights were marching onto the stage from the wings. The kid first, then Tara and Patsy and Mitch. Lastly here came Shaw with a great sunny grin on his face.

Tara looked down at the crowd. Everyone was cheering - even the TV crews, even the policemen and the reporters: all whistling and woof-woofing shamelessly, and melting before the radiance of her family's good fortune. looked down at the crowd. Everyone was cheering - even the TV crews, even the policemen and the reporters: all whistling and woof-woofing shamelessly, and melting before the radiance of her family's good fortune.

Then Mr. Creave stepped up to the lectern, settled the audience, and introduced some congressman, who gave a long dull speech about American values and reward for hard work. Nell, up near the front, said aloud to a friend, "Work? What is he talking talking about?" That got a big laugh. The congressman chuckled as though he were truly amused - then went right back to his thudding bromides. Tara stole a glance at her mom. She seemed all right now. The drink had done her a world of good. Her eyes were glossy, bright; she was lapping up the attention. She'll keep, Tara thought, for an hour or so - long enough to get us out of here. And Jase was afloat in his usual dream world but so what? - so long as he keeps his mouth shut. about?" That got a big laugh. The congressman chuckled as though he were truly amused - then went right back to his thudding bromides. Tara stole a glance at her mom. She seemed all right now. The drink had done her a world of good. Her eyes were glossy, bright; she was lapping up the attention. She'll keep, Tara thought, for an hour or so - long enough to get us out of here. And Jase was afloat in his usual dream world but so what? - so long as he keeps his mouth shut.

But then Tara turned to her right and saw Dad's little clenched smile. That scared her. The muscles twitching in his jaw. She took his hand and squeezed it. He squeezed back, too hard. The congressman was getting down to business now, the moment everyone had been waiting for: the presentation of the mock checks. Flashbulbs sputtered. The applause was renewed. Creave summoned Shaw up to the mike.

Shaw's jacket was too small and his tie didn't match his s.h.i.+rt, and he stood there looking kind of embarra.s.sed, as silence took hold around the room. Finally he leaned into the mike: "Well, are you, um, I guess you're wondering how I I got cut into this deal?" got cut into this deal?"

A swell of laughter.

Shaw turned to Dad. "Mitch, maybe, maybe you you could tell it?" could tell it?"

Dad went up to the mike. He seemed to totter. Running two fingers under his s.h.i.+rt collar. He said, "Well. I guess, um. What happened? Is that a couple of years ago, I. Was, um, doing some business training in Greenville? Up in South Carolina? And the church I went to, it had a crisis line? And, well, I was working in there one day, and this young man comes in, and that's, um, this young man here. And well -"

He ground to a stop. He turned to Shaw.

"You should tell it."

Tara was terrified. But the audience seemed to see nothing amiss. They were laughing; they loved watching these two shy yokels pa.s.sing the baton back and forth.

Shaw came up to the mike again. He said, "Well, I guess, I guess the rest of the story is that I was sort of nuts nuts." This won him an immense laugh. "I was having some troubles with the law, and I guess I was doing too many drugs. Well. For sure sure I was doing too many drugs. And this was, um, '03?" I was doing too many drugs. And this was, um, '03?"

He looked at Dad. Dad nodded.

"And I was driving one night and I was in a strange city, in Greenville, South Carolina, and I was kind of lonely and I, I was, well, I have to say it: I was thinking about ending my life. Because I was, just, in despair. And I went past this church, and it had a sign, that said, if you needed help? So I, I went in, and there was a guy in there. I tell you what, I didn't think I was gonna like this guy. I mean at first he seemed kind of, well, kind of mean mean."

He had to wait for the laughter to fade.

" 'Cause you know why? 'Cause he wouldn't put up with any bull from me. None of my, I guess you'd say, evasions evasions? And. So I, like I wrestled with him. I mean, I put up a fight fight. Like, you know how a smallie will fight you? Well, I know you guys down here get bigger ba.s.s than we do up north, but I like the way our bronzebacks won't ever give up. They'll fight all day, they really will. You're in a boat, they'll pull you you. And that's what I was doing - I was fighting with all my might, but Mitch here, Mr. Boatwright, he just held on. Till he kind of reeled me in. Through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. And saved my life."

The crowd was still. Tara glanced down again at Nell: her eyes were glistening. She was the farthest thing from sentimental but Shaw was being so plain and straightforward and unadorned in his delivery, that she was on the verge of tears. So was the whole room. The stillness they were offering up to Shaw stoked his confidence, and Tara felt a deep relief, a moment of warmth in her veins. She thought: he's OK. He knows what he's doing. Maybe he even believes in what he's doing: that he's some kind of Lamp of Redemption sent to s.h.i.+ne upon a benighted world. But the important thing is: they they all believe. all believe.

He said, "I'm sure some folks out there don't think there's such a thing as good and evil? But let me tell you guys, I've seen 'em both, and I know which is which. This man here. This man, this Mitch Boatwright? This man is good. good."

Shaw waited for the silence to close in around him. Then he brought his lips a half-inch closer to the microphone, and dropped his voice, and said, "So. Ever since that day, I've kept hoping to find this man again, this man who saved my life, so I could thank him. And finally I figured out how. You know how I found him?" waited for the silence to close in around him. Then he brought his lips a half-inch closer to the microphone, and dropped his voice, and said, "So. Ever since that day, I've kept hoping to find this man again, this man who saved my life, so I could thank him. And finally I figured out how. You know how I found him?"

He waited a beat. "I Googled him."

The crowd loved that.

"I gave him a call and told him I was coming through Brunswick. And could I see him? And he said, sure. And we went out and had barbecue, and I told him, it don't matter that I'm not a rich man, because now I know what my calling is. Don't matter I'm not so-called successful, because I know about real real success. success.

"And then, when he was driving me back to my car, we went past this, well like a gas station? And he was going in to buy some lottery tickets, and I said, Heck, would you get some for me? I guess I was feeling pretty good, pretty blessed, 'cause I gave him twenty dollars, which is more than I ever spent on the lottery in my life life. And then, well, then you know the rest. But that's how I come to be up here here."

Someone started clapping. Others took it up and the applause grew into a great wind of adulation which Shaw could feel blowing against his brow and running through his hair. His lungs filled up. He felt the deep scarlet pounding of his blood.

Creave opened the floor for questions.

Romeo's eyes were on Mitch. Mitch was standing on the stage just behind Shaw, and he looked all wound-up like he was about to come unsprung. He had that big fat lower lip which was just perched out there, and sweat dripped off his chin. And watch his eyes, thought Romeo. Those bulgy eyes, like eggs hard-boiling, how they're fixing on Shaw with such resentment. Bad, broken thinking going on in that brain. eyes were on Mitch. Mitch was standing on the stage just behind Shaw, and he looked all wound-up like he was about to come unsprung. He had that big fat lower lip which was just perched out there, and sweat dripped off his chin. And watch his eyes, thought Romeo. Those bulgy eyes, like eggs hard-boiling, how they're fixing on Shaw with such resentment. Bad, broken thinking going on in that brain.

A reporter was saying, "This question is for Mr. McBride. Mr. McBride -"

"Call me Shaw."

"Shaw, do you think all this money might change you for the worse?"

"Well. I guess that's, that's what brought this country down, isn't it? That's why we had the Wall Street collapse. Because of greed. And it could happen to me, yeah. I hope it won't."

Another reporter: "What are you going to buy, Shaw?"

Shaw stroked his chin a bit, as though this was the first he'd thought about the question. The audience knew it was being teased. Some soft chuckling, while Shaw held fire, held fire... and then: "Well, I'm not going to buy anything. I'm going to give it all away."

The whole room drew in its breath at once.

Had he really just said that? Had he really just committed to giving away a hundred and fifty-nine million dollars?

Then his features lightened. "Actually that's not quite true. I plan to keep back a little bit for myself. Enough to get me a ba.s.s boat."

More laughter, though now the quality of the laughter had changed. Now there were notes of amazement mixed in, and crazed ebullience. The audience was over the moon.

But Romeo kept his eyes on Mitch, and Mitch's expression was growing darker and darker.

Mitch was saying silently to himself, I'll kill the piece of s.h.i.+t. was saying silently to himself, I'll kill the piece of s.h.i.+t.

The piece of s.h.i.+t s.h.i.+t. The way he's twisting the name of the Lord to his own ends, and spreading his lies all over the world, and he thinks I'll just stand here and let him get away with this let him get away with this? He thinks I'm such a lamb that I'll let him drag the name of the Lord through the muck of his evil lies? He'll soon find out I'm not a lamb. When I take his gun from him, when I deposit a bullet from his own d.a.m.n gun into his own d.a.m.n eye, he won't think I'm a lamb then, will he? He'll change his d.a.m.n mind then, won't he?

Mitch searched the faces of the audience. One by one he located the members of his family. All here. Mom, right up front. Cousin Harry. And there's Rocket; and Patsy's brother Shelby with Miriam and their kids. And Alfred. And Will. And all of Jane's kids. Everyone. All safe. Even my friend Enoch, and Vince from Lions of Judah: my people are here and accounted for. And Romeo is out patrolling the streets - so the only thing I have to worry about is Shaw's gun. If I lunge, and come into him hard enough, I'll knock him clear off the stage and into the front rows of the audience. Then I'll leap after him. Right into the storm, into the screaming and the chairs flying, and he'll be confused by the fall, so I'll just grab the gun from his holster and put it to his skull and shoot him, and the b.a.s.t.a.r.d won't seem like Mother Teresa then then, will he? But here you go, watch this, here's a special delivery to h.e.l.l h.e.l.l, a.s.shole.

And I will do it. I'll do it now.

You think I'm a lamb?

Your time for thinking that is about up.

Romeo was praying: Shaw, turn around. Right behind you, the f.u.c.ker's gone psycho; turn around and look at him! was praying: Shaw, turn around. Right behind you, the f.u.c.ker's gone psycho; turn around and look at him! Turn around! Turn around!

But Shaw was running on and on about the ba.s.s boat he was going to buy, how he wanted it to have a four-stroke Verado engine, a Humminbird Fishfinder, etc. He was oblivious to everything but the sound of his own voice and the love coming back at him from the crowd. Completely ignoring Mitch. Mitch's popeyed glare reminded Romeo of the animal in the wheel well. That man wants revenge. He wants his dignity back. He's desperate for some bloodletting here, and he knows his family's safe, and he'll make his move any second. any second. He'll rush Shaw and knock him down and take his gun from him and kill him. And then I'll have to kill Mitch, and the porks will have to kill He'll rush Shaw and knock him down and take his gun from him and kill him. And then I'll have to kill Mitch, and the porks will have to kill me me, and everything will be pointless and blacked-out and waves of s.h.i.+t forever.

A reporter asked: "Mr. Boatwright?"

It took Mitch a moment to realize the question was for him.

"Mr. Boatwright, you saved this boy's soul, and now he says he's going to give away all this money - do you, would you call this a miracle?"

Slowly Mitch approached the mike. And muttered into it, "A miracle miracle?"

Then he fell silent. Scarily silent, like he couldn't even speak speak, he was so full of venom.

And then right there in front of everyone, he turned and glowered at Shaw. Shaw's grin evaporated. A hush fell over the audience. It was like a shadow, a huge cold shadow descending over this hall. And Romeo knew he had to do something something, anything, and right now.

He found himself stepping forward: "CAN I I ASK SOMETHING? I GOT A QUESTION!" ASK SOMETHING? I GOT A QUESTION!"

Mitch was taken aback.

Romeo shouted: "I GOT A QUESTION FOR TARA! TARA, DON'T YOU THINK YOUR DADDY'S ANGRY? AT HAVING TO SHARE THIS MONEY?"

Tara turned to him. And recognized him.

The Lottery guy was scolding from the corner of the stage, "Sir, there's a line here! There are questioners ahead of you -"

But there was nothing in Romeo's thoughts except the message he was sending to Tara: I'm here I'm here.

He boomed out: "YOUR DADDY'S GOTTA BE p.i.s.sED! HERE'S ALL THIS MONEY, AND THIS STRANGER'S GONNA THROW IT AWAY, AND IF IT WERE ME I WOULDN'T LET ANYBODY SHARE MY MY MONEY!" MONEY!"

None of it came out with any coherence, but he didn't care. All that mattered was: I'm here. I'm ten steps from your grandmother. Stop him now. I'm here. I'm ten steps from your grandmother. Stop him now.

And he saw her starting to get it. She shot a look at her father, and she got it. There was a long moment when it felt as though the world was tottering, and then Tara put her arm over her father's shoulder and drew him toward the mike and said, "No sir, my father's not angry at all! He's just, well, we're all kind of stunned stunned, you know? But we're happy to share this prize and it is is a miracle and I'm just so proud of my daddy!" a miracle and I'm just so proud of my daddy!"

She embraced him. There was a smattering of applause, as she spoke a few private words into his ear. Romeo thought: she's telling him who I am.

Mitch looked down at him.

Romeo gave him a little wave. And pointed at Nell.

Mitch saw this. The fight drained out of him. Right before Romeo's eyes, he seemed to slump - but Tara still had her arm around him and she held him up, even as she extended her other arm to Shaw. Then the three of them were arm in arm in a row, and Tara was beaming and weeping, and the applause really got going and flashbulbs lit up all over the room. Patsy and Jase came over and the whole family was standing there with Shaw right in the middle. The audience got to its feet, and everyone was clapping and whooping, and there's no question, thought Romeo: this is is a miracle, we're still alive and it's a genuine f.u.c.king miracle. a miracle, we're still alive and it's a genuine f.u.c.king miracle.

Tara drove on the way back. They pulled away from the crowd at the inn's parking lot, and went down G Street. Deathly silence. n.o.body spoke. When Shaw sent a text message, the clicking of the phone keys was perfectly audible. drove on the way back. They pulled away from the crowd at the inn's parking lot, and went down G Street. Deathly silence. n.o.body spoke. When Shaw sent a text message, the clicking of the phone keys was perfectly audible.

She turned onto Norwich Street. The storefront churches, the ghost-town facades. After a minute Shaw got a text reply - and instructed her, "Turn here."

She pulled into an abandoned minimall. Florist, beauty salon, dance academy: all forsaken. The only store that still survived was an H&R Block, but since this was Sat.u.r.day even that was shut.

"Go around back," said Shaw.

Behind the stores, under a live-oak tree, was a huddle of dumpsters.

"Kill the engine."

She did. He opened the door and got out, and walked away, leaving them to roast in the heat.

No one said anything.

Flock of grackles presiding in the live-oak tree. Now and then one of them would drop down into a dumpster, peck around, fly up again.

When she saw Romeo she got so scared she thought she might black out. Tears came pouring out of her eyes. No one in the car could see this though, so long as she didn't turn.

Romeo was standing with Shaw by the back door to the old beauty salon. They were having a discussion, except it was only Shaw doing the talking. He was gesticulating, impa.s.sioned; his face was flushed. Too far to hear anything though. All Tara could hear was the spitting of the grackles in the oak tree.

Romeo stood there as Shaw told him, "You were right. I was a fool. I keep having faith in people, and then they f.u.c.k me over. Every stood there as Shaw told him, "You were right. I was a fool. I keep having faith in people, and then they f.u.c.k me over. Every time. time. These a.s.sholes. They don't even value their These a.s.sholes. They don't even value their own family own family - how can you work with them? I'm through. I don't care what you do to them. I tried to protect them. But that's what people are like. It's kind of a pure, animal selfishness. If you hadn't been out in that audience, they'd be dead! The whole family! f.u.c.k them. You have no idea how much I hate them. They've turned my life into a nightmare. They want to f.u.c.k us? f.u.c.k them right back." - how can you work with them? I'm through. I don't care what you do to them. I tried to protect them. But that's what people are like. It's kind of a pure, animal selfishness. If you hadn't been out in that audience, they'd be dead! The whole family! f.u.c.k them. You have no idea how much I hate them. They've turned my life into a nightmare. They want to f.u.c.k us? f.u.c.k them right back."

In this h.e.l.l of noontime heat, with such a weight of malice pressing in the air, it was a struggle for Romeo to say anything. But he finally managed: "I could try to talk to them."

"Talk to them? We have to to them? We have to punish punish them." them."

"Let me try to talk to them."