Robin stopped at one of the little mom and pop gas stations off the highway a good thirty miles outside of town. She did a quick scan as she had done about every thirty seconds since she’d left Matt’s place for a police car or any large blond men. She felt stupid for going to his apartment, stupid for thinking he could have hurt Chris, just stupid period. He’d done something stupid too, but she loved him.
She had always loved him, ever since she heard him speak out in Sunday school the first day she’d visited Westridge. Of course she didn’t believe in love at first sight, that was for silly romance novels. She just believed that they had been lovers in a previous life. Robin chuckled at the thought. She supposed that that sounded worse. Matt had been scandalized the first time she said it. She could even hear his voice, “That’s heresy.”
They disagreed on a number of spiritual issues. She was beginning to think though that what he had tried to tell her really shouldn’t be all that far fetched. She did believe in spirits, both evil and good. So maybe he could see them and it freaked him out and he did something that he wished he could take back. A horn snapped her out of her reverie. She’d been standing by her car for at least a few minutes and someone had got impatient waiting for her. She waived at the big white panel truck and started to fill her car.
Ten gallons of gas and a bottle of green tea later and she was back on the road. Like she told Jose, it had been a few years since she’d been out to the farm. Mama G had about twenty acres and an old farm house. Growing up there would have been amazing. A lot different than the city life she’d had. Her parents were both very “crunchy” or at least that’s what Jose always said. She supposed it had something to do with them being old hippies and some reference to granola. Anyway they loved each other in a way that she wanted to love someone one day.
Matt had invited her out to the farm for Christmas. There were a dozen people that Mama had helped raise, there spouses, their kids. Matt was the only single one there and he got teased unmercifully. It was a very traditional country Christmas and she loved it and Mama G. The little Hispanic woman loved her back. She wasn’t part of the teasing, but Robin could tell that she wanted her boy to be happy and happy to her was a good marriage and children.
After an hour of reminiscing and feeling the wheels spin under her, the road to the farmhouse came into sight. Gravel crunched under her tires as she came around the last bend. Bright lights welcomed her. An old Toyota pickup and a slightly newer Cherokee were in the driveway. A wraparound porch in light wood had rocking chairs and benches scattered every few feet. The architecture of the place was a patchwork, added on to by men from her church and the children in her care over the years. You could still see the original house under the layers.
She could hear the barking of several large dogs coming from inside the house and through the kitchen’s picture window she could see Mama and her two boys standing to come outside. She steeled herself for what she was certain would be a hard few days. She wasn’t sure why.
Mama was the first one out and her arms were wide open. Both women were about the same height, around five feet four inches tall, but where Robin had the build of a ballerina Mama G was significantly thicker at the hips and bust. Mama’s hair was silver and done up with a few bobby pins. Her face looked a little like a dried apple doll’s, lined and brown from the sun. But there were also lines brought by a great deal of laughter and not much less worry. She was dressed in a pair of khaki jeans and a plain white man’s shirt with a bolo tie. The slide made from pewter and onyx.
“Robin, you must come into my house and let me fix you something to eat. My boys have eaten already, but they’ll eat again. They’re boys.” She hugged Robin and kissed her on both cheeks. “Oh it’s so good to see you my dear. It’s been too long.” She released the young lady and stepped back.
Matt stood there looking and feeling like a lost soul. His hands were jammed deep into his pants pockets and he could scarcely meet Robins gaze.
Jose came around Mama and hugged Robin a little more gently, but with no less affection. “Hey baby girl. Good to see you.” She hugged him back.
“It’s good to see you too.” Robin looked at Matt. “All of you.” She stepped up to the pale skinned man and took him by the elbows. Her head came up to his shoulders. She tilted it back and looked up at him under the glare of the halogen. “Especially you. I was hard on you. You deserved it maybe, but I still apologize.” She released his arms and he wrapped them around her in a bear hug.
Mama patted Matt on the rump. “Okay that’s enough of that for now. Let’s all go inside.” All three of the younger adults felt something like little kids and followed her obediently.
Three adult dogs, all mixed breeds consisting mostly of German Shepherd greeted Robin with enthusiasm. Mama ushered them out the door so they could visit in piece.
The kitchen was warm and filled with the smells of good baking and hot chocolate. The walls were papered with fading pictures of fruit and vines. Pictures adorned almost every surface that could take one. There were candid photos of outings at the beach, professional jobs of children and groups, and seemingly most prized of all a score of finger paintings and crayon drawings. Old, but serviceable appliances vied for space and on the wall nearest the refrigerator was attached a large whiteboard covered with recipes, phone numbers, and various scripture passages.
The quartet sat at a square wooden table each with a blue ceramic mug. A plate of snickerdoodles was the centerpiece. Mama spoke first. “My boys were just telling me that there in more than a spot of trouble. Lord I can’t tell you how that takes me back.” Jose started to speak. “No no, I know that this time it’s more serious. You’ve gone over that. That’s not the important part right now. What’s important is that everyone is safe right now. No one knows where you are and nothing can hurt you.”
Matt thought about how those same words had comforted him when he first lived here. The foster home before this had been abusive, not sexually thankfully. That was a nightmare that he had avoided. But abuse was abuse he supposed. Now as an adult they were still soothing, but not as much. He knew that there were things, people out there that would take your soul if you let them. Still at this point he’d take what he could get. “Thanks Mama. Even if we’re careful though someone will come looking for me here. “
“So we stay here for a day maybe two, rest and plan.” Jose said. “No way that could happen in town. This fu…” he looked at Mama. “This guy that came to get you and hurt the cop and pastor Chris, we’ll find out who he is. We turn him in, if possible. And that problem is solved.”
Mama sipped her chocolate. “I don’t suppose any of you has listened to the news then?” She watched each one indicate that they hadn’t. “Things are a little more complicated. The police are also looking for you in connection with the killing of two police offices too.”
Jose genuflected. “Oh that’s bad news, bro.”
Matt shook his head. “Thanks, I got that one.”
“Boys, calm down.” This was Robin. “When Jose called me I was at Matt’s apartment complex. I saw this big blond man though I don’t think he saw me and he was sitting in a cop car. He must have done it.”
“You went to my apartment?” asked Matt. “And you saw him?”
Robin nodded. “Yeah. I’m not real sure why I did. I was a little out of it, but I pulled it together and got out.”
Matt shot a dirty look at Jose, then realized that he probably would have done the same thing. “So we need to shut this guy down, whoever he is. The only thing I have is a name, that I’m sure is bogus, and a physical description.”
“We might have more than that.” Jose said. “I have some tricks up my sleeve, but we can worry about all of that tomorrow. Right now we need sleep. Tomorrow will be a better day for us to get organized and see what we have to play with.”
Mama stood. “You boys can sleep in your old rooms.” She looked at Robin. “You can bunk in the room next to mine.” She beckoned to the girl to follow.
Jose and Matt said their good nights and went upstairs. Their doors faced each other. Jose said, “What a minute. I want to give you something.”
Matt followed him into his room. “What is it?”
Jose dug into on of the black bags and brought out a metal box. He put it on his bed, unlocked it, and pulled out a pistol and two magazines. “You might need this. Hopefully not tonight, but better safe than sorry.” He held the gun out to Matt.
Matt took the pistol first and did a quick once over. It was a Heckler and Koch Mk. 23, the standard sidearm he used in the service. There were no serial numbers to be seen and the safety was on even though it was empty. He tucked it in his waistband and examined the magazines. Each held twelve rounds and judging by the stamp on the flat part of a round he popped out, they were loaded with +P military issued rounds. “I do not want to know where you got this.” He popped the round back in its magazine and drew the pistol. It was bulky, but felt all too familiar in his hand. One magazine slid in with a satisfying click and he chambered a round, the other went into his back pocket. Holding a gun like this took him to places he though he had left.
“It’s mostly legal.” He went back into his bag and pulled out a sawed off twelve gauge. “This isn’t, but I’m a lousy shot with anything else.” He put it on his bedside table.
Both men looked around. The room hadn’t changed much at all since they were kids. It was small, eight feet square, and paneled in light colored wood. The bed was a sturdy wooden double covered in a homemade patchwork of flannel. There were no posters, toys, or anything left over from their childhoods but their memories filled in those blanks. “Well goodnight Jose.”
“Night man.” They shook hands, a double pump that drew into a hug.
Matt walked across the hall and put the gun and magazine on his own bedside table. He knelt to pray and stayed there for an hour.
Mama got Robin settled into her room providing her a flannel nightgown and toothbrush. Robin’s was the official “guest room” and thus had its own little bathroom. As tied up as her nerves were she found herself rapidly drifting off once she hit the down pillow.
Once the girl’s light was off Mama let Dog, Mutt, and Petey back in. She tidied up the kitchen and sat at the table. Sleep never came easy to her, less so the older she got. She listened as the wind picked up outside, knowing that her boys were home was a good feeling, no matter the circumstance. The dogs paced for a few minutes, checking each door and window and finally collapsing into a pile of fur and flesh.
“Good idea, boys.” She wandered into her own room and tuned out the light.
