Family Ties. Ernest Hill

I said.

      He paused. I could see that he was getting angry.

      “Why don’t you think of somebody besides yourself for once in your life? This ain’t about you. And it ain’t about me. This is about your brother.”

      I didn’t answer.

      “Alright,” he said. “Suit yourself. But if something goes wrong, it’s on your head, not mine.”

      I remained quiet.

      “Look…You don’t have to tell me where he is—just tell me if he has contacted you.”

      I still remained quiet.

      “Has anyone told you anything?”

      I turned my head and looked away.

      “Son—”

      “Leave me alone!” I shouted.

      “Alright,” he said with a sigh. “I’ll leave you alone.”

      “Thank you!” I said.

      He turned to leave, then stopped.

      “If I get to Curtis before they do, I’ll do what I can for him. When you talk to him, let him know I said that.”

      He paused again and waited, but when I didn’t answer, he shook his head and left. A few minutes later, Peaches returned to the table.

      “Was that Sonny?” she asked.

      “Yeah,” I said. “That was him.” I paused. “Do you know him too?”

      “Not really,” she said, shaking her head. “I see him around town, and he goes to our church, but I wouldn’t say that I know him.” She looked at me, puzzled. “What did he want?”

      “He was just sweating me,” I said. “That’s all.” I paused and looked at her. She was carrying her cell phone. “Did you get him?”

      “I got him,” she said.

      “What did he say?”

      “He can see you.”

      “When?”

      “Right now.”

      “Great!” I said. I pushed away from the table, then rose to leave. “Are you coming with me?” I asked her.

      “If you want me to.”

      “I do,” I said. “But one thing.”

      “What’s that?”

      “Let’s take your car,” I said. “I think they’re following me.”

      “I think you’re right,” she said.

      I looked at her and then at the rear door.

      “I’ll leave my truck here and meet you behind Pizza Hut.”

      “Okay.”

      I turned to leave.

      “D’Ray,” she called to me. I turned back and looked at her. She was fiddling with her hands.

      “I hope this doesn’t sound out of place. But I’m glad you’re back. I missed you so much. I hope you don’t mind me telling you that.”

      “I don’t,” I said.

      She smiled. “Good…because I really missed you.”

      “I missed you too.”

      “If you missed me,” she said, “why didn’t you look for me?”

      “You mean after I got out?”

      “Yes.”

      “I guess I was afraid.”

      “Afraid of what?”

      “Of what I might find.”

      “You shouldn’t have been,” she said. “I know we were young. But we were in love. You should have trusted that. D’Ray, my feelings for you were real. They still are.”

      “I didn’t know.”

      “Now you do.” She smiled and kissed me on the cheek. “Let’s go see Reverend Jacobs, and after this is all over, maybe we can sit down and talk about us.”

      “Alright,” I said. “I would like that.”

      After she left, I exited through the rear door and walked along the lake for a few blocks before crossing the street and making my way back to Pizza Hut. And as promised, she was waiting for me in the rear parking lot. I climbed inside her car, and we headed back to Brownsville. And every now and then, as the car gobbled up the highway, I secretly stole a glance at her. And though I did not say it, my feelings for her had not changed either. I had never stopped loving her.

      6

      At the church, we found Reverend Jacobs sitting behind his desk, reading over some papers. When he saw us, he rose to his feet.

      “You made it,” he said.

      “Yes, sir,” Peaches said. Then she paused and looked at me. “This is the young man I spoke to you about.”

      I stepped forward and extended my hand. “I’m D’Ray,” I said. “D’Ray Reid.”

      “Pleased to meet you, Mr. Reid,” Reverend Jacobs said; then he shook my hand and motioned to two chairs that had been positioned before his desk. “Please, have a seat.”

      We sat, and as we did, I studied the man. He was a little younger than I had anticipated. I guessed he was in his late thirties or early forties. He was a well-groomed man with a cleanly shaven head. He was wearing a nylon jogging suit, and from his build, it appeared that at one time or another, he could have been a serious athlete. Once we were settled, Reverend Jacobs sat in his chair again, leaned back, and looked directly at me.

      “Miss Lewis tells me you want to talk about Curtis.”

      “Yes, sir,” I said. “I don’t know if you know it, but he escaped last night.”

      “Actually, it was early this morning,” the reverend corrected me.

      “So you heard?”

      “The police called me around three a.m. They wanted to know if I had talked to him or if I had any idea where he might be.”

      “Do you?”

      “No, I don’t.”

      “That’s too bad,” I said, sighing deeply. “I was hoping you did.”

      “I’m sorry,” he said. “But I don’t have a clue.”

      “Do you think he’s still in town?” Peaches asked softly.

      “I don’t know,” Reverend Jacobs said. “But if he hasn’t made it out of the city by now, chances are he won’t.”

      “Why do you say that?” she asked.

      “From my understanding, most of the roads are blocked and the chief has called in the state police.”

      “The state police!” she exclaimed.

      “That’s what I heard.”

      “My God!” she said.

      “I also received a phone call from the mayor about an hour or so ago. According to him, the town has been cordoned off, and the police have been ordered to search every dwelling in Brownsville.”

      “Do you think someone is hiding him?” she asked.

      “I don’t know,” Reverend Jacobs said. “It’s possible.”

      “Maybe he’s held up in the woods?” Peaches said.

      “I doubt it,” Reverend Jacobs said. “This is May. The