It was nine o'clock by Charlie's watch when he heard the soft crunch of footsteps on the gravel drive. He'd been sitting on the porch for almost an hour now wondering when Lyle would show up.

The boys had been upstairs all that time silently playing cards on the bed. The shades were drawn around the house in case Lyle decided to sneak up from the side but Charlie knew it wouldn't happen that way. Lyle would lose himself in the trees and so the only approach would be straight on.

Charlie pulled on the string that ran out the living room window, up the stairs and ended where it was tied to the knob of his bedroom door. He heard the door creak shut and knew the boys were alerted. The confirmation came when the string was pulled out of his hand and whipped through the window. Brad was to have wound it up out of sight and it seemed the boy was right on the ball.

Darkness surrounded the rocker where Charlie sat. The moon wasn't up yet although the yard was awash in faint starlight since the sky was clear. The porch roof kept Charlie in shadow and so Lyle didn't see him as he stepped out from the final row of trees.

Fortunately for him he's not carrying a weapon in his hand, Charlie thought. There had been a time during the afternoon when he considered killing Lyle and burying the body in the orchard. Sure would save everyone a lot of grief. But he couldn't do that to Janice. Lyle's wife was a straight shooter and Charlie was sure she had no idea about Lyle's past. She certainly wouldn't have a clue that Lyle was involved with those missing boys if that turned out to be the case.

Charlie had spent that quiet hour in the dark thinking about why Lyle, or any man for that matter, would kidnap and kill a boy. It had to be more than just the sex. He was sure it was about control and in Lyle's case a lot more about revenge. Lyle had been humiliated in high school and Charlie still felt somewhat guilty about his part of it.

But if Lyle was the kidnapper, rapist and killer then why should I consider him sane, Charlie asked himself? And now that crazy person was walking up his driveway in the dark and he had two boys in his house that needed protection from a madman.

Lyle was halfway across the yard when Charlie spoke up. "Evening, Lyle. Your car break down?"

Lyle jumped but didn't go for his weapon. "Charlie? I didn't see you up there in the dark. The car is fine, I just thought you might be asleep and I didn't want you getting out of bed, what with that leg wound and all."

"I got some crutches now, gets me around pretty good."

"Doc told me you got shot," Lyle said closing on the porch and sitting on the steps near Charlie's feet. What was Lyle about this evening? His attitude was almost friendly.

"You mean he said I was a damn fool and shot myself, don't you?"

"Yeah, it was something like that. You all alone, Charlie?"

"I'm doing fine, Lyle. But I got me some help coming tomorrow."

"Taking that boy to Florida was mighty nice of you and then look what happens," Lyle said.

"Brian was no trouble, but Andrew wasn't even there. I left the boy with his aunt so he'll be all right. In fact it's Andrew coming in tomorrow. Boy was up in Charleston looking for work so I got a hold of him and told him to come here. I'll work him for a while, at least until I can get back on my feet."

"Andrew? That would be Brian's brother?"

"Older brother, eighteen I believe. Big kid, bit of a tough guy or so Brian tells me. Maybe a little hard work will turn his head around. Did wonders for me growing up."

"Yeah, I remember you telling me your Pop set you right with a switch off a peach tree. At least your father didn't beat you with his fists like mine did."

Charlie sat silent for a moment. "You never told me that Lyle."

"Done is done, he's long gone," Lyle said. And then from out of nowhere. "What happened to us, Charlie?"

"You mean in school? I figure we both did things we couldn't digest properly and it came back on us. I've always been sorry the way it ended. I tried to tell you that. But you've changed Lyle, both of us have. We grew up and did something with our lives, a lot of people we knew back then didn't."

"Yeah," Lyle said. "I just heard the other day that Parker will be out of prison any day now. Remember Parker? Dumb ass jock turned robber, he wasn't good at either it seems. He actually wanted me to go in business with him. Can you believe that?"

"You have Janice to keep you honest, Lyle."

"You don't know but we're getting divorced next month," Lyle said. "But please don't spread that around."

"Aw, Lyle, I'm sorry to hear that. Why you letting a good woman like that get away?"

"Her problem not mine," Lyle said. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Ok, I don't mean to be butting into your business," Charlie said. "So you came by to check up on me and rub it in a little, that's mighty friendly."

"Yeah, guess I did," Lyle chuckled. "Do you ever think about what we did back in school? I mean, did you even wonder why it all started?"

"Because we were too dumb to get dates? No, that wouldn't be it. I just think that boys go through learning stages, Lyle. We did some pretty intense things in our study of, uh, sex."

"It wasn't all that bad, was it?"

"You asking me if I'd do it all over again?" Charlie said.

"I suppose."

"I ain't ashamed to say I learned a thing or two with you, Lyle. But I don't think I want to go that way again. Look at all the bullshit guys get if anyone even thinks they might be queer. I couldn't face that, could you?"

"Suppose not," Lyle said. "Maybe I just wish life was simpler than it is. Anyway, I'm not queer, never was."

Lyle got to his feet and Charlie sensed that the friendly conversation was history. Things were back where they had always been.

"I never said you were, Lyle."

"Oh, I think you did. That's why we fought in school. You just couldn't let it go when I refused to have sex with you."

"Really? I kinda thought we both just grew out of it," Charlie said. "And I think it was the right decision for us both."

"Well think what you want, nothing has changed between us. Bye, Charlie."

With that, Lyle swung around and stomped off down the drive, kicking the rocks out from under his boots. Charlie watched as the man disappeared into the darkness but he continued to sit for a while. Finally he heard a car start off in the distance and Lyle actually laid some rubber out on the highway as he headed in towards town.

Damn, the guy was all over the place with his emotions. Lyle had actually been coming on to him. The routine was so familiar that it seemed like it had been only yesterday. The news about a divorce hit Charlie and another piece of the puzzle fell in place.

Of course, Lyle is leaving Janice. He would try and return to old ways for sexual gratification and he had come to Charlie first. If Lyle was the boy killer then after Janice left things would start to heat up. Lyle had been attracted to Brad as he was to other boys. But those others hadn't cooperated and Lyle had to erase the possibility of being fingered as the criminal. A killer cop, what could be more dangerous?

With Janice at home and his job there was no way that Lyle could have gone to the bars in Atlanta. Charlie had seen some pretty young things down there, probably illegal too. But who would have shown Lyle the ropes? Not me, Charlie thought. Besides it was too late now and after thinking that Charlie became even more convinced that Lyle had gone over the edge.

Charlie levered himself into a standing position and reached for his crutches. He heard the screen door move and saw Brad on the floor, pistol in hand.

"And how long have you been there, you sneaky brat?" Charlie asked.

"I got here about the time he said," What happened to us, Charlie."

"You're getting pretty good, I didn't hear your approach and that floor squeaks a lot," Charlie said. "And why did you think it necessary to disobey orders?"

"I have to protect what we've got," Brad said. "I heard him proposition you too, what a jerk. If he'd made a wrong move I would have put a bullet through his heart."

Charlie smiled as he opened the screen door and hobbled into the living room where he sat down on the couch. Brad went around and turned out the lights until the only one left burning was in the stairwell. He came and sat beside Charlie.

"I don't like it when you disobey me, Brad."

"So spank me."

"I understand that you want to protect me. Look what you did for Danny. You need me as much as I need you."

"I would have shot him you know," Brad said.

"Oh, I believe you. But it was a foolish move on your part, he has a lot more experience."

A little voice said quietly from the top of the stairs. "How long do I have to stay up here?"

"It's bedtime anyway," Charlie said. "And we have a lot to do tomorrow."

Charlie awoke early to the sound of water running in the bathtub down the hall. Danny, he thought. Today was the day that the boy became Danielle, the cute little Puerto Rican girl. It would take a lot of effort for the boy to maintain the charade in public but he had just the personality to pull it off.

Easing out of bed, Charlie groped for his crutches and slowly hobbled down the hall. Danny was resting in the tub and looked up as Charlie came through the open door.

"Good Morning," Charlie said. "Sorry, got to pee."

"I see what Brad likes about you," Danny said with a straight face as he stared at the halfway hard cock Charlie couldn't hide and maintain his balance at the same time.

"Pervert, I can't pee if you watch me. Have mercy on this poor cripple, will ya?"

Danny laughed. "Bastard," Charlie laughed in return.

"Did you sleep good," Danny asked. "I hope we didn't keep you up."

"Oh, I'm fine," Charlie said. "You ready for your trip?"

"I'll miss you both, but I can handle it because I know he's well cared for," Danny said. "There were a few times I wasn't sure Brad was gonna make it, you know. Streets gets pretty rough in the city sometimes. He didn't always bounce the right way."

"Then I guess he's changed. You'll do well in Detroit, I hear the town can be a tough place to live," Charlie said.

"Not for us Puerto Rican girls," Danny laughed.

"Hopefully you will be able to lose that once you're up there. I don't now what your uncle will think when he sees you in drag."

"Are you kidding, he'll make the moves on me unless his wife is around."

"Has the whole world gone fucking sex crazy?" Charlie asked.

"Don't you watch the MTV? The world has gone to pimps and ho's. Like girls have gone lesbian on one another in the bathrooms of the public high school. Boys sucking cock just to say they are bi-sexual. Goth is nothing but bad drag in black. Teenagers are loco these days, Charlie. Be glad Brad is staying here where life seems almost normal."

"You just come back in time for school and stay out of trouble. I don't want us to come up there and kick your ass," Charlie said.

"I like my men tough, too bad Brad got to you first," Danny said. And Charlie didn't think the boy was kidding either. What had made him so callous at the tender age of fourteen?

"Finish your bath while I go make the coffee," Charlie said. "Your bus leaves at noon so you have plenty of time."

Danny put a hand on Charlie good leg and squeezed. "I don't know if I can ever say thank you enough for what you did for me, big man."

Charlie leaned over and kissed the boy on the top of his head. "Just become the wonderful man I know you can be and that will be thanks enough. We'll be here waiting for you, ok?"

"I won't forget," Danny promised.

He hobbled down the stairs and out to the kitchen. He put water on for the coffee and looked in the refrigerator. Time to finish up the bacon and eggs he had and get some more milk. Kids, all they did was eat your food. Brad wasn't a finicky eater, Thank God. Maybe he'd get some more steaks this afternoon.

He walked out on the back porch and looked over at the shower. Damn, I could sure go for a nice hot shower right about now. Maybe Brad would give him another sponge bath tonight? The thought was more enticing than the reality but you had to go with what you had.

Charlie hobbled through the house to the front door and opened it. What he saw made him freeze in his tracks. Pinned to the post opposite the door was a note and he could read the words from where he stood. "You lied, fucker. I'll get even with you yet."

Lyle had come back but when? Surely it was after he had heard the man squeal his tires on the road. Had he seen Brad sitting with him on the couch? Oh, shit, he knows the boy is still here, did he see Danny too? Lyle would have gone crazy if he saw two boys.

Fortunately Danny hadn't come downstairs, he was sure. Lyle had never seen the boy. But Brad had been, no wait, Lyle thought Brad was gone. Had he gotten a clear view of Brad? Charlie looked back into the room and saw the blinds were still pulled down. From the glass panes of the front door with the lights out it would be hard for Lyle to make out the boy's features. But he thought Brad was in Florida and Andrew wasn't due until today. Shit.

Still, Lyle now knew that he liked boys. To Lyle's mind it would mean only one thing, competition for Charlie. Did Lyle still think he could turn back the clock and get back in bed with the Charlie of fifteen years ago? How sick can that be? There's no reality in any of this. If Lyle thought he could have Charlie back as a lover then Brad was in danger.

Feeling more naked, Charlie hobbled out on the porch and took down the note. They had to find evidence of Lyle's crimes and put him away for good. If the man thought he could best Charlie in a fight then he would die with that thought in mind. Killing a cop was bad business under any circumstances. But if Lyle thought he could get to Brad he was sadly mistaken.

He woke Brad and told him to get dressed. Danny was already in the dress and working on his makeup. Charlie felt like they had to get out of the house. Lyle would be back in uniform by eight-thirty and on patrol by nine. They needed to be halfway to Statesboro by then and out of Lyle's reach.

All thoughts about looking in Lyle's camper were gone, it was just too risky. When Danny was out of the picture and Brad had assumed the role of Andrew he would think about it again. But the note had pushed this thing over the edge, Lyle had declared war.

Better to take the Caddy with his leg in bad shape. At least there will be room for the boys to hide in back if needed. In fact Charlie didn't want either of them seen as they left for the bus station. At this point Lyle was completely unpredictable.

Charlie stuffed a few hundred dollars in his pocket and went outside to look around. The pickup had a flat tire, courtesy of Lyle no doubt. But the Caddy was fine tucked away in the shed. Charlie wondered if he ought to take the Mac-10 out of its hiding place and put it under the seat. No, why give Lyle an excuse to bust him?

All Lyle needed to do was put Charlie behind bars and Brad would be vulnerable. In fact Charlie was sure Lyle had thought of that very thing. It would be in their best interests to avoid the man altogether.

With Brad and Danny on the floor in the back Charlie drove the Caddy down the drive to the road. No sign of Lyle across the way but he could be anywhere. Charlie turned left away from town and followed the road out a dozen miles or so before heading down to the Interstate. With relief he pulled on and headed back for the Statesboro cut off.

The boys were riding low in the backseat, ready to hit the floor if necessary but Charlie felt like they had gone past the first obstacle. He maintained the speed limit for the next twenty miles and felt a wave of relief as they crossed the county line. Traffic was fairly heavy due to some construction on the highway but by ten o'clock they were in Statesboro.

They stopped at a drugstore and Charlie bought some brown hair dye and a toothbrush to apply the goo to Brad's eyebrows. They went down the road to a gas station where Brad and Danny locked themselves in the bathroom for half an hour. Charlie filled the tank and picked up a copy of the local paper.

Page two of the front section held a photo of Joshua, the boy found dead on the exit ramp. The ongoing police investigation had produced no further leads, blah, blah, blah. What did anyone expect? Lyle wouldn't leave any clues. He was too smart for that. Charlie looked at the photo. Poor kid, never saw it coming. Wonder what Lyle said to get the kid in his camper? No doubt the uniform was part of the act, kids were told to trust cops.

Brad reappeared with his new hair color a nice dark brown, even the eyebrows matched. Danny had been clever enough to dye the fuzz that constituted Brad's sideburns and so the kid looked like he had a five o'clock shadow. It aged him quite a bit. Now he could pass for eighteen if necessary, at least he didn't look like Brad anymore.

"Hey, Andy, you guys done?" Charlie asked.

Brad smiled at the name change. "Looks good don't you think?"

"I miss my blonde boy already," Charlie said. "Where's Danielle?"

"Using the toilet, he'll be out soon. Now he even sits down when he pees."

"That's what all the girls do, she better get used to it."

A short time later they pulled into the Greyhound terminal. Charlie went to the window and bought Danielle a ticket to Detroit. He handed the boy his ticket and a hundred dollars.

"Oh, Charlie, you give me too much," Danielle said.

"No, you need to eat and catch a cab to your uncle's house."

They sat in the waiting room, Danielle holding Brad's hand as if they were girl and boyfriend. No one would ever suspect, Charlie thought, the kid is a real good actor.

When they called the bus the three of them walked to the gate.

"Bye, Charlie. Keep my boy safe, ok?"

"I'll treat him like he was mine," Charlie said.

Danielle kissed Charlie on the lips and allowed it to linger for just a moment too long. Charlie stepped back and Brad threw his arms around Danielle.

"Good bye, Pokey, I'm sure going to miss you," Brad said with tears in his eyes.

"Don't you cry on me, big boy," Danielle said," you'll ruin my makeup. Be good, lover, and watch after that man of yours. I'll wake up every day and think of you. I'll call you when I get settled in."

The boys hugged and kissed like lovers until Danielle pushed them apart. He picked up his bag and headed through the gate. He turned before he stepped up into the bus and gave them a wave.

Brad leaned into Charlie shoulder and let out a sob. Five minutes later the bus started with a roar and a belch of smoke issued from the exhaust system. They stood watching the bus back away from the gate and then head down the driveway. Danny was gone and Charlie breathed a short sigh of relief. Having a second boy to worry about was just too much of a distraction.

They stopped at a Piggly Wiggly in the strip mall beside the highway. Charlie knew he had a month's canned goods in the pantry but the fresh goods were needed if they were going to hole up until his leg healed. Charlie considered that their best bet in dealing with Lyle was to stay at the house. The man would have to be crazy to try a frontal assault.

Brad was quiet and withdrawn most of the way home. Charlie kept a watch of their surroundings as he crossed the county line, expecting to see Lyle just about anywhere. But the patrol car was nowhere to be seen as they got off the exit ramp and pulled into Bobby Lee's station.

Brad filled the Caddy's tank with gas as Charlie arranged for Bobby Lee to come out to the house and fix the punctured tire on his pickup. He took some ribbing about the gunshot wound but Bobby Lee promised to have the tire fixed or replaced before the day was out.

Again there was no sign of Lyle as they drove down Stony Creek to the house but Charlie did see the tire marks on the highway where the man had peeled out the night before. Nothing seemed unusual until they pulled up in front of the house and saw that the front door was wide open.

"Shit," Charlie said, "the bastard has some nerve."

"He broke into the house?" Brad asked.

"Looks like it. I wonder what he was after?"

Charlie pulled the Caddy around back so they could unload the groceries. Sitting on the back porch was his gun box, the contents spilled out on the lawn.

Charlie hobbled over to the mess and looked down at the damaged pieces. Lyle had managed to demolish most of the rifle butts and it looked like he had taken a hammer to the firing mechanisms. Charlie saw the hammer lying in the grass but knew there would be no fingerprints on anything.

"He planned to leave us defenseless, I guess," Charlie said.

"I wonder of he found the Glock?" Brad asked as he went for the back door.

"Stop where you are," Charlie ordered and Brad froze. "Walk around to the front door and come through the house."

"Why, Charlie?"

"Just do it," Charlie commanded.

Brad sprinted around the house and Charlie sat on the porch steps looking at the destruction Lyle had wrought. His father's old twelve gauge was still in the attic and the M-14 was probably still under the couch.

"Charlie," he heard Brad call from inside the house," the back door is booby-trapped." The kitchen window opened and Brad stuck his head out. "He's got a rifle wedged between two chairs pointing at the door. There's a string rigged to the door knob. If I had opened the door it would have gone off."

"Don't touch anything, I'm coming around," Charlie said.

On crutches it took Charlie several minutes before he was standing in the kitchen door looking at Lyle's trap. "It wouldn't have worked, see, he broke the firing pin on this one too," Charlie said. "It was just a warning. He got my guns and that's what he wanted."

"The Glock is still there in the pantry," Brad said. Charlie could tell the boy was unnerved by the situation by the way his voice sounded.

Charlie went and checked under the couch and saw the M-14 sitting there. Good, they had one decent weapon. He would dig up the Mac-10 this afternoon and show Brad how to use it. Any thoughts he had about being reasonable with Lyle had vanished. The next time he saw the man Charlie was going to end this. He looked down at the coffee table and saw that the lock of Brad's blonde hair was gone.

"Should we look upstairs?" Brad said.

"Yes, but let's not open any doors in a hurry," Charlie suggested.

They looked in all the rooms but saw that nothing had been touched until they got to the end of the hall. There in the last room Lyle had torn the place up. Charlie's old uniform was in a pile on the floor, the Marine emblem pulled down and smashed flat, even the American flag in its case was thrown on the floor and the glass broken.

"Oh, Charlie," Brad said, looking at the mess.

Charlie sat down on the small bed he had occupied as a child. "I'm sorry Brad. I didn't mean to get you involved in this."

"You give the orders, Charlie, and I will shoot the bastard."

"No, kiddo, I don't want you to shoot anyone."

Brad came across the room and sat down on the bed beside Charlie. "He deserves it, doesn't he?"

"Yes, I suppose he does, but not by your hand. When you kill a man it takes your life across an invisible line and you can never turn back. Besides, killing Lyle would be like putting down a rabid dog. He's a sick man, Brad, and I want him to get the help he needs."

"But I thought you wanted him dead?"

"That wouldn't bring this whole situation to an end. Cops don't just disappear like that. It would cause a huge investigation. We can't go on living with people looking over our shoulders. I want us to have a life together."

"So what do we do?" Brad asked.

"It depends on Lyle. If he thinks all my guns are destroyed he may just try and take us tonight. I don't know what he has in mind but I imagine it ends up with me getting shot. I don't know that he's thought this through very well but he must have a plan."

"If he wants me then maybe I ought to leave," Brad said.

Charlie put his arm around Brad's shoulder. "He can't have you and Lyle has a surprise coming if he thinks this is going to be easy."

"We need a plan, a defensive plan," Brad said.

"Spoken like a true warrior," Charlie said. "Come on, we have some groceries to put away."

It took almost an hour to put all the food away and clean up the damaged weapons in the yard. Charlie had Brad dig up the metal box from the pit in the shed before he backed the Caddy inside. The boy dragged the box across the yard and had pushed it up on the porch when they heard a truck coming up the drive.

Brad looked around the corner of the house and yelled," It's a tow truck."

"That would be Bobby Lee," Charlie said.

His cousin had brought a spare tire along and quickly replaced the slashed one on the right front. "How'd you get this all tore up?" Bobby Lee asked.

"Oh, I rolled over an old metal fence stake out by the back gate," Charlie said with a straight face.

Bobby Lee shook his head," Better you watch where you're driving, Charlie."

"You're right, tires ain't cheap," Charlie said. "Hey, have you seen Lyle today?"

"Couple hours ago. In fact he came by the station before you gassed up and asked if I'd seen you. What you boys up to?"

"Thinking about some fishing," Charlie lied. "Don't think I can do much else while I'm on crutches."

"You better take care, Charlie. Don't seem like this has been your best week so far."

"You got that right, see you later Bobby Lee."

The tow truck backed out of the yard and pulled on down the driveway. Brad came out of the house where he had been hiding. "Did he say Lyle has been asking about you?"

"Yes he did. Why don't you back the truck up to the shed and we'll load up the peaches for the Lady's Club."

"You mean I get to drive?" Brad asked.

"Yeah, it's an automatic so you should be able to handle that."

Carefully, Brad backed the truck up to the open shed and they started to load the peaches. The bushels filled the bed of the truck and two of them had to sit on the tailgate.

"Brad, look behind the seat and you'll find some straps to hold those last two in place."

The boy climbed down off the truck bed and went into the cab. He pulled the seat forward and started rummaging around in the back.

"Charlie...Charlie come look at this," Brad said. Something in his voice gave Charlie a warning that all was not well. He hobbled around to the passenger door and looked in behind the seat. There in the general clutter he saw the straps and a small tennis shoe stained with blood.

They both stared at the shoe for a minute. "It belongs to that Joshua kid, doesn't it?" Brad asked.

"And Lyle thinks he is being very clever by setting me up. In fact I would bet that when we drive out of here with the delivery that we'll get stopped by the State police. I don't imagine Lyle will want to be anywhere around when they bust me. But when I'm gone he'll come swooping in to get you."

"What can we do?" Brad asked.

"If we destroy the evidence then Lyle gets off the hook too. I think what we need to do is put the shoe back where it came from," Charlie said.

"Back in the camper?"

"I imagine there is a lot of other forensic evidence in that vehicle. Lyle must have just found the shoe or he took it to plant on me in the first place. How would you like to go out to dinner tonight?" Charlie asked.

"You mean leave here after all that's happened?"

"Why not? I'm taking the Glock with us because it's legal although I have to carry it unloaded. Besides, Lyle expects us to drive out of here and he'll have the police waiting. Wouldn't want to disappoint them now do we?"

"Where do we hide the shoe, Charlie?"

"Go in the kitchen and get the tongs from the drawer beside the stove, oh, and bring me a roll of plastic wrap too, the one we just bought."

Brad did as he was told without question. Charlie used the tongs to pick up the shoe and watched as Brad rolled it in several layers of plastic wrap. "Leave it on the seat, it's going with us," Charlie said.

Brad pulled the truck up to the back of the house and Charlie saw the metal box sitting on the porch. "Oh yeah, I have something else to show you."

Charlie lifted the lid and Brad saw a tray of mechanics tools, some of them looking positively ancient. "Dad's toolbox," Charlie said by way of explanation. "I imagine some of them are pretty valuable by now. Lift up the tray, please."

Brad grunted at the weight of all the tools but he managed to pull the tray from the box. Underneath were more tools and a smaller wooden box. Charlie grabbed the box as Brad swung the tray back in place. Placing the box on the edge of the porch, Charlie opened it. Inside was something wrapped in oily rags.

"Go on, open it up," Charlie said.

Brad unwrapped the rags and uncovered the shiny black casing of a new Mac-10 automatic pistol. "Wow, I've heard about these."

"Copy of an Israeli assault style machine gun. There are two magazines loaded back to back. Pull one out and turn it over before inserting it back in the gun. Thirty shot capacity but at the speed this thing fires it will empty the magazine in several seconds on full auto. It pulls up a bit when it fires but I imagine you can handle that."

"Me? You want me to fire this?"

"It will stop a man before he knows what hit him," Charlie said. "If Lyle gets in here that means he's gone past me and I can't defend you. He may have a pistol, a shotgun or a rifle in his hands. You aim this at the center of the target and it will take him apart in two seconds. The safety is on the side there, when the button shows red it's on, green and you fire."

He showed Brad how to pull the slide back and tuck the folding stock under his arm or just use the pistol grip. The weapon was made for speed, putting out a lot of bullets very fast. Charlie hoped it wouldn't come down to it but Brad might have to defend himself up close.

"Where do we put it?" Brad asked.

"How about the pantry? It's on your escape route and its small enough to take down into the crawl space and still be effective."

"This is scary," Brad said.

"You bet, but the best we can do is be prepared."

Brad placed the weapon on the pantry shelf, stopping to look around the tiny room as if imagining himself with the gun and having to use it. Charlie breathed a sigh of relief. He was never sure how Brad would react to the situations they had encountered so far but this time he knew the boy was planning ahead. He turned around and looked Charlie in the eye. "I'm ready," he said.

Charlie put the Glock in the glove box and slid the clip over head in the visor. He checked to see if the permit was still in his wallet. Letting Brad drive was against the law but only a small one. If anything it would give the State boys something to talk about when they didn't find what Lyle had planted in the truck. Charlie smiled. He was just a good old boy delivering peaches and Brad was his cousin helping out.

Brad put the truck in gear and slowly the rolled down the drive way. There was no patrol car in sight. "Stop at the mailbox, won't you?" Charlie asked.

Brad rolled pretty close to the box and Charlie picked up his mail. In one swift move he slid the plastic wrapped shoe in the empty metal box.

"What are you doing?" Brad asked as Charlie snapped the little door shut.

"Never saw that shoe in my life, did you? Hell, no one will look in there until the mail delivery tomorrow. We'll pick it up later when we need it. Now concentrate on your driving, young man."

Brad drove like a little old lady all the way into town. Charlie knew Lyle was out there somewhere watching for them but he didn't see the bastard. They drove over to the Library where they found Beatrice Willows and the other ladies of the club. Each of them came out to the parking lot and Brad struggled to place several bushels in the trunk of each woman's car.

Beatrice looked hard at Brad and Charlie knew he had better give a little explanation. "The boy is a Barnsley on Dad's side of the family. His ma sent him to me for a little education, she couldn't handle him."

Beatrice gave a chuckle," Looks like you got your hands full," she said.

"Give me six months and he'll be a changed boy," Charlie laughed and Beatrice joined in.

Charlie watched the ladies all leave in their cars. It was then that he noticed the State police car across the street and saw another pull in the back entrance to the library.

"Looks like we have company," Charlie said to the boy. "Just stand there and wait for them to approach."

The cars swooped in and two officers stepped out, hands on their holsters. One of them was Johnny Johnson, or JJ as he was known to his friends.

"Hello, Charlie," JJ said.

"Hello back, JJ. Been a while since we talked."

"Do you know why I'm here?" JJ asked.

"Haven't a clue but when you go for your gun like that I imagine it's pretty serious."

"It's serious. Whose the boy?"

"Andrew Barnsley, my cousin on Daddy's side. Andy, this is JJ, used to be the best full back on the team when we were in high school. Now he eats donuts and drinks free coffee I imagine."

"Enough crap, Charlie. We were told you might have something to do with that missing kid up in Statesboro."

"Joshua Mills, I saw the story on the news," Charlie said. "And let me guess what you were told. A local bird said you would find evidence in my vehicle that would link me to the murder, is that about right?"

"How did you know?" JJ asked.

"Had to be, otherwise you guys would have been all over my place this morning. But as you can see I haven't been doing much running around," Charlie said.

"I heard about that too. Where were you this past Saturday?"

"Took Andy's brother Brad back south to his momma. Didn't get back until later Sunday afternoon where I promptly shot myself in the leg. Picked Andy up at the bus stop in Statesboro this morning. This truck hasn't been anywhere since Friday when I tore up the tire. Bobby Lee will vouch for that."

"We have to look in the truck, Charlie. Do I have your permission or do I get a warrant?"

"Always glad to cooperate with law enforcement, JJ, you know that. Take a look if you want."

Charlie sat on the tail gate as the two troopers looked through his truck. Charlie had the gun permit in hand when one of them presented the gun. The guy looked at the permit and then put the gun back in the glove box. Five minutes later JJ came around to the back of the truck.

"Find anything?" Charlie asked.

"Nope."

"Want to search my Caddy too?"

"No, the truck was specifically mentioned."

"I don't suppose it would do any good to fine a complaint against Lyle, now would it? Say, harassment?"

"He'll just say he thought he saw something incriminating."

"Funny how this all works. I've never seen anyone hold a grudge long as he has. Do you think he's acting strange?"

JJ smiled. "You're talking about Lyle, everything he does is strange. Just watch yourself, Charlie. I don't want anything bad to happen. If Lyle is up to no good then you call me, ok? Don't give the bastard any reason to arrest you."

"My thoughts exactly, he'll never get me alive," Charlie said.

"Just be careful. What are you doing with the boy?"

Charlie looked over his shoulder at Brad who was sitting behind the wheel. "For now he's my chauffeur. But look at him, what a miserable brat he turned out to be. I imagine after a few months of hard work I'll make him see the light and send him home."

JJ laughed. "I remember you can be one tough cookie, Lyle can vouch for that. The poor kid doesn't know what he's up against."

"He'll be back to normal in no time, I figure."

"Well you better get him a driver's license if he wants to stay out of trouble. I can overlook that but Lyle might not be so considerate."

"You got that right. Thanks, JJ."

"And Charlie, maybe you ought to put that Glock on the shelf where you can't reach it."

"You're just jealous because the State only gave you a Smith and Wesson," Charlie laughed.

"I guess you're right. Hey, we should go hoist a few beers some time, talk over old times. Sound good to you?"

"Sure, JJ, sounds like fun and I could use a little of that about now."

"Watch your back, Charlie. Call me."

"Will do, bye, JJ"

The troopers left and Charlie smiled as he hobbled back to the cab of the truck. Brad looked up expectantly. "Everything, ok?"

Yeah, JJ knows Lyle tried to set me up and that may prove useful someday. In fact he was downright friendly about it. What do you think?"

"You like that slender lanky type?" Brad asked.

"What, JJ? Oh I don't think…"

"That's the problem, you don't think about it enough," Brad laughed. "He's cute and I bet he's single."

"I believe he is. His family are real church people so I don't guess his being single means all that much," Charlie said.

"You won't know if you don't ask. What are we doing now?" Brad asked.

"We go home and change into our dinner clothes before we go out. I don't think Lyle will bother us until after dark."

"He's coming after us, isn't he?" Brad asked.

"He'll try. Just because his little game with the shoe didn't work out I believe he'll try another frontal assault. This time it may be his last, at least then it will be over."

Brad started the engine and turned towards the house. "Make a left up here," Charlie said. Brad turned the wheel and they drove out towards the Interstate. "And go right at stoplight," Charlie said. They drove for almost half a mile through a residential area before Charlie asked the boy to slow down a bit.

Charlie looked at the familiar tan and green house on the corner. The patrol car was parked in the driveway but he saw that the camper wasn't beside the garage.

"That's Lyle's place, isn't it?" Brad asked.

"Keep your eyes on the road and maintain speed," Charlie said. Where was Lyle?

"I got a bad feeling about this, turn right at the corner."

"Charlie? What's the matter?"

"When we get back on the highway just keep on going right past the gate to our place. We'll come in the back way."

"Charlie," Brad said, his voice quiet. "You said 'our place,' did you mean that?"

"Yes I did." Charlie put a hand on Brad's shoulder and gave a squeeze. "Let's concentrate here, Lyle is out there somewhere."

They drove past the gate and still there was no sign of the camper. Brad slowed down when told and Charlie looked at the gate in the fence half a mile down. "Stop here," he commanded. Charlie opened his door and hobbled across the front of the truck. The weeds between the road and the gate were bent over and when he looked closely he could see the tire tracks. The padlock on the gate had been cut and then put back on to look normal from a distance. He stared across the fence and saw the tracks leading up towards the back of the orchard.

Charlie hobbled back to the truck and got in. "The bastard is on my property."

He thought a minute and then smiled. "Drive on up the road and turn in to the second driveway."

"Where are we going?"

"You haven't met Mrs. Winters yet and it's about time too."

Brad pulled the truck into the gravel drive and followed the lane up to the large Victorian style house on the rise. They parked in front and Charlie looked up at the house before returning his gaze to the maze of trees in the orchard across the fence. He could see across the tops of the trees from here but there was nothing but green.

The front door opened and an elderly lady came out on the porch. "Charlie, is that you?" she said. She looked to be in her sixties but Charlie knew the truth. Elvira Winters was eighty-two years old and the picture of health. Doc once told him she never cussed, drank or smoked in her life and that the Good Book was all she ever read.

"Hello, Elvira. I wanted you to meet my cousin Andy. He'll be staying with me for a while."

"Why hello young man," she said to Brad, trying to keep her eyes off the crutches Charlie was using. Still, he could see the trace of disapproval on her face but the woman never treated anyone badly. "Won't you boys come on in?"

"Yes, ma'am," Brad said and that got him a smile.

"I was just telling Andy what a nice house you had," Charlie said," and especially how that upstairs tower could look all the way across the orchard to my place."

"Why that's true. It's quite a distance though and I can't see that far anymore even with my glasses. Would you boys like some tea?"

"Yes ma'am," Brad said following her up onto the porch. Charlie hobbled along behind and Elvira held the screen door for him.

"Heard about your accident, Charlie."

"I was just a da...darn fool, to tell the truth," Charlie said

"You sure been shooting off a lot of guns lately. You know how that affects my nerves," she said.

"I'm sorry. Lyle said you were concerned."

"He did? Well I never said anything to him about it. I knew your Pa close to fifty years and if I ever had anything to say I would just drive over there and say it, you know me."

"Thank you for being so patient," Charlie said. " So Bra..Andy, why don't you go upstairs and take a look at the orchard from the tower window. It's quite a sight, believe me."

"May I go look, Mrs. Winters?"

"You certainly may," she said and that got Brad another smile. The boy climbed the stairs two at a time and they could hear him walk across the floor towards the corner turret.

"He's mighty polite," she said, "but why does he want to look like that?"

"I got a handle on it, he'll change and soon enough," Charlie said.

"These kids today just don't seem right. I cried when I saw the story about that boy up in Statesboro. I pray for his family every night," she said walking slowly through the house to the kitchen. She took several glasses from a shelf and fetched a jug of sweet tea from the refrigerator. "Fresh made," she said.

A few minutes later they heard Brad come down the stairs. He stood in the kitchen door and gave Charlie a nod.

"Elvira, I really came over here to tell you about this problem I have. I believe some of those Mexican pickers I hired last month have been trying to break into my house while I'm out."

"I told your Pa not to trust those Mexicans when he first brought them in here. Papists, the lot of 'em. Being a good Christian woman I won't have nothing to do with them. Reverend Dennis says all they want is to steal our money and teach our young girls the ways of the devil." Elvira was on her soapbox now, "I'll have to start locking my doors again."

"Someone cut my phone line the other day," Charlie said, "and I believe they might be afraid I'll call the State police and get them deported."

"Best thing for it," she said. She was preaching to the choir now.

"I'm afraid that the next time you hear gunshots at my place that it will be me fending off those Mexican bandits," he said. "I promise we won't be doing any more target practice so if you hear any shots I want you to call JJ at the State police headquarters."

"A fine man that boy Johnny turned out to be. His daddy is a deacon in my church and was such a comfort when my Wilfred died, God rest his soul."

"They're good people. I already told JJ I was having problems so he'll pay attention and hop on over if you call him. It could happen anytime so you keep your ears open, ok?"

"Don't worry, Charlie. One loud bang and I'll be right on the phone. I even got his home number here somewhere." She smiled and patted Charlie on the knee. He winced since it was his bad leg and the sound of her laughter filled the room. "Sorry to say but we all reap what we sow."

"Your point is well taken, Elvira," Charlie said.

She looked over at Brad. "Come on over and sit a spell, I won't bite you."

Brad came over and pulled out a chair. "So, Andy, what grade are you going into?"

Brad looked over at Charlie who shrugged. "I'm supposed to be in tenth grade but I did badly this past year." He hid his discomfort by taking a big swallow of tea.

"Well there is nothing more important to a young man than his education. My late husband was principal of the high school for twenty years, you know, and that's what he always said, God rest his soul."

"And he was always a fair man as I recall," Charlie said. "Lord knows he had reason to discipline me on more than one occasion."

"The Lord knew you were cut out for greater things, Charlie, and so did my husband. Andy, did you know your cousin was a genuine war hero with the medals to prove it?"

"I heard something about it," Brad said, smiling at Charlie's obvious embarrassment. "But right now he's my hero."

"Well put, young man," Elvira said.

"And on that note we'd best get back to the house and clean up. You want any more peaches just drop by. They sure are going fast this year. And thank you for the tea."

"You're both quite welcome. Let's just hope those Mexicans realize they're up against a trained soldier and vamoose before any shots get fired. One bang and I'll be on the phone to JJ directly, you can count on it."

"Thank you. Mrs. Winters. I hope to see you again soon," Brad said.

"Why thank you, Andy. You listen to Charlie now. He has nothing but your best interests at heart."

"Yes ma'am, I know that now."

As they rolled back down the driveway Brad described what he had seen.

"There's a camper back up in the trees away from the house. Maybe two or three hundred yards, I guess. It looks like there are some other kinds of trees nearby, big trees."

"We left a stand of pecan trees near the edge of the orchard. There's a road we use to move equipment that runs past those trees, is that where you saw the camper?"

"Yeah, it looks like that," Brad said.

"So he's just waiting for us to get home. He can't get to the driveway from there without going past the house. I imagine he's sitting back waiting for us to come home and when it gets dark he'll know we are there when we turn on the lights."

"We'd be sitting ducks," Brad said.

"You got that right. I don't think he'd just want to take a shot at me through the window. I'm sorry, Brad, but I think he wants me to see how much he can make you suffer."

"That's sick, he's just like Lamont."

"A little crazier, I'm afraid. You heard what I told Elvira. One shot and she'll send in the cavalry. Even if Lyle takes a shot at me he'll set off her response and that's good. Sitting out there in the dark he could shoot at us for half the night."

"What's the plan?"

"All we have to do is capture him," Charlie said.

"Capture...? But how?"

"He thinks he has to come to us so I guess the best thing to do is go after him where he sits," Charlie said.

"That's not possible, your leg…"

"The cart is electric and silent. I'll take the orchard road and come up on him from behind."

"And what about me?"

"We don't know what kind of weapons he has. Probably a shotgun and his pistol, he likes those two. I want you to stay in the pantry close to that gun. Remember if you hear shots then Mrs. Winters will be calling the cops anyway. Might take them twenty minutes to get here but they will come. JJ knows what's going on with Lyle."

"I'm scared, Charlie."

"So am I, but this isn't going to happen the way he's planned it either. The advantage is ours. Now go ahead and pull on up into the driveway close to the house and let me out. You go get me the M-14 from under the couch and then go hide in the pantry."

"Ok, Charlie, but you be careful."

"He doesn't really want to kill me, Brad. I can talk to him."

Brad rolled the car to a stop in front of the house and went inside for the rifle. He was out in less than a minute and handed Charlie the weapon. Charlie put his fingers to his lips for silence and then gave Brad a smile. "Go inside," he whispered. Brad went to the door and looked back. Charlie gave him a thumbs-up sign and went around the side to the shed.

He had just sat down in the cart when he heard a crash from inside the house and a scream. There were two shotgun blasts that took out the front windows. Charlie took the cart around to the back of the house and crawled off onto the porch. Lyle had to be in the house, the camper was a ruse. Charlie pulled himself up and looked in the kitchen window.

The kitchen was dark but there was a light on in the stairway that lit up part of the living room. Brad was sitting on the floor beside the door and Lyle was standing over him, looking out the front door. Beside them and tied to the stair railing was Danny.

It was a shock seeing Danny there, how did he…

"Charlie, you better come in here and now," Lyle bellowed. "I got both your boys here, Charlie."

Shit, this wasn't happening. Danny's wig was off, the dress torn but otherwise the kid looked ok. He just looked terrified, and so did Brad. Charlie slid his hand along the window sill and encountered the box of matches that had been left there from the cookout. Charlie fished out a match and struck it. Looking through the window he saw Brad look his way and Charlie waved the match in front of the glass. Brad nodded.

Charlie pulled himself across to the tool box and pushed open the lid. An old crescent wrench lay on top and Charlie hefted it. Good enough, he thought. Sliding off the porch he braced his good leg against the steps and heaved the wrench up and over the corner of the house. With a crash it came down on the back roof of the shed.

Lyle leaned out the screen door and fired another round from the shotgun towards the shed. Charlie looked back through the kitchen and saw that Lyle had stepped out through the screen door and was standing on the front porch.

"You have thirty seconds before I shoot a kid," Lyle screamed.

Charlie looked at Brad and noticed he was now up on one knee. What was he doing? Danny was looking at Lyle's back and nodding. There on the floor beside Brad was the gym bag that Danny had dropped when they got back from Miami. Brad was slowly moving his right arm and unzipping the top of the bag. Lyle was looking out into the darkness for Charlie.

The flash bangs, Brad was after the remaining flash bangs. Oh kid, that is a dangerous move. Brad got a hand in the bag and pulled something out. Now the kid was armed and Lyle didn't know it.

Lyle stepped back through the front door and looked down at Brad. How was the kid planning to use it? Lyle pulled Brad to his feet and again began to yell.

"I'm gonna shoot this little bastard Charlie, I mean it. Come on out and we can talk this over."

Brad moved so fast Charlie barely saw what was about to happen before it did, Lyle was holding onto Brad's shirt with one hand and holding the shotgun in the other. Brad used both hands, one grabbing the barrel of the shotgun as the other brought the flash bang down on the metal tube. Charlie saw Danny duck down as Brad made his move.

A bright flash of light was followed by the explosion and Brad was right in the middle of it, or was he. Lyle was holding the shotgun in front of him and through the smoke Charlie saw the boy clear the kitchen door and dive into the pantry.

With Brad out of the line of fire, Charlie pulled the M-14 to his shoulder and let off a burst of three rounds through the kitchen window towards where he had last seen Lyle. But the living room was full of smoke and Charlie couldn't be sure he had hit anything. At least Danny was tied to one spot. He was still looking through the shattered window a few seconds later when he felt Lyle coming up behind him.

"Think this is fun and games?" Lyle said. He was holding the .44 magnum on Charlie. The side of his face was a mass of bloody skin and bone, his uniform was burned in several places. "You stupid shit, we could have gotten back together like before, but you've gone too far for that now."

Lyle motioned for Charlie to toss the rifle away and the M-14 clattered across the porch. Charlie turned and placed his back against the kitchen wall.

"I saw the pictures on the news, Charlie. That was some stunt you pulled in Miami, it just had to be you. Now I'm gonna kill you before I have my fun, "Lyle said." I don't know which one of them I will take apart first. Maybe the little girlie boy I caught and then your little boyfriend. You think you're so smart, but you're not Charlie. So say your prayers."

Charlie heard the bolt slide back a second before the Mac 10 sprayed Lyle with a lethal dose of bullets. Lyle's body jerked and stumbled as the bullets slammed into him, pushing him ten feet across the yard. The pistol fell as his lifeless body sagged to the ground in a heap.

Brad stood beside the porch, feet braced and the gun held with both hands in front of him. Charlie looked at the boy's face and saw nothing but grim determination. God, he looks magnificent, Charlie thought, a real trooper.

Slowly Brad lowered the weapon and dropped it to the ground. He jumped up on the porch and tore open the kitchen door. Charlie could hear him run through the kitchen towards the front, but he just sat there looking sadly at what remained of Lyle. Moments later Danny and Brad pushed through the door and sat down beside him.

"You saved my life," Charlie said. "You saved both of us."

"One good turn deserves another," Brad said and he smiled." I won't let anybody fuck with the people I love."

Charlie looked down at Brad's right hand which was black with powder burns from the flash bang. "That's gonna hurt in a little while."

"I just knew he was gonna do it," Danny said.

"It hurts right now," Brad said, "I'm just too stupid to notice."

"I suppose JJ will be here any minute, "Charlie said," what do you think we should tell him?"

"How about the truth?" Danny said, "That shit tried to kill us. He dragged me off the bus when we hit the next station. Told the driver I was a wanted man. When he pulled the wig off my head the guy believed him. I said it was a lie and that he wanted to kill me but no one stopped him because he was in that uniform."

"Maybe they'll bury him in it," Charlie said.

They went into the kitchen to get some ice for Brad's hand. Charlie saw the lights from the State Police cars flashing through the peach trees as they roared up the drive.

"You want me to talk to them?" Brad asked.

"Just answer their questions, don't volunteer anything. JJ will put it together pretty fast I'm sure."

"Charlie…Charlie, you in there?" They heard yelled from out front.

"Come on in, JJ, "Charlie yelled back," the war is over."

The inquiry for their case was moved to Statesboro on a recommendation from the State's Attorney. Lyle's relationship to the local county judge was duly noted and the Grand Jury met for only three hours. The fact that Charlie had solved Joshua's murder was widely reported in the media. The recommendation by the Jury was that they could find no evidence of criminal intent on Charlie's part, it was all self defense, case closed.

Of course, JJ managed to lose the Mac 10 during the investigation and turned in the bloody shoe which he said he found in the camper to make it easier for the forensics guys to come up with the murder evidence. It didn't matter, Lyle was dead.

For their part, Charlie, Brad and Danny sat back licking their wounds while the rumor mill in Stony Creek ground away. Mrs. Winters was asked what she knew about the shootings and denied ever being involved. Her only quote was "the Lord helps those that help themselves."

The good honest folks of Stony Creek were shocked that Lyle had tried to kill Charlie's nephew and his young friend. The church raised a college fund for Brad thinking he was eighteen and never asking the truth. They managed to find clothes for Danny too, only someone got confused and they brought him a few dresses.

Marsha's Beauty Salon stripped the dye out of Brad's hair for free and marveled at how blonde the boy was underneath. Bob's Clothing offered him new clothes if only he would burn the old black ones in a barrel out front of the store as a publicity stunt.

Brad and Danny took it all in stride when Charlie explained that this was just how folks were in Stony Creek. Once they got to like you it was hell just getting a moment of privacy. To solve that problem, they packed their bags and headed for Hilton Head. Charlie stopped at the end of the driveway top pick up the mail as they left. There were a few fan letters for the boys and a note from JJ.

"Now that you are some kind of local hero I don't suppose you'd like to go out and have that beer. There are some things I've been meaning to tell you ever since high school, Charlie. Give me a call so we can get together. Sincerely, Your friend, JJ"

"The guy sounds hot for you, Charlie," Danny said.

"Ever since high school? Oh, Charlie, and he's been here all along," Brad said.

"I guess I never figured him out," Charlie said.

"So you will go out with him?" Danny said.

"Yeah, Charlie, we could always use another hand in the orchard," Brad laughed.

"Oh you'll get plenty of time in the orchard before and after school," Charlie said. "I might even teach you how to juggle peaches. Impresses the tourists you know, sells a lot of peaches."

"Do I get my own straw hat too?" Brad asked.

"You'll need it until that hair grows back. I love you, Brad, you're the real hero."

"You really are," Danny said. "But Charlie, do you love me too?"

"I love you both, but I better save myself a bit of that for JJ if he comes around."

"Oh he will, I just have a feeling about that," Brad said with a grin.

And for once Charlie knew he was telling the truth.

There's a small town in the central part of eastern Georgia, right off the old interstate. Anyone is welcome to stop in and say hello to Bobby Lee while they fill up with gas. But if you ask him why Charlie isn't out there in the pecan grove selling his peaches he'll just laugh and tell you Charlie is too busy to sit around selling his crop this year.

What with two boys in college, it's all he and his partner can do to keep up with the biggest orchard in these parts. Then he'll try and sell you a peach pie, baked fresh by the Ladies Club and sitting in the glass case beside the door. Mighty fine those Georgia peaches, he'll say. Now why don't you sit a spell and try some of Charlie's best?


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What a Peach is © 2005 - 2006 by Chris James.
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