Inside Out

49

Concord, North Carolina

Winter had almost fallen asleep lying in a lukewarm bath, a wet washcloth covering his eyes. The loudest sound in the world right then was the rhythm of the drops from the faucet as each hit the surface of the soapy water. A tapping at the door brought him around.

“Winter?”

“What, Mama?”

“Don't fall asleep in the tub.”

“I won't,” he said, smiling to himself.

“Hank is stopping by the school to pick up Rush on his way here.”

Winter smiled. “So Hank is coming up.”

“Well, that's what I said.”

He heard her close the bedroom door, then reopen it.

“You forget something?” Winter called, his eyes still shut behind the washcloth.

“Wash behind your ears.”

Winter let the water drain before he stood and took a hot shower. He was dressing when he heard a car pull into the driveway. Seconds later the back door opened and Lydia called out a welcome. Winter listened to Nemo's barks, Hank's booming voice, and his son's words, filtering through it all like notes from a flute. He slipped into loafers and hurried to the kitchen.

“Is it cool for twelve-year-olds to give their father a hug?”

Rush immediately put a clench hold around Winter's middle, while Nemo stood on his hind legs, put his forepaws on Winter's back, and licked any skin within reach of his long tongue. “I'm not twelve yet,” he squealed.

“Nemo, get down!” Lydia said.

“This is some homecoming.” Winter turned his gaze to Hank.

“Chief marshal called me to say you were heading home.”

Lydia's face reflected an insatiable curiosity, but she didn't ask any questions. “Dinner will be ready in an hour. Y'all get out of my way. Go on out to the living room.”

“I knew you'd make it home for my birthday,” Rush told Winter. “Gram said you probably couldn't, but I knew you wouldn't go back on your word.”

It took all of Winter's resolve not to burst into tears.

After dinner they sat out on the front porch. Winter and Rush were on the swing, Hank Trammel and Lydia sat in rocking chairs.

“Where were you, Daddy?” Rush asked.

“Not sure, exactly.”

“Doing what?”

“I did some sitting around on a porch sort of like this. I ate, I slept, I ran, did push-ups and sit-ups. Ate more. Slept some more. Sat, talked. Listened.” He battled back memories of the dead WITSEC crew and the treacherous flight across Rook Island.

“Didn't hunt down any bad guys and arrest 'em?”

“Didn't make a single arrest the whole time I was gone. I'll have to make two arrests next trip out.”

“Bet you will, too!” Rush exclaimed.

Winter usually told the boy what he had been up to, sparing him the hard-core details. He liked for Rush to believe that being a deputy marshal was no more dangerous than strolling through Walt Disney World, which was mostly the case.

“Rush,” Lydia said, stretching. “Let's get you to bed. Let the old men jabber.” After only a mild protest, Rush kissed Winter and went inside, Nemo trailing behind.

“Not all night, y'all,” Lydia cautioned the two men.

As soon as Lydia was safely inside, Trammel pulled a flask from his coat pocket and poured a couple of ounces into his glass. “Chill in the air,” he offered as an explanation. There was a silence while Trammel savored the golden liquid. “Whiskey's a lot like pussy.”

“I know, Hank. The worst you ever had was wonderful. Sort of like comparing apples to house slippers.”

“You think? They're both sure as hell a great comfort. You want a sip?”

“No thank you.”

“Shapiro told me what happened.”

“He did?” That was a surprise.

“Yeah, he thought you ought to have somebody to talk to, if you were of a mind to.”

“Not much to say about it. Nothing I can change by talking. I'm fine.”

“You did your job. You got nothing to regret.”

“My luck is going to run out one of these days, and where'll that leave Rush? We both know I could end up like Greg. I think I should consider a career change.”

“I 'spect Miss Eleanor would pitch a fit if you show up in heaven too soon.”

“She'd kick my ass,” Winter agreed.

“It's getting ready to rain,” he said, screwing the lid on the flask. “Maybe you should get some sleep.”

“I know.”

“I'm real sorry about Greg. Wish I'd known him better. Any people?”

“No family. His mother abandoned him. He was raised by his grandmother. She's dead. Nobody closer than me, far as I know.”

“You going to tell Rush?”

“I shouldn't until they release the names.” Winter knew that he wasn't up to that yet. It just didn't seem right for someone so young to have been through so much suffering, to have lost so much.

“I doubt it'll be a secret for long, media being the way it is.”

Winter walked Hank out to his car and stood in the driveway watching him drive away.

After he locked the back door, Winter went to his room and lay in bed, tired but unable to sleep. The rain started to fall in torrents. Thunder crashed and the sky lit as though artillery shells were being lobbed. Winter's door opened slowly and he turned and stared at the shapes framed in the doorway.

“What's up, Rush?”

“Aw, Nemo's scared. You can't reason with him when he's like this.”

“I imagine I can bunk down a good deputy and his sidekick.”

Winter knew the dog could sleep on an operating rifle range. Rush wasn't going to admit his fear of lightning. From the time he was an infant he had never stayed in a room alone during a storm. Not being able to see the flashes made it worse because there was no warning of any kind for him before the crashing booms.

Winter threw the covers back for Rush. Nemo curled up on the floor. Father and son lay shoulder to shoulder listening to the storm rage outside.