Read Online Every Man a Menace by Patrick Hoffman - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Patrick Hoffman
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occasionally react to a shot with a slight shake or nod of his head. When it went to commercial, he turned the volume down almost all the way. He kept the car on cruise control, driving exactly the speed limit, in the middle lane. Every few seconds, his eyes went to the rearview mirror.
“You ever do one of those pills?” Raymond asked. Maybe he’d take one tonight, he thought, after the job was done. Celebrate new beginnings. He hadn’t done that in a while.
“Hell no,” said John, quietly. “It ain’t pills, either. It’s powder.”
The man was acting grumpy. Raymond turned and looked at his face. John knew he was staring, but he kept his eyes on the road. Something about the way he refused to return his look rubbed Raymond the wrong way. He wanted out of the car.
“When we gonna get there?” he asked.
“We’re getting close,” John said.
Different things that Shadrack had said passed through Raymond’s mind. I read you the very first night we met. Sure as a song is sung by a singer.
John switched his turn signal on and guided them onto the Hercules exit. Raymond suffered through a quick moment of thinking he’d forgotten his phone before his hand patted it in his left pocket. Then he touched the pocket that held the key and note. John turned left onto a road Raymond had never been on before. They headed up a windy suburban street filled with beige houses set back at intervals, blinds drawn. Raymond became more and more nervous with each turn they made.
Eventually, John pulled into a driveway. The house looked the same as all the surrounding ones. A light on inside made the blinds glow orange. John opened his door and stepped out. Raymond let himself have one second alone before he took a deep breath and opened the door.
For the first time since he’d been released, Raymond looked up at the stars in the sky. He turned and scanned the block again: no sign of anyone else. Everything was silent. There was a chill in the air.
“Come on,” said John, walking toward the house. He pulled open a metal screen door, then turned and looked at Raymond. His face was shaded; Raymond couldn’t see his eyes. It seemed like he was waiting for someone to let them in. Raymond’s nerves grew more raw by the second.
“Who is it?” Shadrack called from inside.
“It’s us,” said John.
When the door opened John placed a hand on Raymond’s back and nudged him forward. Shadrack stood just inside, his face looking either bored or distant. Raymond had to squeeze by him to enter. As he passed, Shadrack pulled his head back like a man avoiding bad air.
The room was empty, the carpet dented where a couch had once sat. Raymond smelled cigarettes. He walked to the center of the room and turned to face Shadrack. The man’s face was unmistakably sad; there was a weariness in his eyes, and his mouth hung flat and loose. Raymond’s chest flooded with dread.
“Go on down that way,” Shadrack said. He pointed down a hallway that led away from the front room. Raymond’s mouth went dry. He wanted to ask Shadrack what was wrong, but he couldn’t. He waited for Shadrack to lead the way, but the man waved him forward.
An orange glow leaked from under the door at the end of the hall. The hall itself was dark and carpeted. Raymondcould feel Shadrack and John behind him; he wanted to turn back, to run past them and get back outside, but he felt suddenly powerless. Something was drastically wrong. He decided to pray—it was something he rarely did, but right then, walking in that hallway, the darkness all around him, he prayed to God to deliver him from this situation. His fear had become complete.
“Go on,” said Shadrack, when Raymond paused near the doorway.
He reached for the door—it was cracked open—and pushed it. Shadrack and John stepped up behind him and forced him into the room. Raymond’s eyes settled immediately on the floor, but it took him a moment to process the fact that it was covered in plastic.
“You ever do one of those pills?” Raymond asked. Maybe he’d take one tonight, he thought, after the job was done. Celebrate new beginnings. He hadn’t done that in a while.
“Hell no,” said John, quietly. “It ain’t pills, either. It’s powder.”
The man was acting grumpy. Raymond turned and looked at his face. John knew he was staring, but he kept his eyes on the road. Something about the way he refused to return his look rubbed Raymond the wrong way. He wanted out of the car.
“When we gonna get there?” he asked.
“We’re getting close,” John said.
Different things that Shadrack had said passed through Raymond’s mind. I read you the very first night we met. Sure as a song is sung by a singer.
John switched his turn signal on and guided them onto the Hercules exit. Raymond suffered through a quick moment of thinking he’d forgotten his phone before his hand patted it in his left pocket. Then he touched the pocket that held the key and note. John turned left onto a road Raymond had never been on before. They headed up a windy suburban street filled with beige houses set back at intervals, blinds drawn. Raymond became more and more nervous with each turn they made.
Eventually, John pulled into a driveway. The house looked the same as all the surrounding ones. A light on inside made the blinds glow orange. John opened his door and stepped out. Raymond let himself have one second alone before he took a deep breath and opened the door.
For the first time since he’d been released, Raymond looked up at the stars in the sky. He turned and scanned the block again: no sign of anyone else. Everything was silent. There was a chill in the air.
“Come on,” said John, walking toward the house. He pulled open a metal screen door, then turned and looked at Raymond. His face was shaded; Raymond couldn’t see his eyes. It seemed like he was waiting for someone to let them in. Raymond’s nerves grew more raw by the second.
“Who is it?” Shadrack called from inside.
“It’s us,” said John.
When the door opened John placed a hand on Raymond’s back and nudged him forward. Shadrack stood just inside, his face looking either bored or distant. Raymond had to squeeze by him to enter. As he passed, Shadrack pulled his head back like a man avoiding bad air.
The room was empty, the carpet dented where a couch had once sat. Raymond smelled cigarettes. He walked to the center of the room and turned to face Shadrack. The man’s face was unmistakably sad; there was a weariness in his eyes, and his mouth hung flat and loose. Raymond’s chest flooded with dread.
“Go on down that way,” Shadrack said. He pointed down a hallway that led away from the front room. Raymond’s mouth went dry. He wanted to ask Shadrack what was wrong, but he couldn’t. He waited for Shadrack to lead the way, but the man waved him forward.
An orange glow leaked from under the door at the end of the hall. The hall itself was dark and carpeted. Raymondcould feel Shadrack and John behind him; he wanted to turn back, to run past them and get back outside, but he felt suddenly powerless. Something was drastically wrong. He decided to pray—it was something he rarely did, but right then, walking in that hallway, the darkness all around him, he prayed to God to deliver him from this situation. His fear had become complete.
“Go on,” said Shadrack, when Raymond paused near the doorway.
He reached for the door—it was cracked open—and pushed it. Shadrack and John stepped up behind him and forced him into the room. Raymond’s eyes settled immediately on the floor, but it took him a moment to process the fact that it was covered in plastic.
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