Read Online JACK KNIFED by Christopher Greyson - Free Book Online
Authors: Christopher Greyson
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“This is better for me. Really.”
He scanned the article to see whether he’d missed anything. His hand turned the knob forward until he came to the next week’s paper.
“Next article. May 20. Police are asking anyone with information to come forward. No suspects. No witnesses. Steven. Only child of Mrs. Mary Ritter, a widow…”
My grandmother. Widow.
Jack’s fist slammed down on the table as a new wave of pain washed over him. Replacement reached out for him, and he held up his hand.
“I’m sorry. My head is going to explode. My crazy mother was…she was right. And now I know my father is dead. Murdered. His father was already dead. My grandmother…she was…all alone.”
“Jack. This is too much for anyone all at once. Let’s go for today, okay? We’ll come back tomorrow. We’ve waited this long. We can wait one more day.”
Wait another day? I don’t want to give the guy who killed him another breath, let alone another day.
Jack’s fists shook on the table, and he knew he was close to smashing something. “Let’s get a little more. Can you please drive?” Replacement hesitated, but when Jack stood up, she moved over in front of the microfiche machine.
“All right. Next article.” Replacement began to read. “May 27. Police say there’s still no progress. Following multiple leads. Cause of death: stabbed multiple times. Police asking for help. Searched the area around the pond.”
“Does it give any other names? Cops’ names?”
Replacement scanned the article. “Frank Nelson. Detective.”
Jack wrote it down.
“Next week.” Replacement scanned the front page and frowned when she saw no mention of the murder. Page after page went by, but there wasn’t a single reference to the crime. She looked at Jack, but he just stared at the paper. She quickly rose and put another month in the machine. She slowly turned the knob, but that month had nothing on the murder either. It was the same with the next. After three months with no articles, Jack stood up.
“We’ve gotten everything from the newspaper that we’re going to get.”
Replacement nodded, and then turned to put the folders back. Jack ran his fingers through his hair and sipped the water. Replacement turned and looked at him. Her eyes were filled with worry.
“I’m fine, kid. I’m just trying not to go down the ‘what could have been’ road.”
“Don’t go there.” Replacement’s voice was low. “It will make you crazy; then it will kill you.”
Her words caused Jack to stop with the water bottle halfway to his mouth. He searched her eyes. Her face was stern and her gaze was steady.
That’s a road that she’s been on.
He took another sip and closed the bottle. “One more stop and then we go.”
Replacement looked puzzled, but she remained quiet.
The library was absolutely still as they walked back to the main desk. They passed a section of empty wooden desks. For just a flash of a moment, he could picture Steven sitting there, reading. Jack stumbled and stopped.
My father would have come here. He’d have…
His whole body tensed. He could see the look of concern on Replacement’s face. He gave a faint smile and a brief nod before he kept walking.
Damn it. Don’t go there. For all I know, he was as crazy as my mother.
Jack walked over to the main desk, and Mae looked even more nervous than she had been earlier.
She must have heard me crying like a baby.
“Hello. Thank you so much for the use of the microfiche. Can I ask you another favor?” Jack leaned on the counter.
“Of course, sweetie.” Mae reached out and patted Jack’s hand.
“Do you have copies of the local high school yearbooks?”
Mae smiled. “We do. Every single year. Right this way.”
She awkwardly launched herself off her tall stool and hurried in the opposite direction. They followed her down the corridors of books. Replacement stayed just behind Jack, and he kept feeling her gently touch him on the back or pat his
He scanned the article to see whether he’d missed anything. His hand turned the knob forward until he came to the next week’s paper.
“Next article. May 20. Police are asking anyone with information to come forward. No suspects. No witnesses. Steven. Only child of Mrs. Mary Ritter, a widow…”
My grandmother. Widow.
Jack’s fist slammed down on the table as a new wave of pain washed over him. Replacement reached out for him, and he held up his hand.
“I’m sorry. My head is going to explode. My crazy mother was…she was right. And now I know my father is dead. Murdered. His father was already dead. My grandmother…she was…all alone.”
“Jack. This is too much for anyone all at once. Let’s go for today, okay? We’ll come back tomorrow. We’ve waited this long. We can wait one more day.”
Wait another day? I don’t want to give the guy who killed him another breath, let alone another day.
Jack’s fists shook on the table, and he knew he was close to smashing something. “Let’s get a little more. Can you please drive?” Replacement hesitated, but when Jack stood up, she moved over in front of the microfiche machine.
“All right. Next article.” Replacement began to read. “May 27. Police say there’s still no progress. Following multiple leads. Cause of death: stabbed multiple times. Police asking for help. Searched the area around the pond.”
“Does it give any other names? Cops’ names?”
Replacement scanned the article. “Frank Nelson. Detective.”
Jack wrote it down.
“Next week.” Replacement scanned the front page and frowned when she saw no mention of the murder. Page after page went by, but there wasn’t a single reference to the crime. She looked at Jack, but he just stared at the paper. She quickly rose and put another month in the machine. She slowly turned the knob, but that month had nothing on the murder either. It was the same with the next. After three months with no articles, Jack stood up.
“We’ve gotten everything from the newspaper that we’re going to get.”
Replacement nodded, and then turned to put the folders back. Jack ran his fingers through his hair and sipped the water. Replacement turned and looked at him. Her eyes were filled with worry.
“I’m fine, kid. I’m just trying not to go down the ‘what could have been’ road.”
“Don’t go there.” Replacement’s voice was low. “It will make you crazy; then it will kill you.”
Her words caused Jack to stop with the water bottle halfway to his mouth. He searched her eyes. Her face was stern and her gaze was steady.
That’s a road that she’s been on.
He took another sip and closed the bottle. “One more stop and then we go.”
Replacement looked puzzled, but she remained quiet.
The library was absolutely still as they walked back to the main desk. They passed a section of empty wooden desks. For just a flash of a moment, he could picture Steven sitting there, reading. Jack stumbled and stopped.
My father would have come here. He’d have…
His whole body tensed. He could see the look of concern on Replacement’s face. He gave a faint smile and a brief nod before he kept walking.
Damn it. Don’t go there. For all I know, he was as crazy as my mother.
Jack walked over to the main desk, and Mae looked even more nervous than she had been earlier.
She must have heard me crying like a baby.
“Hello. Thank you so much for the use of the microfiche. Can I ask you another favor?” Jack leaned on the counter.
“Of course, sweetie.” Mae reached out and patted Jack’s hand.
“Do you have copies of the local high school yearbooks?”
Mae smiled. “We do. Every single year. Right this way.”
She awkwardly launched herself off her tall stool and hurried in the opposite direction. They followed her down the corridors of books. Replacement stayed just behind Jack, and he kept feeling her gently touch him on the back or pat his
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