directing men on the ground. The beating of its blades and roar of its engine reverberated off the buildings.
After ten more minutes, the all-clear was sounded. Mel was the first out in the street, followed by Nate and Deni. Donovan’s Humvee raced up and he yelled out the front passenger-side window. “We’re going on to the courthouse.” He pointed at the black column of smoke rising in the sky. “I got a report the church we were just at is on fire. Go check that out.”
Ten yards down the street, Tyrone took one look at the black smoke and ran for the cruiser. Atticus turned and ran, struggling to keep up, his shotgun in his hands.
Nate, Deni, and Mel jumped in the truck and took off behind them.
A thought suddenly came over Deni. She held her hand over her mouth. “Brian and Kendell!” She looked at Nate with terror in her eyes.
Nate responded by driving faster, passing Tyrone and Atticus on a straight stretch of road at 100 miles per hour.
Slamming on the brakes in the middle of the street in front of the burning church, Nate exploded out of the truck, followed by Deni and Mel. They pushed through the large crowd, searching for the boys. A woman pointed. The three turned and simultaneously gasped at the sight of Kendell’s charred body and Brian’s devastated smoke-smeared face.
Tyrone and Atticus jumped out of the cruiser. They were directed to the two dead men before they had a chance to see Kendell and Brian.
Atticus looked down at the bodies. “Uh, I think they’re dead. They’re the most shot-up bastards I’ve ever seen.”
Tyrone noticed the odd position the two bodies were in. He stepped around the wide circle of blood and bent down to examine their wrists. “I see ligature marks. These men were tied up when they were shot.”
Atticus took note of the crowd’s reaction and saw an immediate hardening of their faces. “Tyrone… let’s go check on the boys.”
Tyrone looked up and saw what Atticus was seeing. He stood and walked toward the burning church without a word. It was then they saw the tragedy that had taken place. They rushed to the others, but when they reached them all they could do was stand there and look sick and helpless.
Deni and Nate both held Brian. “I’m sorry,” they said. “I’m sorry.”
Nate reached out and touched Kendell with his left hand. Tears emptied from him.
His reaction to the sight of Kendell compelled Brian to forget his own grief. He held his father. “It would’ve been me, but he pushed me out of the way.”
Atticus said, “Damn it.” He turned pale.
It was one of the few times in his life Mel had nothing to say.
Tyrone stood over Kendell and held his hand over his mouth and nose to fight off the overpowering smell of burnt flesh. He heard a noise and looked up in time to see the burning cross fall from the steeple and crash to the ground. Bending down, he whispered something in Nate’s ear.
Nate seemed to stop breathing for several seconds, then he looked at his son’s smoke-blackened face. “Brian…”
Brian wouldn’t look back, casting his eyes away.
Instinctively understanding, Deni pulled Brian closer. “Don’t,” she said. “Leave him alone. It can wait.”
Nate held them both for several minutes. It took all of his strength to stand. He didn’t notice the rivulets running down his face. With the weight of the world on his shoulders, he made his way through the packed crowd and saw for himself what Tyrone was talking about. “Who shot them?” he demanded, looking around at the crowd. No one answered. He rushed back to Brian.
Brian struggled to stand. Deni helped him.
Brian croaked, “I–”
A chorus of male and female voices rose up. “I shot them. I did. I did. We all shot them.”
Nate scanned the crowd, his eyes narrow and hard. Realization washed over him and drained the last of his strength. He dropped his rifle and staggered to Brian. Silently, he held his son and walked with him to the truck.
Deni
After ten more minutes, the all-clear was sounded. Mel was the first out in the street, followed by Nate and Deni. Donovan’s Humvee raced up and he yelled out the front passenger-side window. “We’re going on to the courthouse.” He pointed at the black column of smoke rising in the sky. “I got a report the church we were just at is on fire. Go check that out.”
Ten yards down the street, Tyrone took one look at the black smoke and ran for the cruiser. Atticus turned and ran, struggling to keep up, his shotgun in his hands.
Nate, Deni, and Mel jumped in the truck and took off behind them.
A thought suddenly came over Deni. She held her hand over her mouth. “Brian and Kendell!” She looked at Nate with terror in her eyes.
Nate responded by driving faster, passing Tyrone and Atticus on a straight stretch of road at 100 miles per hour.
Slamming on the brakes in the middle of the street in front of the burning church, Nate exploded out of the truck, followed by Deni and Mel. They pushed through the large crowd, searching for the boys. A woman pointed. The three turned and simultaneously gasped at the sight of Kendell’s charred body and Brian’s devastated smoke-smeared face.
Tyrone and Atticus jumped out of the cruiser. They were directed to the two dead men before they had a chance to see Kendell and Brian.
Atticus looked down at the bodies. “Uh, I think they’re dead. They’re the most shot-up bastards I’ve ever seen.”
Tyrone noticed the odd position the two bodies were in. He stepped around the wide circle of blood and bent down to examine their wrists. “I see ligature marks. These men were tied up when they were shot.”
Atticus took note of the crowd’s reaction and saw an immediate hardening of their faces. “Tyrone… let’s go check on the boys.”
Tyrone looked up and saw what Atticus was seeing. He stood and walked toward the burning church without a word. It was then they saw the tragedy that had taken place. They rushed to the others, but when they reached them all they could do was stand there and look sick and helpless.
Deni and Nate both held Brian. “I’m sorry,” they said. “I’m sorry.”
Nate reached out and touched Kendell with his left hand. Tears emptied from him.
His reaction to the sight of Kendell compelled Brian to forget his own grief. He held his father. “It would’ve been me, but he pushed me out of the way.”
Atticus said, “Damn it.” He turned pale.
It was one of the few times in his life Mel had nothing to say.
Tyrone stood over Kendell and held his hand over his mouth and nose to fight off the overpowering smell of burnt flesh. He heard a noise and looked up in time to see the burning cross fall from the steeple and crash to the ground. Bending down, he whispered something in Nate’s ear.
Nate seemed to stop breathing for several seconds, then he looked at his son’s smoke-blackened face. “Brian…”
Brian wouldn’t look back, casting his eyes away.
Instinctively understanding, Deni pulled Brian closer. “Don’t,” she said. “Leave him alone. It can wait.”
Nate held them both for several minutes. It took all of his strength to stand. He didn’t notice the rivulets running down his face. With the weight of the world on his shoulders, he made his way through the packed crowd and saw for himself what Tyrone was talking about. “Who shot them?” he demanded, looking around at the crowd. No one answered. He rushed back to Brian.
Brian struggled to stand. Deni helped him.
Brian croaked, “I–”
A chorus of male and female voices rose up. “I shot them. I did. I did. We all shot them.”
Nate scanned the crowd, his eyes narrow and hard. Realization washed over him and drained the last of his strength. He dropped his rifle and staggered to Brian. Silently, he held his son and walked with him to the truck.
Deni
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