The First Three Rules (12 page)

Rudy stood in the kitchen surrounded by pots and pans, wringing his hands close to his chest.

“You’ve got quite a mess there,” Jon said.

Rudy smiled, then frowned. “I didn’t touch it.”

“How do you suppose the pots and pans got out of the cabinet?” Jon inclined his head.

Rudy curled in on himself. “I don’t know.”

“Well knowing how sneaky a frying pan can be, they were probably trying to make an escape.”

“Like the fork ran away with the spoon?”

“Something like that.” He patted Rudy on the arm. “Go ahead, pick them up.”

Rudy slowly bent down and picked up a pot. Jon leaned back against the fridge. “Good. Now where does it go?”

Rudy carried it to the cabinet.

“Well done. Now the rest.”

Jon crossed his arms.

“I’m sorry,” Rudy said.

“It’s okay, accidents happen.”

“But you’re mad.”

“I’m not.” He was just sorry Rudy had disturbed the moment between him and Ellis.

“Are you still my friend?”

“I am.”

“Are you still Ellis’s friend.”

The warm glow in Jon’s chest made him smile. “Absolutely.”

“Good.” Rudy nodded. “He’s going to need someone to keep his clothes from being wrinkled. It’s very important. The most important thing in the world.”

“I agree, wrinkle free clothes are pretty important. Now whether or not it’s that important, I can’t say.”

“It is.” Rudy held a soup pot while he rocked back and forth. “Ellis has always taken care of me and I need to take care of him.”

“He’ll be fine.” Jon picked up the last pot on the floor and carried it to the cabinet. “Here, I’ll put it up.” Rudy held out the soup pot, but when Jon tried to take it he didn’t let go.

“The first three rules. I broke the third rule.”

“It’s okay, it’s…”

Rudy lifted his eyes and the softness to them had turned intense. When he spoke, his words had an edge. “Don’t ever break the rules, Jon.”

Jon stumbled back and hit the stove.

“I can put it up.” Rudy grinned, looking for all the world like a giant kid again. He put the pot in the cabinet, and closed the door. “Did I do something wrong?”

“No.” Jon searched Rudy’s face. Had he imagined it?

“Jon?”

He cleared his throat and pushed off the stove. “So what were you looking for anyhow?”

Rudy shrugged.

“It had to be something.”

“The cookies. I can never find them.”

“Maybe Ellis doesn’t want you to find them.”

“I know.” Rudy clutched his fists to his chest. “But I can find anything. All I have to do is look.”

“Anything?” The cunning light he’d seen in Rudy’s eyes had to have been his imagination. Jon needed a good meal, sleep, a shower, and…He glanced in the direction of the stairs.

“Anything, Jon. I can find anything.” Rudy pointed to the cupboard. “Sometimes Ellis hides potato chips in there and sometimes he puts them in the laundry room behind the soap.” He went to the fridge and opened the freezer. “Yesterday he hid the oatmeal in here, but you put it in the cupboard.” He shook his head. “You didn’t hide it very well. Anyone could find it there.”

“I suppose you’re right. Where do you think I should put it?”

Rudy looked around. “You could put it in the stove.”

Jon grimaced. “I don’t know, that seems a little dangerous.”

Rudy walked to the back door and pointed out the window. “You can put it in the shed where I have my bike. No one would ever think to look in there.”

“Yup, you’re right. No one would ever think to look for the oatmeal out there with your bike.”

“I ride to town sometimes.” Rudy made a circle around the dining room table. “I’m not supposed to but I do.”

“All the way into town?”

“Ellis called Sheriff Marsh and he came and found me. I like to ride my bike. Do you like to ride bikes?”

“Been a long time since I’ve had the chance.”

“I could show you.” Rudy took a step toward the back door and his hip caught one of the chairs and knocked it over. “Uh oh.”

“It’s just a chair.”

“I didn’t touch it.”

“You bumped it.” Jon picked it up and pushed it back into place.

“That’s not touching it.”

Jon guided Rudy away from the table. “So what do you like to do?”

“Ride my bike.” He cast a lonely look at the shed through the window.

“Besides riding your bike.”

“Build snowmans.”

“No snow, not this time of year.”

“There should be. Snow would be much better in the summer, then my fingers wouldn’t turn purple and Ellis wouldn’t worry about my toes falling off.”

“What do you like to do indoors?”

“Do toes really fall off?” Rudy tried to walk and hold his foot up at the same time. Jon kept him from falling.

“Do you want to play a game? Read a book?”

“I can’t read. Ellis helps me write names. I wrote your name.” He pulled away and started toward the steps. “Here, I can show you.”

Jon caught Rudy by the arm and turned him around. “Ellis is resting.”

“Oh.”

“So I need you to do something indoors that’s quiet.”

“I like to color, and I have baseball cards, and I like TV.”

“Definitely quieter than playing with the pots and pans.”

“But I wasn’t playing with them, Jon, I was looking for the cookies.”

“Ah, that’s right.” He made Rudy sit on the sofa. “The elusive cookies.”

“Why can’t I find them?”

Jon shrugged. “I don’t have a clue, buddy, not a clue.” He picked up the remote and turned on the TV. “Is there a channel you like?” Static blurred the screen of every channel he turned to.

“Ellis doesn’t let me watch TV. Bad things happen on TV and I have scary dreams.”

There was a line of VCR tape running from one side of the TV stand to the next. Cartoons, G-rated movies, sing along collections. “What about a movie?”

“I can watch a movie.”

“Which one do you want to see?”

“My favorite one.”

“And which one is that?”

“All of them.”

“Well that narrows it down.” Jon grabbed the first one that wasn’t a sing along. The label promised five nonstop hours of cartoon fun. He held it up. “How about this one?”

“That’s my favorite one.”

“Then I did pretty good.” He started the movie and left the remote beside Rudy. “Okay, you’ve got a movie to watch, now can I count on you to stay here and not go looking for cookies?”

“Yes.”

“Promise?”

“I promise, Jon. I’ll stay right here. Unless I have to go to the bathroom then I’ll go and come back.”

“Fair enough.”

The previews came on and Rudy moved to the floor.

Jon said, “You don’t like the couch?”

“I like to sit close.”

“That close?”

Rudy scooted back.

“Remember, stay here.”

Rudy stared at the cartoon characters dancing across the screen.

“Did you hear me?”

“This is my favorite part.”

“I’ll take that as a yes.”

Jon took the steps two at a time back up to Ellis’s room.

How did Ellis do it? Day in. Day out. The upkeep on a house this big alone had to be a full time job. Jon’s ears were still ringing from Rudy’s nonstop chatter when got to Ellis’s room.

He was asleep with his knees tucked close and his arms crossed over his chest in a self made hug. A wrinkle marred his forehead and dark smudges made half moons under each eye. There was something else in Ellis’s expression that Jon couldn’t identify and it worried him.

The plate of pizza and paper bag from the hospital pharmacy sat on the bedside table.

He leaned over and brushed the hair back from Ellis’s face.

“Just rest,” Jon whispered. “Everything will be fine.” He kissed Ellis on the temple. The worry lines on his forehead smoothed out and a faint smile pulled at his lips.

Jon checked on Rudy and found the spot in front of the television empty. “Rudy?”

“In here.” Rudy sat at the dining room table.

“I thought we agreed you were going to watch TV.”

“I’m thirsty.”

“Can you get yourself something to drink?”

“Ellis says I’m not allowed to take things out of the fridge because if I drop them, they break and then there’s glass everywhere.”

Considering how well the orange juice dispenser went this morning, that was probably wise.

Jon went to the kitchen and opened the fridge. Rudy stepped up behind him.

“Juice or milk?” Jon said.

“What if I don’t want juice or milk?”

“Well, that’s all there is.”

“What about water?”

“You want water?”

“Ellis says I need to drink more.”

“Okay.” Jon closed the fridge. “Water it is.” He took a glass from the cabinet and handed it to Rudy. His face scrunched up. “What?”

“It’s empty.”

“Well, you’re going to fill it.”

Rudy’s gaze went to the sink then back to Jon. He stepped closer to the sink.

“Not too full,” Jon said. Rudy turned the tap on all the way. Jon turned it down. “You don’t need it blasting, just a little bit will do.”

Rudy put his glass under the faucet. “I filled the bowls.”

“What bowls.”

“Of oatmeal. Then the microwave caught fire.” Water flowed over the edge of the glass. “Uh oh.”

“Turn off the tap.”

Rudy did.

“Now you’ve got too much in your glass. Pour a little bit out.” Rudy started to dump it and Jon caught his wrist. “Not all. Just some.” He left it half full.

“I did it.” Rudy grinned.

“Now go sit down at the table.”

“I should tell Ellis. Now I can make my bed, pick out my clothes, and get a glass of water.”

Jon pulled out a chair. “Later. Right now, sit down and drink that. Ellis will kill us both if you catch something else on fire.”

There was a knock from the front door.

“Uh oh. I have to go get Ellis.” Rudy stood and Jon pushed him back into his seat.

“Ellis is asleep. I’ll take care of it. You stay here with the water.”

“What if I finish?”

“Then go in the living room and watch TV.”

The silhouettes of two men in hats hovered on the other side of the curtain covering the window. The second knock was hard enough to rattle the glass.

Jon opened the door.

The two deputies lost their cocky grins. The tags on their uniform read Louis and Russell.

“Can I help you?” Jon said.

“Yeah, we’re here to see Ellis Harper.” Russell stuck his thumbs in his belt. The smirk reappeared on his face.

Jon knew his type. High school bully with a badge. “He’s asleep.”

“Then perhaps you should wake him up.” Both men crowded the door.

Jon stepped outside forcing them back. “I don’t think so.” He crossed his arms over his chest.

“Sir, we need to speak with Ellis,” Louis said. “It’s a matter of police business.”

Jon knew his type too. The bully side kick who opted for kicking ass rather than get his ass kicked. “And I said he’s asleep.”

“Are you trying to cause a problem?” Russell said.

“Not unless you start one.”

Louis rested his hand on his gun. “We need to see some ID.”

Seemed like everyone in this town wanted ID. Jon reached for his wallet. Russell stepped back. Jon held up his hands, fingers splayed wide. “Just gonna take it out of my back pocket.” He handed it over. Russell opened it. His eyes widened and he tossed a look back at Louis.

Neither man smiled now.

“What business does a US marshal have with Mr. Harper?” Russell gave Jon his wallet back.

“No business. Just here as a friend.”

They exchanged another look.

“You plan on being in town long?”

“I suppose, considering I live here. Apparently, you didn’t get the memo.”

Louis jerked his chin at Jon. “You must be that fella renting that old cabin on the Doddly property.”

“I am. Maybe you should come by and see me some time. We could sit down together for a game of cards. Talk shop and all that.”

Russell thumped Louis on the arm. “Let’s go.”

“Well, when he’s available have him give us a call.” Louis held out a business card. Jon put it in his pocket without looking at it.

“See you around town, I guess,” Jon said.

“Yeah.” Russell narrowed his gaze on Jon as he stepped away.

Jon started to go back inside, but he couldn’t let this go. “Oh, by the way.” Both men were at the bottom of the steps now. “There seems to be a rash of vandalism happening at night.”

Russell and Louis both looked confused. Russell said, “Vandalism?”

“Yeah. They seem to like busting out the lights on Ellis’s truck. I figured they were probably just a couple of punk ass kids with nothing better to do and in serious need of an ass whipping.”

Russell set his jaw and Louis looked away.

“You know how kids are when they don’t have any manners and not enough sense to pour piss out of a boot. You two should keep an eye out for ’em. Never know when they might pick the wrong person to fuck with. Would hate to see one of those bastards wind up in the hospital with broken bones. Or worse, the morgue.”

Louis hurried to the patrol car, but Russell hung back. “It would be a big mistake for someone to take the law into their own hands. That kind of thing could get ugly fast.”

Jon took a step down. “Sure could. But that doesn’t mean it wouldn’t hurt any less, and it definitely won’t bring back the dead.”

Fear shadowed the anger in Russell’s expression. “Hope you have a good day, Marshal Foster.” He tipped his hat.” And please make sure Ellis gets our message.”

“I’ll do that.”

Russell returned to the patrol car. He picked up the radio and spoke into it. Louis scrubbed his hand across his mouth. He looked up at Jon then away. Russell met Jon’s gaze and held it while he backed out of the driveway.

The cruiser disappeared behind the trees and Jon went back in the house. Rudy stood in the foyer looking pale.

“Hey there. You finish your water?”

“Those were police men.” He pointed.

“Yeah. They were.”

“Are they going to take me away?” His nose reddened and tears filled his eyes.

Jon plastered on his best smile. “Nope. It was a total misunderstanding. Seems they had the wrong address.” He led Rudy back into the living room by his elbow. “You done with your water?”