| Mystery and Crime Fiction posted September 29, 2020 | Chapters: |
...34 35 -36- 37... 
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Being home isn't easy.
A chapter in the book Looking for Orion - 2
Home - part 3
by DeboraDyess
| Background A chapter in the book Looking for Orion |
"I'm sorry, kiddo. I'm not too good with words. Your dad could probably talk to you about this and actually make some sense."
"No." Michael looked at him. "You did fine. I kind of get it. I mean, I get that I don't have to get it." He got a handful of the cheesy nachos and stuffed them into his mouth. He chewed it thoughtfully, got it down to a manageable size and said through a full mouth, "I thtill with' He would've jus' zapped them, though."
As Jack recalled the moment, explaining each bit of the conversation to his brother, Cody watched him, showing surprise at some of the revelations, pride at others. "That's my boy," Cody smiled as Jack relayed Michael's final comment. He sobered. "I kind of agree. Zapping the Lehman clan doesn't seem like such a bad idea right at the moment. Sure would have made the last few weeks a lot easier."รข??
"Yeah ... It would have been easier ... at least on us. I don't know how the Lehman guys would have felt about it, though." Jack glanced at his brother. It felt strange, talking about it now, like those few days past were so far removed from the present.
Cody grunted and managed a thin smile.
Jack examined Cody's face, noting the exhaustion setting into his expression. "So how's it feel being home?"
Cody rolled his eyes and made a face. "Mom is driving me up the wall," he said, his voice barely audible. He shot a glance toward the kitchen to make sure he wasn't overheard. He paused, but the bustle in the next room did not stop. "Every time I move she wants to fetch me a drink or plump my pillows or something. She's got me feeling so nervous I'm about ready to crawl under the couch."
"She's just worried about you, man."
"I know, I know ... And I feel like a pouty little brat whining about his mommy."
"That's good, bud, 'cause that's kind of what you sound like."
Cody exhaled loudly and nodded, sinking further into the recliner. "Yeah, I guess I do. All I could think about while I was in the hospital was coming home, being here, but it was almost easier there."
There wasn't much he could say that would be of much help, Jack knew. He cleared his throat. "Mom says she caught you playing games on the computer this morning." He raised his tone to one of mock disgust and irritation. "Don't you know that's a business computer, Cody? That is an expensive piece of equipment, not a toy. It's not intended for your personal entertainment." Jack grinned and wiggled his eyebrows. He'd received the lecture a couple of weeks before he and Cody had gone to Deer Creek, when Cody caught him playing space games on his office computer. He'd never expected a chance to razz his little brother back, certainly not so soon.
Cody remained expressionless. "Yeah, well, business is a little slow right now."
"You're losing your touch, kiddo. I told you charm and dimples wouldn't keep folks fooled forever."
"Charm and dimples, huh? Well, you got your own worries, bucko. I bumped your name off the top ten on alien pinball."
Jack stretched again and yawned hugely, demonstrating his lack of concern at this statement. "That's computer pinball--and alien pinball, at that. It doesn't count. It's not real pinball. It's not real pinball unless you can tilt it."
"And find it in a bowling alley."
"And put quarters in it."
Cody leaned his head back and yawned. "Right. I'll try to remember that." He took a deep breath and looked around the room. It appeared the same as it had just over six weeks ago. The grandfather clock that he and Pam bought at their first auction together still stoically ticked the minutes from its spot on the landing of the stairway. Scented candles burned on the mantel, lending their fanciful light to framed pictures of every stage of his family's development, from an engagement picture of Cody and Pam to Michael's latest football pic from school. The red and gold colors of the room felt warm and familiar, but didn't make Cody feel any more at ease. He scanned the room, looking for anything out of place, anything that might indicate something not right.
His gaze came to rest on a display table beside the foot of the stairs, and he felt a smile tug at his lips. The stand held an ugly, tissue-papered, glitter-covered rock that Michael made the summer before Pam died. He could still remember the look on his boy's face and the shine in his eyes as Pam moved the fragile figurines that had held the honored spot and replaced them with the rock.
"This is true art, Michael," Pam stated, hands on narrow hips as she looked approvingly at the garish stone. "You put your whole heart into it. It belongs here, where everyone can see it."
"It sure is ugly," Jack said, looking to see what Cody was staring at, interrupting the memory. "Uglier than you are first thing in the morning."
"It sure is."
"I thought you guys were only going to leave it there for a couple of weeks; kind of the self-esteem booster thing, you know? But I think it's grown roots there."
"Rocks don't have roots." Cody glanced at the front door, dismissing the thought and trying to ascertain from his spot on the couch that the door was locked.
Jack looked around, too, feeling his brother's pessimistic mood. "Everything's the same, Code," he said, his voice soft. He made eye contact with him. "Nothing's changed." He watched Cody's face, hoping to see some change in his brother's eyes.
"Everything's changed, Jack. Forever."
"Pretty dark thoughts, little brother."
"Pretty dark days, Jack." Cody scowled down at his casted arm in utter disgust. His fingers were curled around a metal rod, his thumb positioned straight up, like an eternal hitchhiker.
"Hey," Jack leaned forward to make sure he had his brother's full attention. "You're home now."
"That's what I'm worried about." Cody closed his eyes for a momentary rest, and looked up at Jack. "I think that now that I'm home ... I think they know I'm here. I think they've just been waiting."
A mental image of the tall blonde, syringe in hand as he leaned forward, made Cody shiver. "They don't just want to eliminate people, Jack. They want to terrorize them. And now is when I'm most vulnerable. They've got me and Mom and the kids... Night's falling and..." His voice faltered and he waited, hoping Jack would laugh or say 'Oh, come on, Code!' followed by a dozen reasons he felt his brother was drifting into paranoia.
Jack looked away, suddenly acutely interested in the fabric of the couch. After a minute, he sighed and ran his hand over his moustache. "I know."
It took Cody a minute to think of something to say. He'd been counting on Jack laughing him out of his fear more than he realized. "So what do we do that hasn't already been done?"
"Catch them."
"Simple as that, huh?" Cody cast a sidelong glance at his brother to let him know it wouldn't be that simple.
"We already got two of them."
"That leaves two out there."
"So we catch them."
"And how long have they been on the FBI most wanted list? How long has Aulers been looking for these guys?" Cody's voice had risen as he spoke and he caught himself, looked again at the door separating them from the kitchen. He sighed and lowered his voice. "How long has Aulers been afraid for his family, just like we are now?"
"That was the FBI. Now we're talking about the McClellan brothers." Jack glanced at the door, too, but the women's chatter didn't change enough to indicate they'd heard Cody's rant.
"I don't think we exactly have them quaking in their boots, Jack." Cody looked at his brother and shifted, trying to find a more comfortable position.
"Yeah," Jack drawled, "but we have a secret weapon they don't know about."
Cody looked at him, waiting on the revelation.
Jack smiled. "God.'I shall call upon the Lord, so shall I be saved from mine enemies', remember? They don't know about God."
"Who are you and what did you do with my brother?" Cody attempted another smile.
"I've had six weeks, Code. First your little doctor got hold of me and made me think. And then the preacher started coming over a couple of days every week for morning coffee, answering questions, praying with me, putting up with my garbage. I got my head straight. I got my heart straight."
Cody smiled, a little more like the way he'd smiled before the shooting. "It's about darn time."
"No." Michael looked at him. "You did fine. I kind of get it. I mean, I get that I don't have to get it." He got a handful of the cheesy nachos and stuffed them into his mouth. He chewed it thoughtfully, got it down to a manageable size and said through a full mouth, "I thtill with' He would've jus' zapped them, though."
As Jack recalled the moment, explaining each bit of the conversation to his brother, Cody watched him, showing surprise at some of the revelations, pride at others. "That's my boy," Cody smiled as Jack relayed Michael's final comment. He sobered. "I kind of agree. Zapping the Lehman clan doesn't seem like such a bad idea right at the moment. Sure would have made the last few weeks a lot easier."รข??
"Yeah ... It would have been easier ... at least on us. I don't know how the Lehman guys would have felt about it, though." Jack glanced at his brother. It felt strange, talking about it now, like those few days past were so far removed from the present.
Cody grunted and managed a thin smile.
Jack examined Cody's face, noting the exhaustion setting into his expression. "So how's it feel being home?"
Cody rolled his eyes and made a face. "Mom is driving me up the wall," he said, his voice barely audible. He shot a glance toward the kitchen to make sure he wasn't overheard. He paused, but the bustle in the next room did not stop. "Every time I move she wants to fetch me a drink or plump my pillows or something. She's got me feeling so nervous I'm about ready to crawl under the couch."
"She's just worried about you, man."
"I know, I know ... And I feel like a pouty little brat whining about his mommy."
"That's good, bud, 'cause that's kind of what you sound like."
Cody exhaled loudly and nodded, sinking further into the recliner. "Yeah, I guess I do. All I could think about while I was in the hospital was coming home, being here, but it was almost easier there."
There wasn't much he could say that would be of much help, Jack knew. He cleared his throat. "Mom says she caught you playing games on the computer this morning." He raised his tone to one of mock disgust and irritation. "Don't you know that's a business computer, Cody? That is an expensive piece of equipment, not a toy. It's not intended for your personal entertainment." Jack grinned and wiggled his eyebrows. He'd received the lecture a couple of weeks before he and Cody had gone to Deer Creek, when Cody caught him playing space games on his office computer. He'd never expected a chance to razz his little brother back, certainly not so soon.
Cody remained expressionless. "Yeah, well, business is a little slow right now."
"You're losing your touch, kiddo. I told you charm and dimples wouldn't keep folks fooled forever."
"Charm and dimples, huh? Well, you got your own worries, bucko. I bumped your name off the top ten on alien pinball."
Jack stretched again and yawned hugely, demonstrating his lack of concern at this statement. "That's computer pinball--and alien pinball, at that. It doesn't count. It's not real pinball. It's not real pinball unless you can tilt it."
"And find it in a bowling alley."
"And put quarters in it."
Cody leaned his head back and yawned. "Right. I'll try to remember that." He took a deep breath and looked around the room. It appeared the same as it had just over six weeks ago. The grandfather clock that he and Pam bought at their first auction together still stoically ticked the minutes from its spot on the landing of the stairway. Scented candles burned on the mantel, lending their fanciful light to framed pictures of every stage of his family's development, from an engagement picture of Cody and Pam to Michael's latest football pic from school. The red and gold colors of the room felt warm and familiar, but didn't make Cody feel any more at ease. He scanned the room, looking for anything out of place, anything that might indicate something not right.
His gaze came to rest on a display table beside the foot of the stairs, and he felt a smile tug at his lips. The stand held an ugly, tissue-papered, glitter-covered rock that Michael made the summer before Pam died. He could still remember the look on his boy's face and the shine in his eyes as Pam moved the fragile figurines that had held the honored spot and replaced them with the rock.
"This is true art, Michael," Pam stated, hands on narrow hips as she looked approvingly at the garish stone. "You put your whole heart into it. It belongs here, where everyone can see it."
"It sure is ugly," Jack said, looking to see what Cody was staring at, interrupting the memory. "Uglier than you are first thing in the morning."
"It sure is."
"I thought you guys were only going to leave it there for a couple of weeks; kind of the self-esteem booster thing, you know? But I think it's grown roots there."
"Rocks don't have roots." Cody glanced at the front door, dismissing the thought and trying to ascertain from his spot on the couch that the door was locked.
Jack looked around, too, feeling his brother's pessimistic mood. "Everything's the same, Code," he said, his voice soft. He made eye contact with him. "Nothing's changed." He watched Cody's face, hoping to see some change in his brother's eyes.
"Everything's changed, Jack. Forever."
"Pretty dark thoughts, little brother."
"Pretty dark days, Jack." Cody scowled down at his casted arm in utter disgust. His fingers were curled around a metal rod, his thumb positioned straight up, like an eternal hitchhiker.
"Hey," Jack leaned forward to make sure he had his brother's full attention. "You're home now."
"That's what I'm worried about." Cody closed his eyes for a momentary rest, and looked up at Jack. "I think that now that I'm home ... I think they know I'm here. I think they've just been waiting."
A mental image of the tall blonde, syringe in hand as he leaned forward, made Cody shiver. "They don't just want to eliminate people, Jack. They want to terrorize them. And now is when I'm most vulnerable. They've got me and Mom and the kids... Night's falling and..." His voice faltered and he waited, hoping Jack would laugh or say 'Oh, come on, Code!' followed by a dozen reasons he felt his brother was drifting into paranoia.
Jack looked away, suddenly acutely interested in the fabric of the couch. After a minute, he sighed and ran his hand over his moustache. "I know."
It took Cody a minute to think of something to say. He'd been counting on Jack laughing him out of his fear more than he realized. "So what do we do that hasn't already been done?"
"Catch them."
"Simple as that, huh?" Cody cast a sidelong glance at his brother to let him know it wouldn't be that simple.
"We already got two of them."
"That leaves two out there."
"So we catch them."
"And how long have they been on the FBI most wanted list? How long has Aulers been looking for these guys?" Cody's voice had risen as he spoke and he caught himself, looked again at the door separating them from the kitchen. He sighed and lowered his voice. "How long has Aulers been afraid for his family, just like we are now?"
"That was the FBI. Now we're talking about the McClellan brothers." Jack glanced at the door, too, but the women's chatter didn't change enough to indicate they'd heard Cody's rant.
"I don't think we exactly have them quaking in their boots, Jack." Cody looked at his brother and shifted, trying to find a more comfortable position.
"Yeah," Jack drawled, "but we have a secret weapon they don't know about."
Cody looked at him, waiting on the revelation.
Jack smiled. "God.'I shall call upon the Lord, so shall I be saved from mine enemies', remember? They don't know about God."
"Who are you and what did you do with my brother?" Cody attempted another smile.
"I've had six weeks, Code. First your little doctor got hold of me and made me think. And then the preacher started coming over a couple of days every week for morning coffee, answering questions, praying with me, putting up with my garbage. I got my head straight. I got my heart straight."
Cody smiled, a little more like the way he'd smiled before the shooting. "It's about darn time."
Synopsis:
When brothers Jack and Cody McClellan stumble across an assasination attempt while on a camping trip, Cody is severely injured. Jack manages to rescue him with the assistance of other campers nearby. But the assasins follow them to the hospital and make another attempt on Cody's life. Thwarted by the FBI agent assigned to the very complex case, only two of the bad guys are left.
Jack, who has struggled with his faith in God since the murder of his sister-in-law, feels more disalusionment with a god that doesn't seem to be paying attention to people who love Him. But after a conversation with a do tor in the hospital, he begins to understand more about God and returnss to his faith.
Cody and the ER trauma doctor, Abby Kitman, skeem to be developing a relaitonship while he's in the hosp[ital.
(That's a t>RRIBLY written synopsis! My apologies. I'll try to come back and fix it up a bit!k)
Characters:
Cody McClellan - early 30s, widowed, father of two. Private INvestigator since the death of his wife, Pam.
Jack McClellan - mid 30s, brother to Cody. Detective in the local police department.
Laine McClellan - Jack's wife
Rachel McClellan - Jack and Cody's mom
Michael and Katie McClellan - Cody's children, ages 12 and 6, respectively
Travis McClellan - Jack and Laine's son 12.
Pays
one point
and 2 member cents. When brothers Jack and Cody McClellan stumble across an assasination attempt while on a camping trip, Cody is severely injured. Jack manages to rescue him with the assistance of other campers nearby. But the assasins follow them to the hospital and make another attempt on Cody's life. Thwarted by the FBI agent assigned to the very complex case, only two of the bad guys are left.
Jack, who has struggled with his faith in God since the murder of his sister-in-law, feels more disalusionment with a god that doesn't seem to be paying attention to people who love Him. But after a conversation with a do tor in the hospital, he begins to understand more about God and returnss to his faith.
Cody and the ER trauma doctor, Abby Kitman, skeem to be developing a relaitonship while he's in the hosp[ital.
(That's a t>RRIBLY written synopsis! My apologies. I'll try to come back and fix it up a bit!k)
Characters:
Cody McClellan - early 30s, widowed, father of two. Private INvestigator since the death of his wife, Pam.
Jack McClellan - mid 30s, brother to Cody. Detective in the local police department.
Laine McClellan - Jack's wife
Rachel McClellan - Jack and Cody's mom
Michael and Katie McClellan - Cody's children, ages 12 and 6, respectively
Travis McClellan - Jack and Laine's son 12.
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