“Is that right?” Eddie smiled. “I wanted to play in the NFL. I was good enough, a damn good college player. Could’ve made it in the pros. Well, maybe I could, maybe I couldn’t. Strong as an ox, good wheels, and I hated to lose—man, I hated that. But it didn’t happen, just wasn’t in the cards. You know, you’re right. I was born too late. The 1800s would’ve suited me a lot better. I’m freaking lost in this century.”
“When did you find out the truth about your brother?”
Eddie eased his gaze over to King and then checked the rear, where Sylvia had once more perched on the edge of the stern seat. Looking back at King, he said slowly, “Why are you asking that?”
“I think that’s where all this started, that’s why.”
“Oh, what, my big excuse?”
“Most men in your position would be begging for justification, a legal defense, something to explain it.”
“I guess I’m not most men, then.”
“Syphilis. When did you know that’s what it was?”
Eddie pulled back on the throttle some more, and the FasTech slowed to thirty knots. Still fast, but at least the boat’s props weren’t coming out of the water every furlong.
“When I was nineteen,” Eddie said slowly, still looking out over the bow into the distance as though he were attempting a dead-reckoning calculation. “They didn’t know I found out. They were just feeding me lies about why my brother was dead. But I learned the truth—oh, yeah, I did. They weren’t going to slip that shit by me. No way.”
“So shortly before the kidnapping scheme.”
Eddie smiled. “I can’t believe I was able to keep that secret all these years. I guess Chip was really surprised.”
“To put it mildly.” King glanced at Sylvia, but she was simply looking out over the dark waters, flinching at every burst of lightning and clap of thunder. King could feel his dinner coming back up on him, the seas were so rough. He fought through this urge to retch and said, “Did you ever confront your father about it?”
“What was to confront? He was the indomitable Bobby Battle. Bastard could do no wrong. He never admitted what he did to his own son. He rubbed his crotch against every hooker around, brought the shit home, killed Bobby and didn’t even give a crap. That sure as hell didn’t surprise me. He didn’t give a shit that he’d murdered his own flesh and blood. Damn brain dissolving, eyes falling out, teeth rotting. His last years he was in agony all the time, I mean all the time. It was like someone had taken this beautiful painting and wiped turpentine all over it. I knew Bobby was still in there, but I couldn’t see him anymore.” Eddie blinked rapidly. “Every day, man, I just watched him waste away. When he started getting really ill, I said, take him to the doctor. Damn it, help Bobby, help him. Please! And they never would. I was just a kid, they said. I didn’t understand, they said. I understood, man. I sure as hell did, just too late for Bobby.”
“I’ve heard your brother was a really wonderful person, even with all the pain and hardship he suffered.”
Eddie’s features brightened. “You should’ve seen him, Sean. The sweetest guy. He was everything I wasn’t. Before his brain started going, he was smart, man, I mean really smart. He taught me shit, helped me, took care of me. He was my big brother. There wasn’t anything we wouldn’t do for each other. The times we had together.” King watched as salty tears started to slide down Eddie’s cheeks to mix with the rain. “And then he just started getting sicker and sicker. Mom finally took him to a specialist; she never told me what the person said, but Bobby just kept getting worse. He died four days after our eighteenth birthday. Dad was gone on some business thing. Mom wouldn’t come in the room. I held my brother, held him until he passed, and then I just kept right on holding him till they made me let go.” He paused and added, “Bobby was the only real friend I ever had. He’s the only person I know who ever really loved me.”
“You said your father’s reaction didn’t surprise you. Did something else?” King asked curiously.
“You really want to know what surprised me? You really want to know?”
To King, Battle seemed like a little boy desperately eager to share a long-held secret.
“Yes, I really do.”
“That my mother, my steel-backboned dear mama, didn’t raise one finger to save her own son. Her own damn son. Now, explain that one to me, will you?”
“I can’t, Eddie. I don’t know why.”
Eddie took a deep, replenishing breath. “Join the club.” He throttled back even more. “Okay, we’re here.” As the boat slowed, King looked around to see if he could tell where they were. It was very dark and his bearings were off-kilter, but something looked very familiar about their location.
Eddie pulled a knife out of his watertight pouch and pointed it at King, who flinched back in panic.
“Eddie, you don’t want to do this. We can get you help.”
“I’m beyond help, Sean, but thanks for the offer.”
Sylvia cried out from the back. “Please, Eddie, don’t do it.”
Eddie stared at her, suddenly grinned and motioned her toward him. When she didn’t budge, he pulled his gun. “Next one goes right into your brain, Doc. Get your ass up here.”
She hobbled forward trembling with fear. He sliced through the fishing line binding her and pushed her down the stairs and into the forward cabin and shut the door behind her. He then slipped the knife blade under the line binding King’s feet and cut through it cleanly.
“Move to the back of the boat, Sean.” He shoved his pistol into the man’s back for emphasis.
“What are you doing, Eddie?”
“Just coming full circle, man, full circle. Now step up on the gunwale and turn around.”
“Are you going to shoot me here or while I’m in the water?”
In answer Eddie took his knife and sliced cleanly through the bindings around King’s wrists, freeing him. King looked at him warily.
“I’m not getting this, Eddie.”
“No, you’re not getting it, at least from me.” With a sudden thrust Eddie hit King hard in the chest with one of his massive forearms. King shot backward out over the water and went under headfirst.
Eddie raced back to the cockpit, slammed the throttle forward, and the FasTech shot off before King even had a chance to break the surface.
When he did come up, he saw the FasTech circle around and head back toward him.
King turned and started swimming away. Why hadn’t the bastard shot him and left it at that? Why run him over with the boat? As the FasTech bore down on him, King could almost feel the massive props eating into his flesh, turning the lake water red with his blood.
At the last instant the boat veered away and passed him. Eddie called out, “Thanks for asking about my brother, Sean. It just saved your life. Have a good one.”
The boat roared away, quickly turning into a speck before completely disappearing into the darkness.
King screamed, “Sylvia! Sylvia!” but it was useless. He turned, looked around, and it finally struck him why his surroundings looked so familiar. The dock he was now staring at was his dock. They were in his cove! And there sat his jet boat in its slip.
And yet the FasTech was already out of sight. How could he possibly find them in time?
And then it hit him, what Eddie had said. Full circle. He’s coming full circle.
King swam toward the dock with all his might.
Chapter 97
Michelle was flying through the darkness on the Sea Ray heading toward Sylvia’s home when Williams came up beside her.
“The connection was lost on your phone,” he said glumly.