His mother pulled back to get a better look up at her son, probably to make sure he was all right, and then he was shaking his father’s hand and hugging his mother again, holding her head against one of his suspender buckles. Just standing there witnessing it, Brian felt a warm buzz of satisfaction that he had admittedly done nothing to earn.
He was backing away farther, trying to let the family have even more of a private moment, when he saw two men watching from the shadow of a large truck off to the side. Brian instantly recognized the posture of the taller one with his arms crossed as belonging to Agent Banish, and was surprised that he was there watching, even more surprised than he had been when the order came down to the barricade originally to let Mr. and Mrs. Mellis through. Brian moved toward the two men through the shadows under the high lights. He saw that the second expressionless man was Agent Perkins.
Brian was probably too caught up in the moment, but he felt as though he had to thank Agent Banish for doing the right thing. He said to him, “It’s a good thing you did here.”
Agent Banish showed no reaction. He did not respond or even let on that he had heard. Instead, he said something to Agent Perkins that did not involve Brian. He said, “I’ll see him” — almost with an air of regret. Then he turned and walked away.
Trailer
Banish had the two marshals wait outside, then entered his former trailer behind Perkins. Charles Mellis was seated without restraints behind the small wooden table, drumming his thick fingers on its chipped surface. He was big and eager-looking, like some dogs, and the tangled black-red beard hanging from his sideburns and crowding his mouth sprang like a disguise from his pale, freckled baby-face.
His eyes were black and guarded, probably sizing up Banish in comparison to his imagined Watson. He was a big, sloppy kid. He had wrinkled wet lips and knuckles the size of walnuts.
Banish glanced at the bed he had had no luck with. Mellis’s feet would hang over the end like tongues.
Banish moved to stand across from him. “Special Agent Bob Watson,” he said.
Mellis showed relief. He placed the voice. He was nodding.
Perkins chimed in. “Mr. Mellis, your rights as I explained them to you still stand.”
“He’s crazy,” Mellis blurted. “He’s gone off the deep end. And violent.”
Banish said, “We know he’s violent. Do you mean violent toward his family?”
“Getting there.” Mellis nodded. “Sure getting there. And it’s a change in him, in who he is, and that’s got me worried.”
“But everyone else is in good health. The children.”
“So far.” He nodded.
“Health conditions OK? Enough food, water?”
“Enough for now. Glenn’s a survivor. But he’s ranting and raving like you wouldn’t know.”
Mellis was holding Banish’s gaze and blinking slowly. He used his arms on the table to help him over the words, occasionally dropping his bearded chin to accentuate what he was saying. He appeared earnest and overly sincere, the way lonely people become when addressed on the witness stand.
Banish said, “I’m going to ask you some direct questions now, Mr. Mellis. Approximately how many guns does Mr. Ables have in the residence?”
Mellis inflated as though he couldn’t get the words out, then swept the table with an elaborate arm gesture. “How many do you need?” he said finally, blowing out a breath.
Banish nodded, encouraging him. “Why won’t Mr. Ables use the telephone we provided?”
“He don’t trust you-all. He says there’s a sharpshooter out there waiting to put one in his back. Says if I went out for it, I’d get one in the back. And he says there’s poison or gas or something on the mouth part.”
“Is he monitoring our transmissions?”
Mellis expelled another breath of relief, as though grateful that the question had been asked. It was easier to betray someone with a nod. “He’s got a whole setup in there, he knows all the government frequencies.”
Banish’s eyes stayed on Mellis’s face, trained not to react. “What about your wife, Mr. Mellis?”
“Shelley couldn’t leave the kids. Margie’s not so good now, her cancer’s back, and I knew Shelley wouldn’t leave. Margie’s stubborn too. Says she’s through with hospitals.”
“Why are you telling us all this, Mr. Mellis? What do you expect to gain from it?”
Mellis straightened in concern. “Nothing for myself. I didn’t shoot nobody up there. Not without being shot at first.”
“What happened to make him let you go, then?”
Mellis shook his head. “It finally got so that I just asked him to — can you see what I mean? — and he did. Glenn said he was letting the Newlands go because he couldn’t use them for nothing, and I saw that things were getting bad with him, so I asked him if I could just go too. Not that I’m a traitor. I ain’t, I am not.” He shook his head strenuously back and forth. “And I ain’t broke with Glenn either. I ain’t stabbing him in the back. But he’s got his kids up there under the gun with him now too, and I don’t think he’s reasoning things so well.” He was looking back and forth from Banish to Perkins. “So I thought maybe I could argue his case for him down here. I never told him that, of course. He wouldn’t stand for it and he’d probably just as soon shoot me. But when I seen those kids’ little faces. They’re all my family and I want to do right by them. Because I seen what’s coming and it ain’t pretty, nor is it safe. Because Glenn don’t bend. I see that now, he don’t bend for nothing, it’s glory or death with him, but still he don’t really want to hurt nobody. Truly, he don’t. I knowed the man for years. But you’re backing him up against a brick wall. You’re pushing his fatherhood and his manhood right up in his face and forcing him to do something he don’t want to do. Nobody can draw a line in the dirt with Glenn Ables. Not without him stepping over it and going right for your throat. That’s why I’m here now and I’m asking you — for them kids up there, and Margie, and my wife, a couple of human lives that maybe don’t add up much to you, but to me, they do, a lot. Couldn’t you just drop the charges? All he wants is to be left alone up there. All he wants is his land back and his family. If you could just drop the charges before it’s too late, and all just go away—”
His eyes were getting damp. He looked as though he wanted to stand, but he didn’t, being careful or perhaps just polite. Glistenings of spit speckled the stray whiskers around his mouth.
Banish said, “Is that what you brought me in here to tell me?”
Mellis nodded once. “Yes.”
Banish turned to leave. Perkins turned with him and they got as far as the door before Mellis said, “Wait.” He said it without rising from his chair, without any urgency. He said it almost sadly. “All right,” he said.
They turned. Mellis looked long at Perkins, then looked away. Banish turned to Perkins. He nodded to him. Perkins frowned and stared down at the trailer floor a moment, smiling bitterly, then stepped outside the trailer.
Banish moved closer to Mellis. “That nigger up there on the mountain,” Mellis said in confidence, “that big dark one. He got me in the gut with the butt of his rifle when I come out. Had my hands up over my head peaceful and obedient and everything.”
Banish said, “So?”
“Just keep him the hell away from me. I mean that.”
“You’re making threats now, Mr. Mellis?”
“No, sir. I am just telling you straight. I thought maybe you might care. But that ain’t what I have to say. You need to understand why I’m saying what I’m saying, though. It’s on account of things already going too far and me seeing the toll it’s taking on one man.” He was looking up at Banish from where he sat. “I’m trying to prevent things here, so that it’ll help. But I want you to take that into your decision-making, so that things’ll go easier for Glenn when this is all over and done with.”