The people of Baybeans were saying their last goodbyes to the sun that was gradually settling itself toward the horizon behind Richmond Earlhardt's home.
The house cast its ever-lengthening silhouette over the streets, downtown.
From where he sat he had a good view of the fireflies gathering in the dusk. He sipped his gin and stretched himself on the loveseat he normally shared with his wife, Adrianne. He thought about her and smiled to himself.
The backdoor of the house opened slightly. Adrianne's head stuck out of it.
"You have a call", she told him
"Who from?" he asked
"I'm guessing a young man, says he wants you. No name"she replied nonchalantly
Richmond pushed himself up from the seat with great agility for someone who was forty six. Adrianne held the cell phone up to him and he placed it to his ears.
"Hello"
"Richmond ?" the caller asked
"Speaking, how may I help you?"
"This is Bob here. I've got some bad news. Figured your wife shouldn't hear it.". he said with concern.
Bob Myers has been a friend of Richmond since his childhood days. He was also the owner of "The Black Roof". One if the most hottest bars in Baybeans.
"Okay. Spill" Richmond said with reluctance. He still felt whatever it was wouldn't be that bad, and then it hit him even before Bob said it.
"Jason's hurt"
"I'm coming right over"
Adrianne noticed her husband's tone of urgency and asked what the matter was right away. He grabbed his coat and the keys to his BMW as he told her the issue. She had wanted to come with him but he refused saying she needed her rest.
He walked briskly out the front door into the cold night air,stepping on the pavement that bisected his small lawn.
His car was parked in front of his garage. He got in and drove off making a beeline for the bar. It was a bit far from his house.
He finally arrived after thirty-five minutes of driving.
The site was unbearable. The chairs and tables outside the bar had been turned over. Still, Richmond seemed oblivious to all this as he stepped out of his car. He had to find his son. He stepped into the bar and called out to Bob after he noticed that everything was topsy-turvy. The place was in a state of mayhem. There were broken bottles lying around and the counter at which the bar's money was kept, locked up had been broken open.
Bob stepped out of the backroom
His hair was matted with blood and his face looked like that of a deranged person.
"Where's Jason? What's going on here? What's up with you?" he questioned Bob and as if to make a grand ending he added,"The money is gone"
"Slow your horse, little man" Bob sounded like a sword had been pushed down his throat.
"And before you ask any more questions , we need to get Jas to the hospital"
Richmond stood still for a full minute. Enough for Bob to scream,"Fast."
Jason's condition was critical. He had been shot twice. Bob had managed to extricate one of the bullets from his right arm. The other had pierced through his chest and the only reason why he did not die was because he was wearing a heavy blue-denim jacket. Bob was in the process of extricating it when Richmond arrived.
They had arrived at the hospital and Jason was being attended to. Richmond had had to contact Adrianne and tell her about their son's condition
"What hospital?"
"Saint Michael's"
It was located at the eastern side of Baybeans opposite Leon Treya's coffee shop. Leon was also a private investigator. His only reason for indulging himself in the act of coffee making and selling was because he loved coffee.
"I'll be right there" Adrianne said, almost in a whisper.
YOU ARE READING
The Future Is Mine:The Mask
Ficción GeneralJason Earlhardt was a lot more than he thought he knew His life was pretty much normal until he was discovered by the good and the bad The bad wanted him dead yet he belonged to the good Will he come to terms with the fact that he is not exactly nor...
