Denise and John

Chapter Twelve

Michael woke early. After showering he grabbed a quick sandwich for breakfast. He wasn't really hungry he just wanted to keep his metabolism up for the day. Today was full of endless possibilities and guaranteed to be eventful. He wasn't sure how just yet, but all soon would be revealed. Smiling he took the MP3 player with the music he selected for John the night prior, and slipped it into his pocket. He proceeded to race through his house making sure everything was in order.
Okay is that everything?
Feeling in his pocket he noticed one thing out of place. His keys. Heading back into the room of the slumbering boy he quietly opened the door only to have the child race past him and stand next to the front door. Heading to his nightstand he picked up the small key chain and headed back toward the child.
Alert and attentive the child peered up and waited for him to open the door. This was the most lively Michael had ever seen the boy.
Interesting indeed!
There was no telling where this day was heading. Now he was more delighted than ever to find out. As he opened the door the boy raced past him to his jeep where he stood waiting for the doors to unlock, as though he was a normal everyday child getting ready for his first day of school. As Michael unlocked his car, the boy opened the door and buckled himself in.
When he first took possession of the boy he was limp and unresponsive, for Michael, this was the biggest change he has seen in him yet. Today was already full of surprises.
                                 ***
Grabbing her stuff Denise hastily headed out the door. John waited on the sidewalk shivering uncontrollably.
As she approached her brother he smiled wickedly. "Let's do this."
Returning his smile she said. "John you're an idiot."
Even though John made his dumb remarks, Denise had the intelligence to figure one thing out…Johnny was the key. He was there seeing something Denise wasn't present for. She needed his knowledge. This was a chance to gain some sort of insight as to the location of their soon to be assailant. According to John he would find them, and he gave Johnny a verbal threat. At this moment she wasn't sure what kind of information this perp might've gained when her brother was kicking his clumsy feet all over the guy's brain, but he obviously knew John was there. That was all it took for Denise's inner fire to start burning. There's one person you don't threaten. That's not only her brother but her best friend. So anything Johnny said or did would not annoy her, not today. Although she couldn't help but comment on his shivering he looked like he was having an epilepsy attack.
"Seriously John, it's not even that cold."
"Yea well, not everyone is immune to the cold." Smiling at her he finished. "Seriously you should give me your sweater."
She laughed at the thought. "John it's pink."
"So? It's warm. Honestly you should know by now I don't give a shit what people think of me I mean come on. I'm awesome no matter what I wear."
She knew her brother didn't care what people thought. He was the only fourteen year old she knew who wore a long leather coat and bowler hat as he did now. He looked more like he was getting ready to rob a bank.
"So you gonna stick my sweater on under your coat. Nothing like bright pink to offset your black huh."
"Damn straight." He laughed. "Remember the starburst commercial. Making pink acceptable to men."
Laughing she rolled her eyes. "Whatever John."  Placing her pack down, she took her sweater off, and handed it to the boy as they reached the bus stop. "Bus should be here soon so hurry up."
She grabbed her school pass and two dollars from her wallet.
"You know moms going to find out we ditched." He said as he placed his coat back on covering the starburst pink color she just gave him.
"Your point?"
"No point but if she asks me I'm going to say it's all your fault. She blames you for everything anyway."
"Gee thanks John. Glad to know you have my back."
"Anytime." He smiled slyly.
With that last sentence the bus quickly pulled to a stop in front of the two and opened its doors. She quickly ushered her brother on. Looking in the direction of their cul de sac one last time, she showed her pass and paid Johnny's fare. John had already found them a seat towards the back away from any person who chose to ride this early in the morning. Not that the bus would fill up. Still, for today, Denise chose to keep a low profile.
Sitting close to her brother he asked in a whisper. "So, how are we supposed to find this street anyway?"
"Actually I wasn't going to look for the street."
As the bus made its final decent away from her house she quickly took on a calmer manner and leaned back relaxing the tension that was inadvertently built up in her shoulders.
"Ok so you can't just say that and leave me hanging, what's your plan Stan?  Because you obviously have one."
Smiling she said. "Well John there are probably a million and one streets with the name Academy so that's just fruitless and time consuming. I was actually thinking of looking at the news."
"Are you talking about the cop shooting or whatever?"
"Yea something like that."
Cutting her off, he sat up. "Denise that's not going to work. It's too soon if it happened just last night."
"Again Johnny you're a boob. It would actually be perfect timing. Everything travels over the internet way faster, it should be front page headlines in whatever city he's in."
Leaning back once again John looked so much younger than his actual age. Denise almost felt as though it was her fault they were ditching, even though they had both agreed to do so. With his sky blue eyes, baby face and bowler hat that barely fit his head, Johnny looked too young to make any decision on his own. He reminded her of a kid who got into his parents wardrobe.
Slipping back in his long rain coat John said. "Maybe. I hope you're right. Even if we find where he is, what are we going to do? Anonymous tip to the cops?"
"I don't know yet John guess we will see. Right now, one thing at a time ok."
Speaking those words to her brother she herself couldn't see any truth in them. Denise's mind continued to race a million miles a minute and even though there was only the soft purr of the buses engine, for her, it sounded as loud as sitting in the front row at a race track. She honestly couldn't tell if the sound was real or imagined, but then again how was that any different than the life she led right now.
                                ***
Once again arriving in front of the green house Michael pulled to a stop in the same spot he had last time. The boy "Graham" from the earlier encounter was nowhere in sight.
He watched the small child as he strained to see above the dashboard. Right now a moment of clarity was ready to reveal itself, yet, as he observed the child grew increasingly anxious, and nothing too pivotal hit Michael. He was just as confused as when he had arrived at the house the first time.
"Here ya go buddy." Michael said as he reached across his own seat and unfastened the belt that held the small child in place. "This helps a bit."
The boy stared at him blankly before setting his sights once again on the house. After a few minutes of waiting the young athlete emerged from the front door. Placing his pack down he repeated his steps from the previous day fishing his keys from his pack to lock the front door, then continued down the small path to the fence. Keeping his eyes down the street Michael prepared for another thug interception but the boy never showed.
Unlatching his own safety belt Michael placed one hand on the door before the boy quickly grabbed his arm halting his advances.  Looking down at him the child shook his head from side to side as though Michael was the youngster and he was, in fact, the adult.
Frustrated he said. "What the hell kid, you have been nothing but dead weight all week and now, all of the sudden you're the life of the party. Remember I found you and you were useless then…. So keep in mind partner I'm still in charge."
Undeterred the boy pointed at the teenager.
Confused he asked. "What?"
The kid stared expressionlessly at him.
"Ok you have to give me something more to go on. You can't just point. Didn't your mother ever teach you pointing's rude?"
Turning his own attention to the teenager he watched as Graham started his trek down the street.
Feeling as though this pivotal moment was slipping through his fingers, Michael once again made an advancement for his door when the child's clutch grew tighter.
"Ugh, what! What is it?! I don't get it." Noticing the child's hand wasn't letting up he stated. "Since when did you gain superman's grip." Prying his arm from the boy.
Slumping back in his seat Michael felt a little defeated, he knew that if he continued to go for the door the child would stop him and they would only repeat this back and forth banter until the moment passed, and that would accomplish nothing.
Speaking aloud out of frustration he said. "Ok so here's what we're gonna do. I'm going to drive slowly past him, and we both are going to stare him down hard. I tell ya we're going to let him know were watching him no more detective shit."
He watched as the boy eyed the juvenile retying his shoes. Ignoring him as though he was speaking to the wind.
"Then I'm going to turn around right in front of the punk. I mean like, totally making it more obvious we're out to get him and as we pass by again, we stare him down even harder." Watching out the window the child didn't react.
"Then we will take the car right behind this kid and honk, like really scaring the shit out of him, and just as he starts to run, I'm going to run him down. Seriously I'm just going to make him tire paste."
The child stared at him blankly as though he said nothing.
Sighing he finished. "Kid, you're impossible."
As the teenager "Graham" fell out of sight the youngster jumped out of the car. He stopped at the end of the street and Michael stepped out himself and joined him. Making the realization they were still in detective mode.
"So, now what?"
The boy pointed at the adolescent again and then took the same finger and pointed at himself.
"OK now we might get somewhere, do you want to meet him?"
Gesturing in the same manner as the frail child he pointed his finger back and forth from the boy to Graham. "Do you know him?"
The boy scorned shaking his head from side to side. He once again pointed at Graham then at himself. Continuing his motion he then turned his small finger and pointed at Michael.
Puzzled he asked. "Ok do you want me to meet him first?"
Bracing himself to stand, the boy quickly stopped Michaels advancement, once again shaking his head.
Ugh, back to square one.
He leaned toward the boy. "I'm so confused."
The boy was trying to tell him something for now Michael just wasn't picking it up. "Is there anything else you can give me I'm drawing a blank kid."
Un-answering he watched as the boy's eyes followed Graham until he was out of sight. Reluctantly trying again he asked. "Well…. Should we follow him?"
Meeting Michael's gaze the youth took his glasses from the bridge of his nose and put them on. Staring at him unblinking he firmly grasped the ends and pulled them away from his face to where they were about a foot from the bridge of his nose.
"Ok, now I'm really confused." He stated.
Reaching for the glasses in the child's possession, the boy stopped him once again and repeated the same action, he then proceeded to point down the street as if Graham was still standing there and then turned the finger on himself.
"Ok this is getting old I don't get it, and frankly doing it over and over again doesn't mean I'm going to."
The boy stared at him expressionless.
Shaking his hands as though he were speaking in a foreign language he spoke slowly. "I... just….. don't…... get... it….. Understand?"
Unfazed the child took the glasses and gently rested them in their original position on Michaels face. He finished by pointing to the glasses, then down the street and again to himself. Baffled he watched as the kid walked away and buckled himself back in the car.
Returning behind the wheel Michael could feel his frustration growing. He was unsure of his next movements, and clarity still eluded him. Staring back at the youth the boy looked expressionlessly forward without bothering to return Michaels gaze.
"You know kid we need to find…" as his cell phone rang he finished his thought before answering, "a better form of communication. This pointing shit just isn't working."
Answering his phone he quickly changed his composure. "Hello?"
"Hey."
Recognizing her voice his heart lightened. Referring to their previous conversation he asked. "So did your daughter give you a ton of grief?"
"You know what? Actually no. She didn't say one word about it."
"Really?"
Interesting he thought.
"Did either of them say anything?"
"Well not John or Denise but I tell ya, you got rave reviews from Brianna and JC. They absolutely loved you." She chuckled.
"Ok I hear a hint of sarcasm in your voice. What's that about?"
"What me?" She exclaimed. "Never. Oh by the way nice shampoo demonstration."
"Yeah well it got me past the front door didn't it?"
"Briefly." Continuing her chuckle she asked. "Honestly buddy you have me curious as to what your next move is?"
Lowering his voice a little he said. "Well I would love my next move to be for their mother to grow a pair of balls and tell them she has a new friend."
"What?"
Raising his voice once again he answered. "Huh... what nothing… I didn't say anything."
"Yeah right, whatever dude."
Continuing on a more serious note he answered. "Honestly though we will see, speaking of… the kid's home?"
"What? No they have school remember. You goof."
"That's right."
Being around this child he often forgot normal everyday kiddie activities. Suddenly he had an epiphany, he knew his next destination.
"Um, listen, I have some things to finish up but how about I call you in a few?"
Hesitant she said. "Sounds like you're up to no good."
"Hmm… maybe." He laughed.
"Well I have some work to do so how about I call you when I'm free."
"Sounds good." He said and hung up. "Ok kid I have an idea."
Starting the engine he headed in Grahams direction with no intention of going to the school. Looking around it was as he thought, the boy was long gone.
                                   ***
From the bus stop to the library John walked as fast as his little legs would carry him. Even though it was only a block down the road he felt as though he was trekking up a mountain in short shorts and cleats. He wasn't sure if it was the cold making him feel this way or his sisters naturally fast paced, either way he could feel his energy draining fast as his legs began to ache.
"Denise, we are like right here, we can slow down a bit ya know."
"Quit complaining Johnny, seriously you always talk about being awesome yet you whine like a bitch." She laughed.
Laughing he said. "Fuck you Denise, not everybody has tall ass ostrich legs."
"John, I'm only a foot taller than you." She chuckled.
"Ya and that's mainly your long ass ostrich legs that makes you that tall."
Continuing her swift movements she raced across the light. "Well come on then chicken legs we're almost there."
Racing across the light he quickly caught up with her.
"Still cold?" she asked.
"Actually no."
"Good." She said. "Cause we have about fifteen minutes before the library opens."
Looking at the building he grunted. "Awe, that fucking sucks."
She laughed. "Get over it brother time for you to grow a pair." Walking up to the steps she continued. "Besides, didn't you know cold air is what puts hair on your chest?" Flexing as though she were a body builder she finished. "Come on Johnny man up."
"Oh whatever Denise, you're so full of it. Although that would explain the little hairs in your bra." Rubbing his chin he looked at her slyly.
With his low blow he quickly moved out of the way as Denise went to push him back down the front steps. "I do not have hairy tits you dweeb."
They both started laughing. No matter the circumstance John could always enjoy the company of his sister. He couldn't remember there being one time that they stayed mad at each other. They were and always will be best friends.
Leaning against the opposite wall from his sister, he put on his headphones and allowed the music from O.A.R to fill his ears. Watching the desolate landscape he did everything he could to keep his mind off of their bleak situation. One thing Johnny noticed about Oregon was the peoples moods often changed with the weather. Had it been summertime you would see the streets lined with life from women running, to bicyclers, or even groups of teenagers chattering loudly heading to the bus stop. No matter the time from morning to night they were all out, groups of people who seemed to be paid just being outside showing their presence. Today, with the weather being bleak and cold nothing moved as though Salem had been abandoned until next summer.
With nothing more to distract his mind Johnny started shivering violently again, just in time to see the lights come on in the library, and an older short stout lady come to the front of the building with one key dangling from her neck.
Patiently waiting for her to find the lock Johnny looked over at his sister whom he realized had been staring at him for some time. He couldn't think of anything to say so he smiled, Denise returned the smile.  
Reaching for the front door she held the door open for him. As he entered the library, his mind trailed to one thought. "I will find you and when I do I will make sure you do something worse than this cop."
"Yeah we will see." He thought.
Johnny followed his sister to the back end of the library.
                                ***
Unsure if the child could read Michael still figured the library was his best option. He could pick up a book or something with pictures. The boy could point to that, because pointing to him wasn't doing him any good. He didn't like the possible interaction with people though considering he hadn't bothered to give the kid a name or something he could call him.
As he reached the intersection to his destination, he arrived just in time to see the lights flicker on and April's children, who had been reported earlier to be in school, walk inside.
Interesting.
Smiling he pulled around the building and parked in the back.
With the kids actually handing him the right to pass into their lives, he looked at the small boy and said. "Ok kid, I don't know your name so for now you're Ben."
The boy provided no response that he understood what was said.
"Lovely."
Quickly pulling into the parking lot he turned off the engine and got out of the car. He waited for the unresponsive boy to accompany him before making his way to the door. Keeping the new found Ben at his side he entered the building in search of the two adolescents who so graciously put themselves in a spot he could take full advantage of.
                                 ***
The library required for you to have a library card to access any of their computers, luckily for Denise it was her second home. Here she could read whatever books at her own leisure, relax in silence and escape her own reality. So when approaching the counter she had no problem having her card ready to hand to the receptionist. The computers all laid perfectly in rows of twelve toward the far end of the wall. None of them were in use this early. Still not wanting to attract unwanted attention she chose the computer at the very end to make herself less noticeable. Pulling one of the chairs from the other work stations she noticed John hadn't followed her.
"John." She whispered loudly.
John made his way over to her continuing to glance behind him at the segments of books layered neatly in rows.
Trying to keep her voice to a whisper she asked. "What are you doing?"
"Nothing I thought I saw someone, like darting between the book shelves or something."
Puzzled Denise looked past Johnny and listened. Nothing moved, the library was as quiet as when they first arrived.
"Paranoid much?" she said, she turned back to the monitor and turned it on.
Pulling up his seat he asked. "So how are we gonna do this?"
"Leave it to me brother." She stated and began toggling through the search engines with key words like shootings, gas stations, police officer, cop related shootings, etc. The high end search left too many results.
"Hey brother did you get the name of the gas station by chance?"
"I didn't see any name there was just a diamond, so it's probably diamond something, look for that."
"No the diamond is probably its logo you boob. Pfft…. Diamond something….. Good job genius." She snickered.
Finding a new search, she typed in cop suicides, and with that came up a few videos and a headline.
COP SUICIDE ROCKS COLORADO SPRINGS
Glancing at the article the headline stuck out so she clicked on it and began to read.
"Johnny did you get the name of the cop?"
"Um Denise."
Watching the screen she continued to breeze through the article, it may have been too early to give a name out yet but it was better for her to have one. "Name John anything? Do you remember?"
"Ya I think I heard "Rill" or "Gill" but really you should look up."
Ignoring his request she continued on those names. "Rill or Gill was that like last names or is Gill a first name?"
"Jesus, Denise I don't know but seriously pay attention." He jerked her arm forcing her to look up as the mouse slipped from the mouse pad and onto the floor.
"Dammit John." Before reaching for the mouse Johnny quickly pointed getting her attention to the vacuum salesman who was now smiling down at her slyly. Shifting in her seat, she wished she hadn't been so verbal just minutes prior. How long had he been standing there? What did he hear? Unable to comprehend what had just happened she said the only thing that came to mind.
"No fucking way!!"