A Killing Rain (3 page)

“His father hurt him,” she said, facing Louis. “Ben used to say his prayers every night and always ask God to bring his daddy home. He stopped asking last year, and stopped saying his prayers altogether a few months ago.”

Louis looked down at his wine. For a moment
-- just a moment -- he was back in a cold room in Mississippi kneeling on a hard linoleum floor.

If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take. Amen. And God, please bring my daddy back so momma will stop drinking.

Louis sat back in the chair, his fingers wrapped around the tumbler.

Tell her. If you want this to go anywhere, talk to her.

“Susan, I was...” The words caught in his throat and he swallowed hard. “I was a foster kid. I used to lay awake at night too, hoping to be rescued by a man who never came. I know what it’s like.”

She stared at him. He could see so many things in her face, like suddenly a mask had slipped, a crack had opened, and all her emotions were there, raw and hovering on the surface. A year to wear her down and now here she was, wanting so hard to trust him. He could see it there on her face.

“I promise,” he said. “I promise that no matter what happens between you and me, I won’t ever walk out on him.”

Susan wiped the
corner of her eye with the back of her hand. “Jesus, it’s warm in here.”

She turned to busy herself with cooking. Louis stood up and wandered into the living room.

He took a deep breath. All right... that was it. He had let her onto his island, even if it was just one small step. And it didn’t feel so bad. Strange, maybe, being able to share something like that with someone so suddenly. But not bad at all.

He was staring at the television when he heard the door-bell. Susan poked her head into the living room.

“Louis, can you get that please?”

Louis rose and went to the door, looking through the small diamond-shaped window.

The man on the porch was holding the screen door
open with his shoulder, straining to peer into the little window. He had smooth brown skin and was wearing a suede trench coat the color of butterscotch, a black scarf, and a black fedora. Louis opened the door and the man’s brown eyes snapped back to him. For an instant, the man seemed confused, but he covered it quickly with a smile.

“Hello,” he said. He craned his neck, trying to look beyond Louis into the living room.

“Can I help you with something?” Louis asked.

The man looked back at Louis. The smile was still there, but it looked
forced. And the man’s eyes, now focused on Louis, narrowed ever so slightly.

“Yeah, I’m Austin Outlaw.”

The smile remained.

“Is my wife here?”

Louis stepped back from the door and Austin Outlaw came inside, taking off his hat. Susan came in from
the kitchen and when she saw Austin, her body went rigid. She just stood there, holding a dish towel, eyes fixed on Austin, lips parted. The air in the room was suddenly thick with a million memories and emotions.

Footsteps from the hall and all heads turned toward Benjamin. Louis watched the boy’s face. It first registered shock, then recognition,
then grew bright with joy as the boy rushed to his father.

“Daddy!”

Austin bent and picked Benjamin up, bringing him high into the air then pulling him against his chest. Benjamin was talking excitedly, his brown twig arms wrapped tight around his father’s neck.

Louis turned to look at Susan. Her eyes were glassy with tears
, and when she saw Louis looking at her, she wiped them quickly away with the back of her hand and stepped forward. She forced a tight smile.

“Austin
.”

Austin lowered Benjamin and moved to Susan. He took her by the shoulders and pulled her close to plant a kiss on her cheek.

“Baby, it’s good to see you.”

Susan pulled away, throwing Louis a pained look, the towel wrung around her fingers.

“Daddy,” Benjamin said, pulling at the small black leather bag that was slung across Austin’s suede coat. “Why didn’t you call? Where have you been?”

Austin was looking at Susan, his eyes shimmering with warmth and something els
e Louis couldn’t immediately decipher. Affection for Susan or surprise that she didn’t return his embrace as warmly as he had given it?

Benjamin finally drew his father’s attention downward, reluctantly away from Susan.

“Want to see my telescope? I got all the planets, too, and that bus you sent me from England and —-”

Austin flashed a grin, patting Benjamin’s head.
“In a minute, Ben. Your mother and I need to talk first.”

Austin looked at Louis then back at Susan. “Sorry to break up your evening, Susan. I would’ve called except I found myself in town kind of suddenly, and I knew you wouldn’t mind if I just dropped by.”

Susan took a step back. “I do mind.”

“For his sake, I meant,” Austin said, nodding to Benjamin.

Benjamin was stroking Austin’s suede coat, oblivious to the tension.

Susan set her jaw. “Of course not,” she said tightly.

Austin looked back at Louis. “I’m sure you understand, Mister...?

“Kincaid.
Louis Kincaid.” Louis looked at Susan. “I think I should go.”

Susan touched his arm.
“No, stay.”

“I don’t think
—-”

Her fingers tightened around his wrist and she pulled him quickly into the kitchen, out of sight and earshot of Ben and Austin.

“Louis,” she whispered. “Please stay.”

Louis leaned close to her. “Do you know how awkward this is for me?”

“Yes, yes. And I’m sorry. But I don’t want him thinking he can walk back into our lives without even so much as a phone call first. It’s been that way every time. Every couple of years, he just shows up and tries to treat me like we’re still married. He touches me and stares at me in ways —-”

“Just tell him to hit the road.”

“But he does it in front of Ben. It’s like he dares me to cause a scene.”

Louis was silent, listening to Austin and Benjamin tussle playfully in the living room.

“I tolerate him for Ben,” Susan said softly. “I can do this by myself. I’ve done it before, but I’m asking you to help me this time.”

Louis knew what was happening. She wanted Austin to think she had another man in her life. A part of him understood, but a part of him was also pissed
. They had been friends these last eighteen months, but not close enough for her to have earned the right to use him like this.

Susan was looking up at him, waiting.

Damn...

She was a public defender. She handled liars, cheaters, and murderers every day. But this was different
. This wasn’t the woman talking; this was the mother.

Louis nodded.
“All right.”

Susan led him back to the living room. Austin was putting his fedora on Benjamin’s head and they both looked up.

“So, what’s the plan?” he asked, standing and adjusting the bag that hung across his chest. “Pick a restaurant, my treat.”

“We’re eating in,” Susan said, “the four of us.”

Austin’s eyes moved from Louis to Susan. “All right. As long as you’re not making spaghetti. You know I can’t handle all those spices you put in it.”

“They’re having steak,” Benjamin said. “I’m having a hamburger.”

“I’m sure Ben would love it if you had what he was having,” Susan said.

Austin smiled, sensing the slight. “Sure. The last thing I want to be is a burden. A burger will be just fine.” He started toward the front door.

“Daddy?” Benjamin called. “Where are you going?”

“I’ll be right back,” Austin said. “I’m just going to get my overnight bag.”

“You’re staying the night?” Benjamin cried. “You’re really staying this time? Wow! Can I help? Mom, can I help get Daddy’s stuff?”

Louis glanced at Susan. She was staring lasers at Austin, who seemed only amused.

“Go ahead,” Susan said.

“
Here’s the keys, Benny,” Austin said, tossing them to Benjamin. He caught them and ran out the front door, still wearing Austin’s hat. Austin looked back at Susan.

“I suppose I’m to sleep where he sleeps as well?” Austin asked.

“You’re lucky you’re not sleeping in the garage,” Susan said. “How dare you do this to me with no notice.”

Austin tilted his head toward Louis. “In the past, you never seemed to need notice.”

Susan grabbed a candle off the mantel and poised to throw it at him. But Austin simply flashed her another smile. “I better go help Ben,” he said, going out the door.

Louis had never seen the dining room table set for dinner before. Susan used it for her desk, and it was always heaped with court files, law books, and her open briefcase, with one corner taken up by Benjamin’s schoolbooks. Tonight, however, she had set it with cheery blue and yellow place mats, a couple of candles, and a small grocery store bouquet of flowers. It made him feel good that she had
gone to such trouble for him. It made him feel pissed that Austin had shown up to spoil it all.

But he wasn’t about to let the bastard know it.
Louis sat there, a polite smile on his face, his neck muscles burning.

Susan came out of the kitchen with a fourth place mat and silverware for Austin but didn’t set out a glass for wine. Austin’s eyes went to the bottle of burgundy on the table.

“I don’t suppose you have a glass for me, do you?” he asked

Susan glowered at him and went into the kitchen. She returned with a Flintstones juice glass, plunking it down in front of Austin’s plate. She went
back into the kitchen.

“She never did have enough glasses,” Austin said, as he helped himself to the wine.

Louis didn’t have a chance to answer before Susan returned carrying the plates. She looked up at Louis and Austin. “Well, let’s eat,” she said.

Austin sat across from Louis, Susan on h
is right, Benjamin on his left. Susan ate in stony silence. Louis did the same. Austin was barely touching his food, his eyes drifting between Susan and Louis. Benjamin was talking nonstop, monopolizing the conversation.

“Daddy, are you home for good now?”

Austin picked at his mashed potatoes. “No, I’m afraid not. I have to head back to Australia soon.”

“Australia? That’s where they have kangaroos, right?”

Austin smiled at Benjamin. “And koala bears.”

“Cool.”

“I thought you were in England,” Susan said.

“I was for a while, but business took me to Australia and we’ve set up our offices there. We’ve been there about a year now
, and a couple months ago we set up an office in Miami. That’s why I’m here, to check on my partner and see how things are going.” He gave Benjamin a smile. “I played hooky today to come over and see you, sport. Had to sneak away without telling anyone.”

“I won’t tell,” Benjamin said.

Susan was silent, stabbing her steak.

“So, what do you do, Austin?” Louis asked. He didn’t really want to know, but the tension was getting to him.

Austin glanced at him. “I’m in imports.” He reached into his pocket, pulled out a business card and held it out.

Louis hesitated then took it. He gave it a quick glance then put it
in his pocket.

“What line of work are you in?” Austin asked him.

“I’m a private investigator,” Louis said.

Austin smiled.
Or smirked. Louis couldn’t tell. “Really? Is that how you two met? Working together to defend someone accused of some horrendous crime?”

“As a matter of fact, yeah,” Louis said.

“Louis is a great private eye, Daddy,” Benjamin said. “He caught a serial killer and everything. He used to be a cop, too.”

“I suppose law enforcement is an honorable enough profession,” Austin said. “But you have to wonder about
working for a defense lawyer. Must be tough on the conscience of an ex-cop.”

S
usan was staring at Austin. Louis suspected she had heard this kind of talk before: How can you defend scumbags?

“What’s a conscience, Ma?”

Susan turned to Benjamin. “That’s the part of your brain that tells you when to do the right thing.”

“Does everyone have a conscience?” Benjamin asked.

“No,” Susan said, looking at Austin.

Austin held her eyes for a moment then went back to pushing his mashed potatoes around on his plate.

“What do you import, Austin?” Louis asked.

“Collectibles and antiques from Indonesia, among other things.
Unfortunately, it requires a lot of travel, and handling the native people isn’t entirely pleasant, of course, but you deal with it.”

“Are you rich, Daddy?” Ben asked.

Austin hesitated. Louis knew Susan had once described Austin to Benjamin as “cash poor,” probably because he seldom sent any child support, and it was an easy explanation for an eleven-year-old boy to accept. But Louis suspected Austin had more money than he let on. At least enough to wear suede coats, Italian slacks, and a gold Rolex and to travel with a Vuitton duffel. Okay, maybe the Rolex and duffel were fake, but that big black BMW parked in the drive wasn’t, rental or not.

Louis’s eyes dropped to the small black Vuitton bag that Austin had slung across the back of the chair. And what kind of a man carried a purse, for
crissakes?

Austin picked up his burger with both hands. Louis focused on his long fingers.
The guy even had manicured nails.

“Your son asked you a question, Austin,” Susan said.

Austin took a bite of the burger and set it down. He gave Benjamin a smile. “Sometimes I’m rich and sometimes I’m not.”

Susan let out a snort.

“It’s an up-and-down business,” Austin said, looking at her. “But right now, it’s up. That’s one reason I came by.”

Austin reached back and pulled something out of the black bag. He held out a bill to Benjamin.

“Merry Christmas, Benny.”

“A hundred dollars!”
Benjamin yelled. “Is that real? Is that for me?”

“Yup.”

Benjamin sprang from his chair and threw his arms around Austin’s neck. Austin patted Benjamin’s back, but was looking at Susan.

For what?
Louis wondered. To see if the gesture had impressed her? From the look on her face, it had pissed her off.

“Christmas was three weeks ago. You missed it,” Susan said.

She pushed away from the table and rose, picking up her plate. She snatched up Austin’s plate and went into the kitchen. Louis heard the clatter of dishes in the sink.

“Ben, why don’t you go put your money in your room?” Louis said.

“Yeah, good idea.” Benjamin disappeared down the hallway.

Louis debated what
he
should do. Go into the kitchen? Disappear with Benjamin and let these two slug it out? Or knock Austin on the seat of his nice Italian pants?

Austin reached back for his purse. He pulled out a big fat cigar and a lighter. He was about to light the thing when Susan came back to the table. Her eyes were flashing as she looked down at Austin.

“Get out,” she said, her voice low.

“Okay, I won’t light it,” Austin said with a smile.

“I don’t care about the damn cigar. I just want you out. Now. I’ll tell him you had to leave suddenly. Just like you always do.”