Birdsongs (26 page)

   “You all just freeze a minute.” R.C. was now the furious one and the others followed his instructions. “This is
my
party. I don’t care if I have to kill all of you. I’ve waited thirty years to kill that son of a bitch,” he said pointing the bat at Jerry Lee. “If I have to kill every goddamned one of you to get to him, I will.”

   Jerry Lee piped in. “Well, me and him agree on something. If I have to kill all of you to get to
him
, I will. I can make it look like he did it all.” Jerry Lee pointed the scissors at R.C. “I’ll start with him.” Jerry Lee, clutching the scissors fiercely in one hand stuck them under his chin. He locked his eyes with R.C.’s. “I’ll start by gutting that pig.”

   Holding Jerry Lee’s gaze, R.C. dropped the bat off his shoulder. He dipped his shoulder to the floor and swung upward. R.C. and Jerry Lee’s eyes remained locked. The bat hit the scissors square on their bottom and R.C. saw the scissors protrude through Jerry Lee’s open mouth. Jerry Lee’s eyes shot open, stunned. He fell backwards to the floor gasping for air. R.C. charged him, with the bat in the air for the bludgeoning. Springing catlike through the door, Benny tackled R.C. Vernon was a step behind and dove towards the two men. Vernon was on top as they wrestled him to the ground. R.C. frothed. Jerry Lee sucked for air. Lola and Rachael watched as Benny and Vernon calmed R.C.

    “Relax,” Benny said releasing R.C. “If you hit him again the crime team will figure out you killed him. Let him die, it was suicide. We all saw it that way,” Benny said speaking for the group.

   They sat up and watched Jerry Lee die.

   After his passing, Benny retrieved a key from his pocket to release Lola. She cried in Rachael’s arms for a moment as the men were still.

   Benny took the floor. “Rachael,” he stated. He was a drill sergeant and he had her attention. “What did you see?”

   “Jerry Lee killed himself.”

   “Lola?” Benny asked.

   “Jerry Lee killed himself.”

    “Vernon?”

   “Jerry Lee killed himself.”

   “I’m glad we all agree.” Benny paused and turned his gaze to R.C. “I forgot to ask you.” Benny paused again and looked at R.C. R.C. knew not to interrupt; Benny was not finished speaking. “You know, you don’t have to take credit for this to feel vindicated. He’s dead. You killed him. You win.” Benny searched R.C.’s eyes and asked, “What did you see here?”

   “Jerry Lee killed himself.”

   “He did indeed.” Benny smiled. “Now, we have promises to keep. Rachael, call your network and give them our location. Tell them we solved the case. We’ll give you a five-minute start over Chief Asshole. “In five minutes,” Benny said looking at Vernon “Call Chief Asshole and tell him to get the posse over here to clean up this mess and take photos.”

Chapter 89

    Benny’s boat was rocking. Everybody was there. Benny, Red, Rachael, Vernon, Chief Neighbors, Lola, Ned and R.C. Cheers rang through the air. Smiles were on the house. Ned brought a keg of his newest home brew.

    Red was content. Half of his mind was with the party, the other half dreamt of his plants and his new house, complete with red picket fence. Rachael’s network was king of the mountain and she was the queen. She was in love. She knew it was stupid and she didn’t care. Vernon was a star. James Dean with a tan. Benny assured him he was essential. R.C. envisioned the grill at Sly’s Diner and the trailer with no electricity. Benny instructed him where to burn the bat. R.C. bought an urn and would keep the ashes forever. Chief Neighbors was drunk, sliding his hand up Lola’s shirt. Lola giggled with pleasure. She was his for the taking. She knew she had a best seller waiting to be written. Ned thought about glue, he listed in his head the pros and cons of each type and brand as he also critiqued his lager.

    Benny gathered it all in. He sighed. He scanned the room and decided he had never been happier in his entire life. He caught Red’s eyes and winked. Red smiled, childlike. Benny thought of Red as a son. A godsend. Benny was getting all the press as the hero but Benny knew where the real credit belonged. Benny turned his gaze to Rachael. His heart rode a roller coaster as his stomach shuddered. The feeling he had for Jane could not compare to what shot through his veins. Benny knew she would have to move on, in search of the next big story. It was her job. As Benny eyed her he decided he would be a part of the next big story. His phone had already been ringing off the hook. Benny knew he would be welcomed and paid handsomely to be a consultant on any case. Benny deemed his retirement officially over.

    Looking Rachael’s way again, he felt the sway of the houseboat. Benny’s thoughts turned to the boat’s name, the
Jane Says
. Benny thought there was no better time to change the name. He had consumed one too many pints of Ned’s homebrew and addressed Red.

    “Red my boy,” Benny boomed, commanding the attention of the room.

    “Yes Bendy?” Red was halfway through his first beer. He was drunk.

    “The boat needs a new name,” Benny announced.

    “Boat have names?”

    “Yep.”

    “That funny Bendy.”

    “It is funny Red. I want you to name my boat. Please.”

    Red didn’t have to think about it. He held his beer in the air and announced, “Birdsongs.”