have to get our stories straight,” said Randy. “We can’t let anyone know that it was us who did this. This time you know our dads would probably kill us if they find out.”
“Are they dead,” inquired David.
“You didn’t see them moving, did you?” replied Randy. “You saw what we did to them. You were there. Of course they are dead.”
“We never killed anyone before,” said David. “I am scared, really scared.”
“Shut the fuck up, boy! Don’t you ever say a word about this to anyone, you understand me? God help you if I ever find out you did, I will kill you myself,” threatened Randy, giving David a look that made a believer of him.
About a couple of hours later, but what seemed like eternity, Megan opened her eyes as much she could and whispered her daughter’s name, but Marina did not stir. As she was trying to move, looking around, Marina noticed a blurry object next to her and took a while to realize it was actually her purse. She prayed that the boys had not looked inside as she started fumbling for her cell phone, agonizing with every move she made and finally reaching it and immediately calling her husband at home first.
The boys did not touch any of their items; they did not want to be caught with anything that tied them to this crime. No one in the county ever accused the boys of being bright.
Austin picked up on the first ring; he was getting worried wondering what was taking his family so long at the mall. He could swear he heard Megan’s voice but it was so faint he was not sure until he heard her mutter his name ever so faintly that he realized she was hurt. He felt his heart hit the pit of his stomach, thinking they had had a car accident.
“Sweetheart, just tell me where you are and save your strength. If you can dial 911 do so, but don’t worry about it, I’ll make the call myself.” He hung up the phone after she told him where they were. He slipped his shoes on, grabbed the keys to his truck and raced outside the house while he was dialing the emergency number.
“Come on answer, damn it,” Austin swore as he heard the phone ring for the third time.
“911, what is your emergency?”
“My name is Austin Hunter. My wife and daughter are badly hurt. I want you to send an ambulance and the police to the water tower at the lake.”
“OK, Mr. Hunter, we have your wife on the phone right now talking to her and the police and ambulance are on their way.”
After hanging up, Austin realized that the lake was in a totally different direction from the mall. What was his family doing there? He could not shake the awful feeling he had. He was doing 110 miles per hour and, without even realizing, he had picked up two sheriff’s deputy cruisers in his wake, making chase. He was oblivious to everything except where he was heading. Tears were flowing down his face and he was praying that his family would be all right.
“Please God, don’t let them die on me. I have never asked for anything before and I am asking now. Please don’t take them yet.”
They were everything precious he had ever had. He had never prayed before. He just could not lose them. God would not be that cruel. They were the only reason he tolerated life. Without them, life meant nothing.
Austin made the lake in ten minutes when it should have taken thirty, running through all the traffic lights on Wilshire Boulevard like they were not there. The only reason he did not have an accident of his own is that this was the day after Christmas and very few people were out this early in the morning.
He usually made that drive with Megan, and sometimes Marina when she was not busy with school or friends, and sometimes they would even stop and visit with their friend and hairdresser Lisa at Lisa’s Kountry Cuttery. They never failed to admire her place, which would be the envy of the big boys in the business. Today, however, he didn’t even see the place as he passed by; he didn’t even notice the town of Joshua, where the shop was located. He had one thing on his mind and one thing only - to get to his family as soon as he could.
He stopped his truck by the water tower, noticing that his wife’s car was not even there, and ran to his girls. He was sick and wanted to throw up when he saw the condition they were in. He knelt down beside them, trying to comfort them, wondering who could do anything like this to two precious people, knowing that no amount of comfort was going to stop the pain.
Megan saw the puzzled look on her husband’s face and whispered in his ear the names of the Johnson boys.
The two sheriff’s cruisers that were chasing him had just arrived. The two deputies jumped out of their vehicles with their weapons drawn.
“Put your hands in the air and step away from those people,” yelled one of the deputies.
“These people are my family and someone tried to kill them and you’d better get your asses over here and help me.”
“We don’t care who they are. Put your hands up and move away.”
Austin realized that the deputies had a pretty good idea who might have done this. After all, how many times did they have to clean up after the Johnsons, this being their favorite grounds? And he suspected that their first instinct would be to protect the boys. Not necessarily out of love for them, but to avoid the wrath of the sheriff.
Austin gazed at the deputies with a stare that chilled them both. They could have shot him, he suspected, but how far would these people go to cover up a crime? After all, no one was dead as far as they could tell and by this time the sirens of the approaching police vehicles and ambulance were getting louder, indicating they were very near.
The two deputies stood there with their guns drawn, looking like idiots, when a man who seemed to be in his late thirties or early forties commanded them to put their weapons away as he walked quickly past them toward Austin and his family. Austin did not fail to notice the look of disgust the deputies gave this man.
“Mr. Hunter, my name is Detective Rice,” he said without extending his hand. “Please step away from your family and let the medics take care of them.” Austin took a step back and let the detective lead him away, dazed, knowing that this was not a time for formalities. He stood there watching the medics try to patch his family as best they could.
As the medics were loading Megan and Marina into the ambulance, Austin insisted on riding with them, drawing no objections from anyone. Before they started moving, he handed the detective the keys to his truck.
On the drive to the hospital, Marina finally stirred and whispered, “Daddy.”
At the sound of his daughter’s voice, Austin felt his heart melt. Not wanting his sweet daughter to see him break down was what kept him from bursting out in tears. He held her hand and started talking to her, trying to assure her that everything was going to be all right.
“They hurt us, daddy,” she whispered again.
“I know baby, just keep quiet for now and save your energy. I need you to get well sweetheart. I can’t make it through life without you.”
Both Megan and Marina were quiet the rest of the ride to the hospital and Austin was not sure whether this was by choice or due to totally spent energy.
The medics radioed ahead advising the medical staff at the emergency room to expect internal injuries, but one thing put Austin somewhat at ease: he heard the medics say that they were able to stabilize the girls. As soon as they arrived, both patients were rushed into the emergency room with Austin standing guard outside. When the hospital staff tried to guide him to the waiting room, he refused and told them in no uncertain terms that he was not moving from his position until he saw his family again.
After what seemed like hours, Austin was becoming alarmed. He hadn’t moved from his spot outside the door to the emergency room.
“Mr. Hunter,” a now somehow familiar voice called from behind him. Austin turned and saw Detective Rice.
“I’d like to talk to you if you don’t mind,” said the detective as he handed