I, Racki (Part XI)

This is a continuation. To start from the beginning, click here.

“My boss is a great man. He paid the costs and told me that if I came back alive that I’d always have a job in Stone Creek. A man like that is a man to whom you can give over right and wrong and makes it easy for you to achieve the reputation of a faithful retainer.”

“Are we talking about the same Mayor Bruce Wilson?”

“You are a careless and insincere boy, but I refuse to allow you to miss this opportunity because of your youthful insolence. I too at your age was full of undisciplined vigor and casual resolution. That shallow arrogance of yours may serve you well at your present station, but I remind you that there is life beyond high school. The time is coming and coming fast when sides must be taken.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“Listen to me. Your life is slipping away. Your old ways must be banished into the dark corners of the earth and you must begin to see the world with eight eyes. As I look at you I see the recklessness of my own youth and even now I sense the desperation and insanity that is the mark of a great servant. But you are rude. So rude. Almost intolerably rude.”

“You’re not telling me anything I don’t already know,” I deadpanned. “I think you’re supposed to go inside and tell Salome I’m here.”

“Salome will come down when she wants to. She will be leaving shortly with young Petra Plascak to go pick up her dress at the alterations shop and perhaps pick up some jewelry. Likely you have no more than ten minutes to converse with her before we set out.”

“Wait a minute, Mr. Security, don’t you think you shouldn’t be telling me all that?”

Riley wet his finger and touched his earlobe. “Twenty minutes on 16 going into Jonestown will be when we are most vulnerable. The Mayor has chosen me to head the security detail for both the dress trip and the Prom tonight because I take to an enemy on the battlefield as a hawk takes to a bird.”

“Is there… a reason you’re saying all this to me?”

“I get out of the car first, then the girls, and they go into the dress shop that’s been cleared out ahead of time. The other two cars block off traffic on Van Jones Street and detour any pedestrians that try to use the sidewalk. And if you’re wondering, we are authorized to use deadly force.”

Riley mumbled into his lapel once more and glanced down the driveway. For a moment I thought I saw Salome through the foyer window, but I couldn’t be sure. “Are you testing me… trying to see if I’ll leak this info?”

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