Kindred: A Love Story (Editing)

Chapter Twenty-Three - The Fight

*This is sort of a short chapter but it is key to the story. I hope you enjoy it.  The song is Mama Said Knock You Out by LL Cool J because i just couldn't resist. It was between this one or I'm Bad which is quintessential LL. These songs are hilarious and I love it. Plus, he is definitely not hard to look at.  I was rambling, sorry. Thank you for your support.*

It is around late evening, sometime around dusk. All the workers have left the lumber mill for the night and Jimmy is putting away his things to go home. Pete is in his truck watching him from the parking lot. As Jimmy comes out and locks the gate, Pete gets out of his truck and approaches him.

“I know you’re there.”

            “Good, so you know why I’m here.” Pete says continuing to walk toward Jimmy.

            “Of course.”

Jimmy turns around and punches Pete clear across the face knocking him to the ground and then starts to kick him repeatedly.

“I’m not drunk this time, asshole. Think you can come in here and take what’s mine. I’ll show you, just like I showed her.”

That comment only infuriates Pete more. He grabs Jimmy’s foot and throws him to the ground, jumping on him punching him in the face left and right. He wraps his hands around Jimmy’s neck, pulls him to his feet and slams him into the gate. Jimmy is laughing through shortened breaths.

“Think I don’t know about you, killer. I know what you did. You haven’t changed. Alex thought she could change you. You’re still a killer.”

Pete hits him again and Jimmy falls to the ground, blood dripping down his face. Pete paces shoving his hands roughly into his hair.

“C’mon killer, finish me off. Maybe I should tell you about that little bitch. See how you feel about that, killer.”

Pete stops and looks at him.

“Sarah?”

            “Yea Sarah. She’s mine too.”

Pete feels a rage well up inside that he’s never felt before, grabs him by his neck again.

“What did you say?” He asks through clenched teeth.

Jimmy continues laughing and talking between breaths.

“She’s my daughter. You’ll never have her. No matter what you do to me, they’ll always be mine. Every time you look at her, every time you see that little bitch, you’ll know. So go ahead and kill me.”

Pete now knows Jimmy is the one who raped Alex and fathered Sarah. How is he going to tell her this? How would Sarah feel if she ever found out? Thoughts run through his mind as he is choking the life out of Jimmy. He drags Jimmy to his truck and drops him hard to the ground. He opens up the tool box and looks at a tire iron. He stares at the tire iron for a long time, wanting to pick it up and end whatever life Jimmy is hanging on to.

He thinks about Sarah, about Alex and he sees their faces and the peace he’s come to know by having them in his life. A peace he never thought he would be able to find again. Tears fill his eyes as he thinks about the pain both Alex and Sarah will feel once they find out the truth.

He can still hear Jimmy moaning and laughing on the ground beside him. He closes his eyes feeling the tears burning his cheeks, reaches in the toolbox and pulls out a rope. He ties Jimmy’s hands and feet together, throws him in the bed of the truck and gets in the cab. Looking at himself in the mirror, he takes a deep breath and drives away.

A small county jail contains only two cells usually to house the local disorderly drunk for the night. It’s relatively quiet, except for the sound of a baseball game on the radio next to the desk. Sheriff is sitting in a chair behind his desk completing some routine paperwork and the one deputy on duty is doing a crossword puzzle.

Pete slams through the door dragging a tied up Jimmy, making the Sheriff jump up out of his seat.

“What the…”

Pete throws Jimmy onto the floor at the Sheriff’s feet.

“I think I have something you might want. He has something to confess. I left his truck back at the lumber yard, but if you check the front bumper I am sure you will find paint from Alex’s car. Also, if you contact the Philadelphia police department, you can ask them about an unsolved rape involving Alex from about ten years ago that happened on the University of Pennsylvania campus. Tell them you have the rapist in custody and you can provide DNA samples.”

Sheriff looks down at Jimmy’s battered face.

“What did you do?”

            “Not as much as I wanted to do. Since you’ve seen my record you know what I’m capable of.” Pete answers as he runs his hands roughly through his hair.

            “Sheriff I want to press charges against this…, person. He tried to kill me. I was just minding my own business and he…”

            “That’s enough Jimmy. We’ll get to the bottom of this, but you know I’m gonna have to hold you both until this is sorted out. You’re both pretty badly beaten up. I’ll get Jimmy to the hospital under guard, and have Doc come down here and take a look at you.”

            “That’s fine.”

He doesn’t care if he has to spend the night in jail, it is worth it. Beating Jimmy to a bloody pulp and crushing his windpipe brings him much satisfaction. He knew once is all said and done Jimmy would not be able to hurt anyone ever again. His only regret, he doesn’t know how Alex will react. She despises violence and he tries desperately not to show that side of himself ever, but if it means keeping Alex and Sarah safe he will deal with the consequences.

Sheriff walks Pete to a cell.

“Oh, and son I did read your record and I know what happened. As a man I can understand why you did what you did. Sorry I misjudged you. Sometimes you have to look deeper into the heart of a person and not just what’s on the surface.”

The Sheriff gets on the phone, calls Doc to come to the jail and sent the deputy to the hospital with Jimmy. He then calls Mac and Cora Murphy, and Alex and Vivian to tell them what has happened.