Someone Else

Chapter 27 (Ben)

As the Dodge Charger thundered to life, Ben turned to Key. "You're really letting Moose trot off like that?" he asked, a tremor rippling through his hands. "That's the last we'll ever see of him."

Ben took a step toward his house, but stopped abruptly when he felt the enforcer's hand on his shoulder. His body tensed. "This is it," he thought before Key spoke.

"Of course I'm not letting that poi-belly bastard skate," Key answered in a manner that proved he remained two steps ahead of Ben and everyone else. "He knows more than he's saying, so we're gonna follow his big ass to see where he goes."

"He's gonna run. Straight to the airport for the first flight to Pineapple Town."

"Maybe." Key dragged Ben toward the rental car.

Ben gassed it down the street and caught sight of the Charger. Moose appeared to be making a break for the canyon and freedom. Ben started to grumble when the Charger swerved into a 7-11 near the turnoff to the Canyons Resort.

"Slow up." Key raised an oak-like arm to accentuate the command. "Let's see what he's up to."

The Charger barreled past the pumps and parked by the front door of the convenience store. Moose blasted out, practically ripping the glass door off its hinges as he stormed into the store. The clerk backpedaled from the counter until he hit the shelves of cigarettes, a baseball bat in his hand, which he used to point wildly toward the road. Moose responded by angrily slamming his fist on the counter.

"What the hell's going on?" Ben asked.

"Just wait," Key ordered.

The clerk reached behind his back. "What's he doing?" Ben called out, certain he'd spot the glint of a gun. Instead, the old man produced a rumpled napkin, which he held toward Moose with a trembling hand.

"That's it," Key said, as though he had been expecting the clerk to pass a note to Moose.

"That's what?" Ben asked, mystified.

"Drive!"

The rental car skidded to a stop next to the Charger as Moose plucked the note from the clerk's hand. With gun drawn, Key bolted into the store, Ben trailing behind. The napkin fluttered to the ground and disappeared behind the counter.

"So what do we have here?" Key asked coldly, his pistol leveled at Moose's chest.

The baseball bat rattled to the floor. Key didn't even flinch at the noise, his attention on the big Hawaiian. Moose forced himself to smile, his survival instincts kicking in. "Brutha told me they was out of ham and cheese."

The clerk turned to the new arrivals and his face lit up. "That's him," he shouted, pointing at Ben. "That's the guy with the bag!"

Key glanced at Ben, but addressed Moose, "So what's going on here?"

The smile disappeared from Moose's face and he replied with a defiant sneer," I needed some chewing gum."

BANG! A bullet ripped through Moose's thigh, causing his knees to buckle, but the large man did not fall. The clerk gasped and made a break for the back door. "Stay put, old man!" Key barked without even looking at him. The clerk raised his arms in surrender.

Ben stared at Moose with a mixture of horror and respect, because despite having a gaping hole in his leg, he refused to go down.

"I'll ask you one more time," Key said calmly. "What the fuck you doing here?"

Ben wondered the same thing about himself. If he had any brains, he would have driven off when Key jumped out of the car.

Moose gave Key one last murderous stare, before throwing up one arm in surrender, the other arm clinging to the counter for balance. "Okay, brutha, okay. Calm down." His voice came out in spurts, the pain in his leg must be overwhelming. "Shit, man, you didn't have to shoot me. I'm here investigating a lead. And this guy here," he said, pointing to the clerk, "just saw the guy with the bag."