Page 43 of Crossing the Line

An explosion sounded about two hours later. It vibrated the ground, and the swing both. I sat up in a hurry and moved to the edge of the porch as sirens broke out.

“What in the wor—? Oh!” Brenna screamed when she noticed me.

“Some kind of explosion,” I greeted, a lazy smile forming, when she still didn’t send me packing.

“Well, what the hell was it? What exploded?” she asked, as the sirens in the distance thickened.

“Couldn’t say, I was sawing logs out here.”

“Sawing wh– were you sleeping on my porch?” Her eyes widened and she drew her housecoat together at the top.

“I told you, it won’t happen again.”

The low hum of a bike engine grew into a steady growl that didn’t let off until Victor neared the driveway.

“What on earth are you doing slinking in here at this hour?” Brenna chided, but he didn’t answer.

“Any idea what the hell that was?”

Victor paused a foot or two from me, but I smelled him. The boy reeked of something strong and harsh, he looked me dead in my eyes and shrugged when he mumbled, “Meth lab gone wrong in the trailer park, I heard.”

It was like a mule kicked me in my chest. There was only one damn cook in that trailer park. My mouth watered, as I suddenly recognized that horrible scent Big Vick carried with him.

“That stupid son of a bitch,” I huffed, “He’ll spend the next ten years sitting down. I don’t know when the hell he’s gonna learn.”

My phone vibrated in my pocket unexpectedly and I fumbled to fetch it.

It was the middle of the night, yet Mark’s name was lit up on the screen.

“That’s never good,” I sighed, before punching the button.

“Where the fuck are you at?” Mark asked, his tone heavy.

I frowned before answering, “I’m visiting with my lady friend.”

Brenna’s head whipped toward me, only to look away when I silently blew her a kiss.

“You hear that explosion?”

“Mhmm,” I murmured.

“He’s gone!” Mark bluntly spat.

“No shit. They’re gonna throw the damn book at him. This ain’t his first rodeo. I already told his ass–”

“He’s gone, C.C.. The motherfucker blew up the trailer with Darla and the youngest boy still in it.”

I noticed how Victor’s gaze flickered with something when the boy was mentioned. All I could do was stare at him, while Mark rambled in my ear.

I had no idea what he said prior to our farewell.

“You should come in, have some coffee,” Brenna encouraged.

Her hands trembled, and her head ducked as she hurried inside, leaving me and Victor alone on the porch.

“Big Vick,” I mumbled under my breath, unsure of how to ask him.

“C.C.,” he returned, his eyes void of any signs of remorse.