Page 29 of Vanish From Sight

“Oh shit, call the cops!” He laughed aloud then cried out, “Come. Come. Have a seat. Everyone. This is Noah. My little bro. Back to bring justice to all, isn’t that right!”

He took a bottle and began pouring two fingers of bourbon into it.

“Ray, c’mon.”

“C’mon what?” He continued pouring.

“It’s Sunday morning.”

“It’s Friday evening somewhere,” he said. “Hey boys!?”

They chuckled and shook their heads. If he was trying to win their approval, he was failing. “I think you’ve had enough to drink. Let’s go.”

“I’m not going anywhere. I’m just getting into a groove. Okay, a few thousand down but I can feel my luck turning.” Noah tried to get him to leave. At first, his brother resisted, but Noah kept at it, reminding him of his responsibilities, that others were depending on him. “Ah you’re such a buzz kill. Just like Tanya!”

Gabriel regarded them both with amusement.

“Another time, Mr. Sutherland,” Gabriel said.

“Always,” Ray said, passing him by and swigging some more of his drink. Noah took the glass out of his hand and set it down on the table as he assisted his brother out, his legs almost failing him.

“Remember my offer,” Gabriel said. Noah looked back over his shoulder and Ray whispered in his ear.

“How much are they giving you?”

He ignored him.

“C’mon, Noah. What did he offer you?”

“Weren’t you supposed to be somewhere this morning?” Noah asked, changing the topic.

“Somewhere?”

“The vet’s. The dog. Remember?”

“Oh, I thought Callie or you were handling it.”

“You said you wanted to be there.”

“Did I?”

Noah grumbled, shaking his head. This was a side of his brother he hadn’t seen. When they were younger, he’d watched him go off to parties but he usually saw him in the morning after he’d sobered up. “If you are trying to follow in pop’s footsteps,you’re doing a good job,” Noah said as they headed out into the bright daylight. Ray groaned, shielding his eyes with a forearm.

“Shit, that’s bright!”

“Have you been here all night?” Noah asked.

“Time flies when you’re having fun, brother.”

“Yeah, and so do women. Tanya has gone to her mother’s.”

“Ah, Tanya is like a yo-yo, she’ll come back. Always does.”

9

Monday, November 21, 9:20 a.m.

Alead was worth its weight in gold, even if it came to nothing.