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By Root 510 0

into the driver’s seat of the Trans Am. He was blubbering in fear, tears running down his face. Keller made it to the car before DeWayne could close the door. He grabbed a handful of DeWayne’s shirt and yanked him up out of the seat. DeWayne’s face was covered with scratches and cuts from the gravel. The sight of the blood made Keller’s ears buzz with the rush of adrenaline. He slammed DeWayne against the car and rammed the barrel of the pistol up under his chin. His hand was slick with his own blood; the gun almost slipped out of his hand. He gripped it tighter. He took a deep breath to clear his head, caught the slight tang of blood in the air. “You were going to shoot me with this gun, weren’t you, DeWayne?” he said. His voice was a low growl, almost a purr.

“Please, man,” DeWayne sobbed. “Don’t hurt me...”

“Weren't you!?” Keller screamed into his face so loud that DeWayne flinched. “No, man, no, I swear it...”

“You’re a fucking liar!” Keller emphasized the last word by lifting DeWayne up and slamming his body against the car again. “Tell the truth,” another slam, “You little fuck!” a third. Keller felt like he was standing on a high-voltage line. His blood was singing in his veins.

“Okay, okay!” Snot ran form DeWayne’s nose as he cried. “Whatever, man. Yeah. I was gonna shoot you, but I didn’t mean it, please, man, I’m sorry. I’m sorry. Please, please don’t kill me.”

The words brought clarity to Keller’s mind, focusing the high wild feeling that was consuming him. There was only one thing that would be better, one thing that would make this feeling complete. Keller laughed. It came out as a high, mad chuckle that made DeWayne moan in terror. Keller’s finger tightened on the trigger. A little more, he thought, just a little, not even a half-inch, so easy...

“Keller!” A voice roared. Keller looked up, over the top of the car.

Berry was standing there a few feet away. He was slightly crouched, his arms out in warning or supplication. His dark-brown eyes held Keller’s. “Don’t do it, son,” Berry said evenly. “Don’t do it. It’s murder.”

Keller looked back at DeWayne. The man’s face seemed to be coming apart with fear. “He’s gonna kill me, mister!” he sobbed to Berry. “Oh, God, please stop him, he’s gonna kill me like he killed my folks.”

Keller felt the rush back off just a little bit. He looked down at DeWayne, baffled. “What the hell are you talking about?” he said.

DeWayne sniffled. “You killed ‘em. You killed my folks to try to make ‘em tell where I was. It was on TV.”

At those words, Keller felt the rage flow out of him as if someone had pulled a stopper from a drain. He released DeWayne’s jacket and stepped back, still holding the gun on him. He saw DeWayne Puryear as what he was: a sad, scared, stupid man who was in way over his head. Keller felt shaky and ashamed. He shook his head. “I never met your folks, DeWayne.” he said. “Jesus, how dumb are you? Don’t you think it might have been that other guy? The one that killed your cousin Leonard?”

“But--the TV said...”

“Oh, for Christ’s sake,” Keller said. “Turn around, DeWayne.” DeWayne hesitated. Keller sighed. “I’m not going to shoot you. Now turn around. Put your hands on the car and spread your legs.” Reluctantly, DeWayne complied. Keller performed a quick one-handed frisk, still holding the gun on his captive with the other hand. When he was satisfied that he had the only armament, he stepped back and looked at Berry.

“Major,” he said, “this is the guy I’ve been looking for.”

“Well, I had hoped you hadn’t started attacking random strangers,” Berry replied.

“Funny,” Keller said. “You think you can find me something to secure him with?”

Berry looked doubtful. “We’re a rehab center, Keller, not a prison. We don’t have any cuffs. I don’t know...”

“Some rope. Even some duct tape,” Keller said. Berry nodded and turned back towards the house. A crowd had gathered on the porch. Crystal Puryear was among them. Her face was white and she had her hand over her mouth.

“It’s okay,” Keller shouted to her. “I didn’t hurt him.”

“Like hell he didn’t!” DeWayne yelled.