Page 91 of Left Behind

Lonny Pryor had been at Roly’s for only a short time. Long enough to feel like he was settling, but not long enough to stop looking over his shoulder. He knew the Bowling Green PD would keep looking for him. There was that thing about his DNA being all over a dead man. After hearing nothing about the woman he’d killed on Pope Mountain, he had assumed they’d never connected the incidents. And whatever guilt he still harbored, he blamed it all on Eggers.

Looking back, he was firmly convinced that Eggers’s overreaction to his presence had to do with the sister being in the house—something Lonny had no way of knowing about. Seeing the gun had made Eggers fear for his sister’s life, and for that reason, Billy had jumped him. He sighed. If he’d only known she was there, none of this would have had happened. But he hadn’t known, and it had happened, and here he was.

It was nearing noon, and Roly had been readying his airboat for an afternoon tour when he came in the house.

Lonny had potatoes frying on the stove and a plate of fried fish already done and sitting on the counter.

“Smells good,” Roly said, and went to the kitchen sink to wash his hands.

“Just fish and taters,” Lonny said.

“That I didn’t have to cook,” Roly added, and they both grinned at the comment.

“I’ll fix the glasses,” Roly said, and headed for the cabinet.

Lonny heard cars driving up and turned away from the stove to look out the kitchen window. When he saw the Miami PD logos and the men climbing out of the vehicles, his heart sank.

“Better skip my glass,” Lonny muttered.

Roly turned. “Why? What’s wrong?”

Lonny sighed. “They found me.”

Roly frowned. “Who found you?”

“The cops. Got myself in a bit of trouble. I’m sorry, cousin.”

Roly’s eyes widened. “Holy shit, Lonny.”

Lonny turned the fire off from under the potatoes and wiped his hands.

“I’ll get the door. Don’t worry. I’ll make sure they know I duped you,” he said, and went to answer the knock.

Chapter 14

Detective Wesley Davis from Miami PD was prepared for an interrogation or a fight, whichever came first. What he did not expect was for their suspect to answer the door. Yet there he was, yellow shirt, blue jeans, and sneakers, head shaved bald, and sporting a vandyke beard.

“Officers. I’m Lonny Joe Pryor. I believe you’ve come for me?”

Davis was startled. “Mr. Pryor, step out of the house, hands up. Turn and face the wall.”

Within moments, he had Lonny cuffed. Just as he was about to hand him off to other officers, Lonny spoke.

“I lied to my cousin, Roly. This is his place. He doesn’t know anything about my life. We haven’t seen each other in over twenty years. I was using him to hide. He did not know he was harboring a fugitive. He’s innocent of any wrongdoing.”

Davis pointed at the officers. “Take him to the station.”

At that point, Roly appeared in the doorway, pale and shaken.

“He’s my cousin. I thought he’d just come to visit. I didn’t know y’all was looking for him,” Roly sputtered.

“State your name, sir,” Davis said.

“Roly Pryor. I’ve lived here all my life. I ain’t never been in trouble. I take tourists out on my airboat. That’s all I do.”

“Do you live alone?” Davis asked.

“Yes, sir. Been divorced awhile,” Roly said.

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