Page 131 of Them Bones

“I’m leaving the door open for some air, okay Shane?” she called.

“Yeah,” he said absently, appearing from behind a pile of garden tools holding a heavy wooden shovel with a foot-wide metal head. She frowned. “It’s going to take you forever to do the driveway with that,” she whined.

“I’m heavily motivated to make this quick,” he said, his eyes twinkling.

“You’d better be,” she grumbled. “I’m all wet.”

His eyes lingered on her damp jeans before he blinked and headed towards the driveway, blowing her a kiss.

She walked into her room and flopped onto the bed. It was just after 11:00pm, but she figured it was Christmas Eve and Dusty and Jerry would probably still be up watchingDie Hard.She picked up the cordless, blowing dust off the receiver, and paused as she heard a thump. It sounded like the front door, but she shook her head and dialed her brother, wanting to wish him a Merry Christmas.

DUSTIN

Jerry was snoring lightly on the couch as Die Hard played in the background, a bowl of popcorn resting on Dustin’s lap, when the phone rang.

“Laney!” he said, knowing it would be her.

“Merry Christmas, baby brother,” she said.

“Happy birthday, big sister,” he said back. “How was the concert?”

“It was wonderful,” Laney sighed, “but the roads are really bad so we're staying at Cary’s tonight.”

“Is Cary home?” Dustin asked, worry in his voice.

“No."

“Ma?”

“Nah,” Laney said, sounding happy. “Just me and Shane.” She giggled.

“You’re gross,” he scowled.

“Shane?” Laney said, her voice sounding faraway. She wasn’t talking into the phone.

“No,” came another voice.

The hair on the back of Dustin’s neck stood up.

“Nick?” Laney’s voice sounded funny. “What are you doing here?”

Then the line went dead.

JOHN

Something was wrong.

As they pulled up to Cary’s house, all the lights were on and the garage was up, the door into the basement wide open. Cary frowned at the square-body truck in the driveway, but then his eyes slid across the street.

“Isn’t that Nick’s car?” Cary asked, pointing at the Sunfire.

John swallowed. “Yeah… Cary, I think it is…”

Cary was out in flash, running towards the open door in the garage.

JERRY

“Jerry!”

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