Chapter Seven
The day after Sean had told his sister that she would walk again, he showed up at the ranch. John was out by the barn and saw the dust trail coming up the ranch road. He ran to the house and told his mom someone was coming. She closed the front door and locked it. Then she went to the kitchen, turned the radio off, got John and went to her bedroom. A short time later, they heard an engine. The engine coughed to a stop, they heard a door slam and then footsteps on the porch. Someone pounded on the screen door and then to John’s dismay, Sean called, “John, come on out. I know you’re in there.”
Etty looked accusingly at John. John looked down at the floor and said, “He knows Mom.”
“How could you John? You promised.”
“I know Mom but he’s my best friend and, and I trusted him. I guess I made a mistake.”
“What does he want, he sounds angry”
“I don’t know Mom. I haven’t done anything to make him mad that I know of.”
The pounding became more intense and Sean yelled again. Etty was furious with her son, but only said, “We may as well let him in. It’s probably better if we talk to him at this point.”
John went to the door unlocked and opened it. Sean was standing there holding his hunting rifle. As soon as the door opened, he pushed past John into the living room. Etty’s hand flew to her mouth and she backed away from Sean. John said, “What the hell’s with the gun, are you planning on robbing us?”
“I’ve come to talk to you. If you won’t listen to reason, I may need the gun. You are going to make my sister walk again.”
“Oh Jesus Sean, I’d forgot about your sister!”
“Bullshit! No one could forget something like that.”
“I forgot, so shoot me. For Christ sake Sean, I haven’t even seen your sister in a year. Look you don’t need that gun, when Matt gets back I’ll talk to him. Matt is a good guy. He’s not going to be very happy about me spilling the beans, but I know he’ll help you.”
Etty said in an angry voice, “Sean what has got into you? John’s been your friend your whole life practically. You’ve stayed at our house and you’ve ate at my table. I’ve always treated you like you were my own son and now you come in here with a gun threatening us. We do not deserve this.”
“I’m sorry Mrs. Hanson but nothing is going to stop me from helping my sister walk again. I know you‘ve been good to me but nothings going to get in the way of what I have to do. Besides, if you people were the friends you claim to be you would have offered without this. Now here’s what I want. You get on the phone and tell Mr. Macklin that he has to get back here right away. I don’t care how you do it but you get him back here.”
“I don’t know where Matt is or how to get in touch with him and I wouldn’t even if I could.”
Sean pointed the rifle at John’s head and said, “I’m not fooling around here. You call him and call now.”
Etty dropped to her knees.
“Please! Oh God please! I don’t know where he is! Don’t hurt John, I beg you.”
“Mom, he’s not going to hurt anyone. Sean we don’t know where Matt is. I’m sure that when he gets back he’ll be glad to help your sister but we have no idea when that might be.”
“I don’t believe you. I don’t think he would walk off, leave you in his house and not even tell you where he was going.”
“Well it’s the truth Sean. If you don’t believe me I guess you’ll just have to shoot me but that won’t make your sister walk. It’ll just put you in prison, or you can explain to the cops how Matt can make the lame walk and the old young. Then maybe you can spend the rest of your life in the booby hatch instead of prison.”
“I wouldn’t be so fuckin flip if I was you asshole. I’m just about pissed off enough to shoot your ass.”
“Watch your mouth Sean. I won’t tolerate that kind of language!
“Fuck you both. I want that old man back here and I mean now.”
John looked at Sean like he didn’t know him.
“I told you I don’t know where he is. Christ Sean, I thought you were my friend. After all it’s not my ball and I’ve barely had time to think since this happened.”
“Whatever. I guess we’ll just have to wait for him.”
“And what if he doesn’t come back for a month? How are you going to hold us at gunpoint for a month? Maybe you could just shoot us and throw us in a gully. Then when Matt gets back you can shoot him too and steal the ball for yourself.”
“Don’t give him any ideas. He just might do it. Matt was right about what would happen, if we told anyone. Sean’s been your best friend for most of his life and here is threatening you with a gun. God only knows what he’s willing to do. We may both wind up dead.”
“Shut up! No ones getting hurt as long as you do exactly what I tell you to. Just shut up and let me think.”
Sean looked like he was at his wits end, and about ready to explode. John had never seen him like this and it made him nervous. John’s mind was racing trying to think of a way to get a hold of Sean’s gun without putting his mom in jeopardy.