Calder made a negative sound. “Nah, these freight trains usually carry rocks from the quarry. They’re not like old school trains. No way he’d be able to board one even if they stopped to pick up more cars.”
“Send me the address. We’re close enough to probably beat you there. I think Knox would feel better if it was his brother who talked to him.”
“I’ve got guys en route, but I’ll make sure if they beat you there, they just watch from a distance.”
“Thanks.”
Once Preacher received the address and plugged it into the GPS, Memphis was relieved to see it was less than fifteen minutes from the next exit. Maybe Knox would be okay. Memphis just needed to explain to him that everything was going to be fine. Even if it was a lie.
When they rolled into the deserted parking lot of the station, Memphis turned and stuck his arm out before Preacher could open the door. “No. Just…just let me talk to him. Okay? Just give me fifteen or twenty minutes.”
Preacher gave him a long hard stare. “Fifteen.”
“Fine. Fifteen.”
Memphis didn’t bother trying the rickety door of the darkened station, instead moving around behind it to the platform. At first, he couldn’t see anything. Clouds blocked the moon overhead, so the only light was the blinking of the signs on either side of the tracks and a single dirty spotlight just over a bench. That was where he found Knox, curled up on the bench, his head resting on a bag of some sort.
“Knox!” The boy bolted upright, head on a swivel, his chest heaving in fear. Memphis rushed towards him, grabbing his arm before he could bolt. “It’s me. Memphis. Hey, it’s just me.”
The boy deflated against the back of the bench, cutting his gaze to Memphis before dropping to look at the ground.
“What were you thinking?” Memphis asked, keeping his tone gentle. “You scared the shit out of us. You can’t run off like that. And you definitely can’t go back to Nash. Not even to protect me.” Knox swung his sneakered foot across the concrete, back and forth, like a metronome, the sound scraping along Memphis’s already frazzled nerves. “Please, talk to me. I know this is scary and we’re never allowed to be scared, but I’m not Dad and I’m not Nash. I’m scared. I was so scared when Calder called and told me you were gone.”
Knox’s head swung towards him. He opened his mouth and closed it again, a whimper falling from his lips, eyes growing wide as a figure appeared from the tracks, gun in hand.
Nash.
How the fuck?
“Surprise,” he said with a laugh.
Memphis didn’t say a word, just stood, putting himself between the barrel of the gun and Knox. He just needed to buy some time. Preacher and the boys were in the car and they would come to look for him when he didn’t show up in ten minutes. In the distance, a train whistle blew, though Memphis couldn’t hear the train itself.
“Just leave him alone. He’s just a kid. You don’t need another crew member.”
Nash snorted. “Crew member? You think I want that sniveling little shit on my crew? I couldn’t even trust him not to call the cops over a bunch of junkyard dogs.”
“So, just shoot me and go.”
“Oh, I’m gonna. I’ve been looking forward to it, in fact. But baby brother’s gotta go, too. Gotta tie up those loose ends. Can’t have him testifying against us.”
Memphis blinked. Somehow, it hadn’t occurred to him that Nash would kill Knox, even though he’d already tried once in the hospital. “Dad said he wanted Knox back into the fold.”
Nash scoffed. “Dad just wanted you to finally make a move. We’ve been trying to get you to lead us to Knox for weeks. He even told that obvious plant that there was a hit on you. There isn’t by the way. He thinks with you two gone, he’s got a better shot of getting out, but it’s not true. He’s never getting out, which means I inherit the keys to the kingdom.”
“Then why do you need to kill us? You win. You’re the heir apparent.”
Nash shrugged. “I don’t like the idea of you two walking around breathing my air. Never know when one of you might decide to try to take over.”
What the fuck? “This isn’t a movie, Nash. Nobody wants the keys to Dad’s kingdom but you. I just want to take Knox and go back to my life. We don’t care about you or Tennessee.” He looked to Knox. “Just let him go. He’s a child.”
Nash rolled his eyes. “You’re such a pussy, man. Like, even when we were kids. That’s why Dad hated you so much. That’s why he didn’t even stop me when I poured that tequila on you. Hell, he handed me the lighter. I’m pretty sure it was a test to see if I had the balls to do it.”
Maybe it was shock, but Memphis felt nothing at Nash’s sudden confession. He’d been almost positive it was Tennessee, but learning it was Nash didn’t hit his panic switch the way it would have weeks ago. If anything, it just proved Nash would kill them if Memphis didn’t get Knox away from him right now.
He took a step towards his brother, trying to put enough distance between them for Knox to have a shot at running if he got the chance. “How’d you do it?”
“Do what?” Nash asked.
