sister would kill us both, but I do need you to do me a favor. Go get the keys to Olivia’s car while I change clothes.”
“Okay.” A look of disappointment crossed his face as he headed for the door, and before he walked out, he said, “Just make sure he doesn’t hurt Sam again. I’d hate for anything to happen to him.”
“You can count on that.”
After I made a quick stop for necessities, I made it to the school around seven-thirty. Just like Charlie had said, Puckett’s Jeep was the only one in the lot. I took care of the sad excuse of a security camera and waited for my young friend to come out of the weight room. I stood behind the door, and when he finally stepped out, I placed the barrel of my gun against the back of his head and pulled back the hammer Even though he was just a kid, he knew the familiar click of a cocking gun. He stood there frozen like a statue.
“We are going to take a little ride, Puckett. And then you and me are going to have a little chat. You got that?” When he nodded, I said, “Go over to the car and place your hands on the trunk.”
He did as he was told, and to my surprise, he didn’t resist when I pulled his hands behind his back. To my benefit, he was too scared to move, much less scream out for help. After I’d zip-tied his hands together, I turned him around to face me. It was hard to believe this guy was still in high school. He looked like he was in his mid-twenties with his dreads and thick goatee. But even though he was a big dude, he was still terrified out of his mind. He tried his best to swallow his fear as he stood there looking at me, but I could tell by the way his bottom lip was trembling that he was freaking out. He looked down at me and asked, “What you want, man?”
“You’ll see soon enough. Get your ass in the car,” I ordered as I popped the trunk open.
He managed to keep up his brave front until he spotted the concrete cinder block and three-quarter-inch chain sitting next to the spare tire in the bottom of the trunk. Seeing them only terrified him more, spurring him to put up a fight. He bucked against me, trying to break free from my hold, but with one good jab into his rib cage, he buckled. I gave him a good shove, forcing him into the trunk.
Before I slammed it shut, he whimpered, “Please let me go, man. I didn’t do nothing.”
“That’s where we disagree, Puckett. You’ve done plenty, and now you’re going to pay for it,” I told him as I shut the trunk.
As I got in the car, I heard him kicking his feet against the trunk. Ignoring him, I started the car and drove out of the parking lot. I pulled up beside the bank of the Mississippi River and parked the car. I got out and opened the trunk. His eyes widened as he watched me grab the cinder block and chain and place it on the ground. I took a hold of his arm and started pulling him out of the car.
As soon as his feet hit the ground, he asked, “Why are you doing this? I already told you I didn’t do nothing, man.”
Without answering him, I started wrapping the thick chain around his feet, then worked my way up to his arms and waist. The entire time, he was pleading with me to stop, begging with everything he had for me to let him go. I ignored him. When I was finished wrapping the chain around his body, I looped the remaining length around the cinder block and secured it with a lock. I shoved the key in his front pocket and gave him a quick push, forcing him against the car.
“Word on the street is you’re a real asshole. I don’t have much patience for assholes, Puckett. As a matter of fact, I have no patience whatsoever for assholes, especially stupid, fucking assholes like you. So, I tell you what I’m going to do. I’m going to drag your sorry ass over to that river and watch your skinny little butt sink to the bottom.”
“I ain’t never did nothing to nobody, man. I just do my thing and leave folks alone,” he said