was approaching them wearing a look of concern.
“It’s your mother,” Artie said, trying to keep his voice down, which might have worked had everyone in the place not been straining to hear.
Immediately several horrible possibilities flashed through CJ’s brain. He slid off the stool and took Artie by the arm. “What’s wrong?”
Artie didn’t answer right away. He looked around at the faces pointed their way and then, leaning toward CJ, he whispered, “I don’t know much except that she took a shot at your uncle Edward.”
By the time they arrived at CJ’s mother’s house, Artie had filled him in—at least as much as he was able. Just as Artie was about to open the store, Julie had come pounding on the door looking for CJ. Apparently CJ’s father had sent Edward over to the house to try and procure the Winchester. From what CJ had gleaned, it had been some time since the last such foray, but had this one held to form, Edward would have either been turned away at the door, or even invited in for tea before being sent away empty-handed. Instead, Dorothy met him with a gun— oddly enough, the same gun Edward had been sent to collect and that the leak in the attic had damaged. To hear Artie tell it, who’d heard it secondhand, she’d chased Edward from the porch, followed him into the yard, and fired a single shot in his general direction.
When Artie stopped his truck it didn’t take CJ long to see that whatever had happened here this morning had spiraled into something ugly. He saw his father’s truck first, and then the old man talking with a police officer. At first he didn’t see Edward, but a closer look revealed the Korean War vet on the other side of George’s truck, keeping a barrier between himself and the house. Apparently Dorothy had been asking for CJ, vowing to shoot anyone else who tried to approach the house.
CJ joined his father by the squad car, its blue lights flashing.
“Are you the son?” the cop asked him. His face was familiar but not enough so that CJ could place it.
“I’m one of them.” He gestured toward the house. “What’s going on?”
“Your mother’s in there with a gun,” George answered. “She fired a shot at Edward.”
“Aiming at you by proxy, I imagine,” CJ said.
His father gave him a look that reminded CJ of how his face set right before he squeezed the trigger with a ten-point in his sights. Undaunted, CJ returned it.
“We’ve been playing around for too long now, you understand?” George said. “It’s time I got back what’s mine.”
CJ didn’t answer right away, and when he did it was with a headshake and a half smile.
“I don’t think so, Pop. This is sport to you—just the same as if you were sitting in a tree stand. When she gives you your stuff, the game’s over, and I don’t think you want that. Not really.”
For the briefest of moments CJ thought his father might hit him; George’s fist clenched as if caught in a spasm. Then the impression was gone, giving way to a wry smile.
“You know all about games, don’t you, son?” George said.
The cop bounced his eyes between the both of them, finally alighting on CJ.
“Boy, you’ve changed since high school,” the cop said to him.
It was then that CJ placed him. His name was Matt Hinkle, and he’d been a year ahead of CJ in school. Kind of a mousy kid back then; probably more appropriate to call him wiry now.
“How are you, Matt?” CJ said.
It appeared that Matt wasn’t sure how he was. He took off his hat and ran a hand through thinning hair, then looked at the house as if he could see the threat lurking behind the door and the drawn blinds.
“I don’t want to have to hurt your mom, CJ. But she can’t go and shoot a gun within the city limits, much less shoot at someone.”
CJ grunted, turning to regard his childhood home alongside his childhood acquaintance. After a while he said, “Who’s to say she was actually shooting at anyone?” As Matt turned to face him, CJ asked, “Were there any witnesses?”
Officer Hinkle’s face made the transition from puzzlement to near incredulity in record time. Without breaking eye contact with CJ, he gestured behind him with his thumb. “Your uncle. He’s the one she shot at.”
CJ nodded. “Um-hmm.” He glanced over at Edward, who was still watching the house from behind George’s