Sara screamed, No, for Gods sake, hes not holding me. Stop it. Leave him alone! She pushed McKennas hand away. Perkins stepped forward. Agent McKenna he began, but McKenna cut him off with a cold stare.

Hes got a shotgun in the car, McKenna said. You want to take a chance with your men, fine. I dont operate that way.

Another sedan pulled up and Chandler and two uniformed Virginia police officers climbed out, guns drawn.

Everybody freeze! Chandler boomed out. McKenna looked around. Tell your men to put away their weapons, Chandler. Ive got the situation under control.

Chandler walked right up to McKenna. Tell your men to holster their weapons right now, McKenna. Right now or Ill have these officers arrest you on the spot for assault and battery. McKenna didnt move. Chandler leaned directly in his face. Right now, Special Agent Warren McKenna, or youll be calling the Bureaus legal counsel from a Virginia lockup. You really want that in your record?

Finally, the man flinched. Holster your weapons, McKenna ordered his men.

Now move the hell away from him, Chandler ordered. McKenna very slowly edged away from the fallen Fiske, his eyes burning into Chandlers with every backward step. Chandler knelt down and gripped Fiskes shoulder. John, you okay?

Fiske nodded painfully, his eyes on McKenna.

Will someone please tell us what is going on? Sara cried out.

Steven Wright was found murdered, Chandler said. ["C35"]CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

The shack rested in the center of a heavy forest in a remote part of southwestern Pennsylvania, where it notched into West Virginia. A muddy, tire-gouged strip of dirt was the only way in or out. Josh came in the front door, his 9mm poking out of his waistband, red clay and pine needles sticking to his boots. The truck was parked under a leafy shield of a soaring walnut tree, but Josh had taken the added precaution of covering the vehicle with camouflage netting. His biggest worry was being spotted from overhead. Luckily, the nights were still warm. He couldnt risk building a fire; you couldnt control where smoke went. Rufus sat on the floor, his broad back resting against the wall, his Bible in his lap. He was drinking a soda, the remains of his lunch beside him. He had changed into some clothes that his brother had brought him.

Everything okay?

Just us and the squirrels. How you feeling?

Happy as hell and scared as the devil. Rufus shook his head and smiled. Feels good to be free, sitting here drinking a Coke, not having to worry about somebody trying to get the jump on me every second of my life.

The guards or the other cons?

What do you think?

I think both. I was on the inside for a while too, you know. We could probably write us a book.

How long we gonna stay here?

A couple of days. Let things die down a little. Then well head on, make our way down to Mexico. Live good on a tenth of what it takes up here. Went a few times after the war. Got some old Army buddies who live there. Theyll help us get in and then set us up. Find us a boat, do some fishing, live on the beach. That sound good to you?

Living in the sewer would sound good to me. Rufus stood up. Got a question for you.

His brother leaned against the wall and started carving up an apple with his pocketknife. Im listening.

Your truck was full of groceries, two rifles and that pistol youre carrying. And the clothes Im wearing.

So?

So you just happen to be carrying all that stuff when you come visit me?

Josh swallowed a slice of apple. I got to eat. That means I got to go to the store, now, dont it?

Yeah, but you didnt buy nothing thatd go bad, no milk or eggs, stuff like that. All cans and boxes.

I ate out of a can in the Army. I guess I just fell in love with meals ready to eat.

And you always carry all them guns with you?

Maybe Im still screwed up from Nam, got some syndrome or other.

Rufus tugged at his shirt, which was the size of a blanket. My size dont exactly come off the rack. You came ready to bust me out, didnt you, Josh?

Josh finished working on his apple and then threw the core out the open window. He wiped the apple juice from his hands onto his jeans before facing his brother.

Look, Rufus, I never knew why you killed that little girl. But I knew you werent right in the head when you done it. When I got that letter from the Army it crossed my mind there was something there. Now, I didnt know it was some cover for what they done to you. But the fact is, nowadays, people go crazy and do bad shit, they stick em in the nut-house, and when theyre better, they just let em go. You been in prison for twenty-five years for something I know for a fact you didnt even mean to do. Lets just say I took it on myself to say that was long enough. You served your time, you know, paid your debt to society crap. It was time for you to get out, and I was gonna bring the key. If you hadnt wanted to come, I was going to make you change your way of thinking. Call me right or wrong, I dont give a damn. Its what I made up my mind to do.

The two brothers looked at each other for at least a minute without speaking.

You a good brother, Josh.

You damn right I am.

Rufus sat on the floor again and picked up the Bible, his hands gently turning the pages until he found the part he wanted. Josh eyed him.

You still reading that stuff after all this time?

Rufus looked up at him. Gonna read it all my life.

Josh snorted. You do what you want with your time, but wasting it aint such a good idea if you ask me.

Rufus eyed him stonily. The word of the Lord kept me alive all these years. That aint no waste of time.

Josh shook his head, looked out the window and then back at Rufus. He touched the grip of his pistol. This is God. Or a knife, or a stick of dynamite, or a dont-piss-on-me attitude. Not some holy book full of people killing each other, men taking other mens women, just about every sin you can think of

Sins of man, not God.

God aint the one busted you out. I did.

God sent you to me, Josh. His will is everywhere.

So youre saying God made me come get you?

Why did you come?

I told you. Get you out.

cause you love me?

Josh appeared a little startled. Yes, he said.

Thats the will of God, Josh. You love me, you help me. Thats Gods way of working.

Josh shook his head and looked away. Rufus went back to his reading. A squawking sound came from Joshs portable police scanner, which he had set on the floor along with his radio. Josh had managed to tune in a radio station from southwest Virginia for any local news on Rufuss escape.

Heard your name on the police band anymore? Josh asked. Rufus Harms had been mentioned in the news the day before. All the military authorities would say was that Harms was a convicted murderer who had a history of violence inside prison. He had escaped with the help of his brother, a dangerous man in his own right. The standard lingo was used, namely that both men were believed to be armed and dangerous. Translation: No one should be surprised or ask any questions when the authorities dragged their corpses in.

A little, Rufus replied. Theyre looking south, like you thought.

Just then the afternoon news came on the radio. The first two news stories meant nothing to either brother. The third news story was a late-breaking one and it made both brothers stare at the radio. Josh hustled over and turned up the sound. The story only lasted about a minute and when it was over Josh turned the radio off. Rider and his wife, he said.

Made it look like he killed her and then turned the gun on himself, Rufus added, his head shaking slowly in disbelief. Two men come to see me and now theyre both dead.

Josh stared over at his brother. He knew exactly what he was thinking. Rufus, you cant bring him back, you cant bring none of them back.