have taken thirty, running through all the traffic lights on Wilshire Boulevard like they were not there. The only reason he did not have an accident of his own is that this was the day after Christmas and very few people were out this early in the morning.
He usually made that drive with Megan, and sometimes Marina when she was not busy with school or friends, and sometimes they would even stop and visit with their friend and hairdresser Lisa at Lisa’s Kountry Cuttery. They never failed to admire her place, which would be the envy of the big boys in the business. Today, however, he didn’t even see the place as he passed by; he didn’t even notice the town of Joshua, where the shop was located. He had one thing on his mind and one thing only - to get to his family as soon as he could.
He stopped his truck by the water tower, noticing that his wife’s car was not even there, and ran to his girls. He was sick and wanted to throw up when he saw the condition they were in. He knelt down beside them, trying to comfort them, wondering who could do anything like this to two precious people, knowing that no amount of comfort was going to stop the pain.
Megan saw the puzzled look on her husband’s face and whispered in his ear the names of the Johnson boys.
The two sheriff’s cruisers that were chasing him had just arrived. The two deputies jumped out of their vehicles with their weapons drawn.
“Put your hands in the air and step away from those people,” yelled one of the deputies.
“These people are my family and someone tried to kill them and you’d better get your asses over here and help me.”
“We don’t care who they are. Put your hands up and move away.”
Austin realized that the deputies had a pretty good idea who might have done this. After all, how many times did they have to clean up after the Johnsons, this being their favorite grounds? And he suspected that their first instinct would be to protect the boys. Not necessarily out of love for them, but to avoid the wrath of the sheriff.
Austin gazed at the deputies with a stare that chilled them both. They could have shot him, he suspected, but how far would these people go to cover up a crime? After all, no one was dead as far as they could tell and by this time the sirens of the approaching police vehicles and ambulance were getting louder, indicating they were very near.
The two deputies stood there with their guns drawn, looking like idiots, when a man who seemed to be in his late thirties or early forties commanded them to put their weapons away as he walked quickly past them toward Austin and his family. Austin did not fail to notice the look of disgust the deputies gave this man.
“Mr. Hunter, my name is Detective Rice,” he said without extending his hand. “Please step away from your family and let the medics take care of them.” Austin took a step back and let the detective lead him away, dazed, knowing that this was not a time for formalities. He stood there watching the medics try to patch his family as best they could.
As the medics were loading Megan and Marina into the ambulance, Austin insisted on riding with them, drawing no objections from anyone. Before they started moving, he handed the detective the keys to his truck.
On the drive to the hospital, Marina finally stirred and whispered, “Daddy.”
At the sound of his daughter’s voice, Austin felt his heart melt. Not wanting his sweet daughter to see him break down was what kept him from bursting out in tears. He held her hand and started talking to her, trying to assure her that everything was going to be all right.
“They hurt us, daddy,” she whispered again.
“I know baby, just keep quiet for now and save your energy. I need you to get well sweetheart. I can’t make it through life without you.”
Both Megan and Marina were quiet the rest of the ride to the hospital and Austin was not sure whether this was by choice or due to totally spent energy.
The medics radioed ahead advising the medical staff at the emergency room to expect internal injuries, but one thing put Austin somewhat at ease: he heard the medics say that they were able to stabilize the girls. As soon as they arrived, both patients were rushed into the emergency room with Austin standing guard outside. When the hospital staff tried to guide him to the waiting room, he refused and told them in no uncertain terms that he was not moving from his position until he saw his family again.
After what seemed like hours, Austin was becoming alarmed. He hadn’t moved from his spot outside the door to the emergency room.
“Mr. Hunter,” a now somehow familiar voice called from behind him. Austin turned and saw Detective Rice.
“I’d like to talk to you if you don’t mind,” said the detective as he handed Austin the keys to the truck, telling him where it was parked.
“Can this wait until I know how my family is?”
“Just a couple of questions really,” said the detective. “It would help keep your mind off the incident for a moment.”
Austin thought that was such a ridiculous assumption.
“You can talk all you want as long as I do not move an inch from here. I will tell you what I told everyone else in this hospital. I am not moving from this spot until I see my family again.”
Suit yourself,” said Rice. “I just want to know if you have any idea as to who did this to your family.”
“Yes I know,” Austin replied and stopped there. That was all he said.
Detective Rice did not like the look in Austin’s eyes.
“Listen to me, Mr. Hunter. I want to assure you that I know how you feel.”
“Yeah, right,” said Austin. “How do you think I feel right now, detective?”
“I think, or make that I know, you feel a lot of rage and probably contemplating revenge, but let me assure you Mr. Hunter, revenge never works. I would say that in all cases the wrong person landed himself or herself in jail, as I am sure the outcome would be the same here. And tell me, Mr. Hunter, who would take care of your family then? Please let the police handle this. Let me handle this and I promise you that when I find out who did this, he or they will be punished to the fullest extent of the law.”
Austin was starting to think that, under different circumstances, this would be amusing. He wanted to make sure to register the reaction on the detective’s face when he hears what he was about to tell him.
“You really want to know who did this, detective?”
“Of course I do. Otherwise what do you think I am doing here?”
Austin looked at Detective Rice for a few seconds concentrating on the face. “It was the Johnson boys, detective. All three of them.”
Rice stared back at Hunter. The names hit him like a tornado, practically paralyzing him for a second, and then a look of despair registered on his face.
“Yeah, I thought so,” said Austin. “Speechless detective, are we? I don’t hear you making any promises now. Did you run out of assurances?”
Rice knew what this man was talking about. He wasn’t sure he would be able to do anything about those boys. Matter of fact, he knew he couldn’t. He did know that both the
