back in business. He also wondered what had happened to the Mack. He and Ken had been transported to a hospital in Duluth, which was nearly seventy miles from where they had been arrested. There was also the question if Patty was even still alive. The mere possibility caught Jimmy like a sucker punch.
Ken saw the doubt in Jimmy’s eyes and pointed a finger at Jimmy. “Don’t even think it. She’s going to be fine, and we’ll figure out what to do after we round up our people. We’ll walk to Minneapolis if we have to. I’m sure Julie is worried sick about you, and poor Patty has to be going out of her mind by now.”
Jimmy nodded again. He could see fear in Ken’s eyes, and it was something completely foreign to him. Jimmy looked away as Ken brushed away a stray tear. The room was buzzing with activity. This interview would be much different that their earlier one. From the looks of it, they were pulling out all of the bells and whistles here. The chairs of the rectangular oak table had been removed, except for the one that Ken sat in and one directly across from him. Jimmy assumed this was where their host would sit.
A moment later, Jimmy’s jaw dropped when the door opened and a dark-haired, stocky man strode into the room as if he owned it. He looked vaguely familiar to Jimmy, but he couldn’t place the man’s face. The man was well dressed and wore gold jewelry, which Jimmy assumed was the real thing. Fiftyish and average looking, he wore slicked-back hair that had receded well above his forehead. He stood and stared at Jimmy and Ken as if they were cockroaches.
“I can’t believe it,” Ken whispered. “It’s Thrill Melbow .”
Jimmy nodded his head. Ken had been a big fan of the conservative radio talk-show host, as had many of the men who had worked at Dahlgren Industries. Jimmy had started out as a fan of the show, but over the years the man’s slanted message had worn thin on him. A small throng had gathered around Melbow, and it was clear he was unhappy about something. “He looks like a jerk,” whispered Jimmy.
Ken’s eyes narrowed. “Listen, just follow my lead and don’t say anything liberal, do you understand me? We’ve got to get out of here just as fast as we can. Don’t screw this up, kid.”
Jimmy nodded and sat back in his wheelchair. Ken’s words had struck a nerve inside of him, and he didn’t trust himself to respond. Jimmy was suddenly suspicious of the spectacle that was about to take place and thought about that for a moment. Again, Melbow glared back at Jimmy from across the room with an irritated expression. Jimmy was suddenly certain that Melbow was here to do damage control and that he would spin whatever Ken and he said to fit his purposes. Collins now stood next to the talk show host and held a sheet of paper out for the both of them to read; they seemed to be going over a battle plan.
This angered Jimmy and he could feel adrenaline flowing into his aching muscles. They’ve got no right to spin our story, he thought to himself. There was something wrong here, terribly wrong, and Jimmy wanted nothing to do with it. He watched as Naomi powdered Thrill Melbow’s puffy cheeks as he continued to talk to the vulture, Collins.
“Don’t even think about it,” hissed Ken, leaning over and blocking Jimmy’s view of Thrill and his entourage. “Do not go against the grain, do you hear me? He’ll chew you up and spit you out like a cheap steak. He’s the best, kid. That’s why he’s here. That ought to make you feel good. They thought enough of us to send out the best in the business.”
Jimmy forced a smile and nodded his head. He thought about what was about to happen and about what was really important. Ken was right—they needed to get this over as quickly as possible and get moving to Minneapolis. They were over a hundred miles away from the ones they loved, and God only knew how they were.
Chapter 12
“Doctors will have more lives to answer for in this
Ken saw the doubt in Jimmy’s eyes and pointed a finger at Jimmy. “Don’t even think it. She’s going to be fine, and we’ll figure out what to do after we round up our people. We’ll walk to Minneapolis if we have to. I’m sure Julie is worried sick about you, and poor Patty has to be going out of her mind by now.”
Jimmy nodded again. He could see fear in Ken’s eyes, and it was something completely foreign to him. Jimmy looked away as Ken brushed away a stray tear. The room was buzzing with activity. This interview would be much different that their earlier one. From the looks of it, they were pulling out all of the bells and whistles here. The chairs of the rectangular oak table had been removed, except for the one that Ken sat in and one directly across from him. Jimmy assumed this was where their host would sit.
A moment later, Jimmy’s jaw dropped when the door opened and a dark-haired, stocky man strode into the room as if he owned it. He looked vaguely familiar to Jimmy, but he couldn’t place the man’s face. The man was well dressed and wore gold jewelry, which Jimmy assumed was the real thing. Fiftyish and average looking, he wore slicked-back hair that had receded well above his forehead. He stood and stared at Jimmy and Ken as if they were cockroaches.
“I can’t believe it,” Ken whispered. “It’s Thrill Melbow .”
Jimmy nodded his head. Ken had been a big fan of the conservative radio talk-show host, as had many of the men who had worked at Dahlgren Industries. Jimmy had started out as a fan of the show, but over the years the man’s slanted message had worn thin on him. A small throng had gathered around Melbow, and it was clear he was unhappy about something. “He looks like a jerk,” whispered Jimmy.
Ken’s eyes narrowed. “Listen, just follow my lead and don’t say anything liberal, do you understand me? We’ve got to get out of here just as fast as we can. Don’t screw this up, kid.”
Jimmy nodded and sat back in his wheelchair. Ken’s words had struck a nerve inside of him, and he didn’t trust himself to respond. Jimmy was suddenly suspicious of the spectacle that was about to take place and thought about that for a moment. Again, Melbow glared back at Jimmy from across the room with an irritated expression. Jimmy was suddenly certain that Melbow was here to do damage control and that he would spin whatever Ken and he said to fit his purposes. Collins now stood next to the talk show host and held a sheet of paper out for the both of them to read; they seemed to be going over a battle plan.
This angered Jimmy and he could feel adrenaline flowing into his aching muscles. They’ve got no right to spin our story, he thought to himself. There was something wrong here, terribly wrong, and Jimmy wanted nothing to do with it. He watched as Naomi powdered Thrill Melbow’s puffy cheeks as he continued to talk to the vulture, Collins.
“Don’t even think about it,” hissed Ken, leaning over and blocking Jimmy’s view of Thrill and his entourage. “Do not go against the grain, do you hear me? He’ll chew you up and spit you out like a cheap steak. He’s the best, kid. That’s why he’s here. That ought to make you feel good. They thought enough of us to send out the best in the business.”
Jimmy forced a smile and nodded his head. He thought about what was about to happen and about what was really important. Ken was right—they needed to get this over as quickly as possible and get moving to Minneapolis. They were over a hundred miles away from the ones they loved, and God only knew how they were.
Chapter 12
“Doctors will have more lives to answer for in this
Similar Books
