A thin drizzle fell from the gray sky, pushing the humidity out of the air as a light breeze blew in from the ocean. Coupled together, they nudged the temperature to just shy of seventy degrees, unheard of for June in Miami.
Thorn stood with the rain falling on his head and running in thin rivulets down his face. Several trees with ample leaves for protection stood nearby, but he remained stationary. He didn’t even notice the precipitation soaking his black suit and matting his dress shirt to his skin.
His entire attention was aimed eighty yards in front of him, where a small funeral was in progress.
Two tombstones stood side by side, announcing the passing of Jorge and Antonio Garcia. An assortment of flower arrangements stood on either end, the rain beating them into misshapen orbs of color.
From where he stood, Thorn could see Iggy and her mother sitting in the front row with a smattering of people lined behind them. He was too far away to hear what the pastor was saying, but he could see Iggy consoling her mother as her entire body shook with sobs.
Thorn stood rod straight and watched the proceedings from a distance. He wasn’t hiding from them, remaining in plain sight, but something inside kept him from walking any closer.
Thorn watched as the pastor spread his hands and bowed his head before falling silent and gripping his Bible in front of him. One by one, the mourners walked by the caskets, each of them placing a handful of dirt or running their fingertips along the rain soaked caskets as they passed.
The entire affair lasted less than half an hour.
Thorn stood and watched as many of the people drifted to their cars and drove away. Iggy and her mother thanked each of them and when the last had departed, she made her way toward him.
Her face still bore the effects of her time in Gold’s basement and her walk was stiff and purposeful.
“Thank you for coming,” she said as she approached.
“I’m sorry there was reason for me to be here,” Thorn responded.
Iggy crossed her arms in front of her black dress and shivered, a splint covering the bulk of her right hand. After a moment, she moved to Thorn’s side and slid her arm through his. She rested her head on his shoulder and wept as Thorn placed his lips against her curly hair and let her cry.
“You know, we’d have had to do this anyway,” Iggy said. “My father was gone before either one of us even got to Boston.”
Thorn remained silent.
For three days he had tortured himself with the fact that Nio should not have been in that house. He’d played it back a hundred times, knowing that in the moment there was no place to drop him, no way Nio would have been dismissed, but that didn’t make things any easier for him to digest.
“I did some research,” Iggy said, drawing Thorn’s attention into the moment. “In mythology, a Thornbird is a song bird that gets its name because the moment it is born, it begins looking for a perfect thorn. When it finds it, it impales itself upon it, unleashing the most beautiful sound ever heard.”
Iggy fell silent for a moment, her intention implied.
“The plan was to name me after my grandfather,” Thorn said, “but when my mother died giving birth, my father thought the name seemed more fitting.”
They stood in silence for several minutes, each drawing warmth from the other.
“I still really dislike you,” Iggy whispered.
One corner of Thorn’s lips creased. “I’m aware.”
Iggy turned and slid one hand around Thorn’s waist, the other behind his neck. Thorn returned the embrace, the two hugging for several moments before pulling apart and looking at each other.
Tears streamed from Iggy’s eyes as rain dripped down Thorn’s face.
“Don’t let this be the last time I see you, okay?” Iggy whispered.
“You call me if you ever need anything,” Thorn replied, his tone just as low. “And even a few times when you don’t.”
Iggy nodded once as she released Thorn and backed away. After several steps, she turned and made her way on to the gravesite. She and her mother stood together for another minute before they too went to their car and drove away.
Thorn waited until their taillights had faded into the distance before approaching the caskets. Steady rain continued to pour down upon them, beading up and running to the sides in thick streams.
“It wasn’t your fault, you know.”
Thorn recognized the voice without turning around, saying nothing as the owner appeared beside him.
“Sorry to come here like this,” Ingram said.
“Why should you be sorry for showing up? The company paid for it; I’m sure the family wouldn’t mind you being here.”
“Nio helped us out. Paying our respects was the least we could do.”
Thorn nodded. “It was a nice gesture. I appreciated it.”
Ingram matched the nod. “When I spoke to the company about doing it, I asked them how things had gone in the other cities. Everything went well. Over ten thousand Vaporizers were disabled and confiscated, and nearly that many were disposed of right away.”
Thorn accepted the information and said, “I spoke to Turner this morning. They received our package and said we are more than even. If we’re ever in need again, don’t hesitate to call. Cardoza said the same.”
Together, they stood in the rain, staring down at the scene before them. After a moment, each started to back away.
“What is you’re not telling me?” Thorn asked, already sensing that Ingram’s presence carried far more with it than just paying respects.
Ingram exhaled and said, “When I spoke to the company, they informed me we’ve been given a new project.”
A flash of heat passed through Thorn as he stopped walking and looked at Ingram. “You have got to be kidding me.”
“Nope.”
“They know where I am and why I’m here. They couldn’t wait one more day before finding us another assignment?”
Ingram too stopped moving, his stance matching Thorn’s. “We weren’t assigned. This time, we were requested.”
Thank You For Reading!
Thank you so much for taking the time to read my work. I know you have literally millions of options available when it comes to making Kindle purchases, and I truly appreciate you taking the time to select this novel. I hope you enjoyed it.
If you would be so inclined, I would greatly appreciate a review letting me know your thoughts on the work. Going against traditional writer protocol I look at all reviews, not in some form of misguided vanity but in hopes of producing a better product. I assure you I do take what is said to heart and am constantly trying to incorporate your suggestions.
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Best,
Dustin Stevens
About the Author
Dustin Stevens is the author of more than 20 novels, 15 of them having become #1 Amazon bestsellers, including the Hawk Tate and Zoo Crew series. The Boat Man, the first release in the best-selling Reed & Billie series, was recently named the 2016 Indie Award winner for E-Book fiction and the 3rd Grand Prize Winner for all books – hard cover, paperback and ebook.
He is an award-winning screenwriter in the prestigious Harvardwood and Emerging Screenwriters competitions, as well as the Nashville International Film Festival and the Honolulu Film Awards. In addition, he is the only multi-time finalist at the Big Bear Lake International Film Festival.
A member of the Mystery Writers of America and Thriller Writers International, he resides in Honolulu, Hawaii.
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