The decoy

Chapt 7

Chapter Seven

            Sebastian had heard the sound of the police car pull up outside of the barn where he was sleeping. He had spent the previous evening working around the ranch, mostly feeding the animals. Sometimes he was invited into the house to work but only when Deacon Hill was busy in his lab.

Young Sebastian was almost a year older then and much stronger than the boy who had been picked up off of the basketball court. He was still sleeping in the barn but Hill felt there was no longer any need to lock him in the pen. When he need to Hill tied him to twenty foot leash that allowed him to do some chores in the barn, although most of the time he roamed freely and he slept in the rafters now where he had built a small sleeping area. At night time he wore the leash.

He had managed to collect some little treasures, a pen and paper, old magazines, even a few novels, that made this little corner of the barn his own. He treasured whatever books Hill would loan him from his library there and would read them by star light.

            That morning he heard a car pull up and the door close. One of the dogs barked. It was menacing but the other animals ignored it and continued sleeping.

Sebastian knew the car had to be close to the barn and he heard voices, one was Deacon Hill but the other one was unrecognizable. This was the first visitor to the ranch that he was aware of since he had arrived and he was unbearably curious. He walked towards the door and although he could only see the back end of the car it was clearly a police vehicle.

This was unbelievable. He wondered was his incarceration going to end this suddenly. Was it possible that somehow Hill had been discovered and after a year now it would end?

Somehow it was anti-climactic. There should be police sirens and guns drawn. Shouldn't there be helicopters and news camera? It was too quiet. It couldn't end this way.

            They sat at the picnic table and talked. Maybe the cops were closing in. They must have a reason to come all the way out here and talk to Hill. For the first time Sebastian allowed himself to be excited.

Sebastian considered calling out but decided on second thought that he should wait and watch. Discretion was still needed at least for a few moments longer. He was sure that Deacon Hill would not come down there to meet with the police without a weapon. If given a reason, Hill would kill the policeman and then he would deal with Sebastian.

            He had warned Sebastian that he had enough money so that when things got awkward he would leave town quickly and get away with a fortune. Calling out would only hasten his escape and cause the death of both the policeman and himself.

            The car was covered in dust from the lonely roads that led out to the desert ranch. There must have been a reason for this policeman to drive all the way out to see Hill. They must have had a reason to suspect Hill and they would soon be back even if Sebastian couldn't get a warning to this cop.

            He strained against the leash to see the two men sitting at the table and chatting. Hill must be scared. He would react quickly. If this policeman scared him enough Hill might feel the need to get rid of Sebastian and escape. Sebastian's job now would be to convince Hill to keep him alive long enough for the police to do their work.

            There was something else he might be able to do to help them.

            He stretched the leash and it choked him as he pulled on it but he could get just a few steps outside of the barn and within a few feet of the police car. Hill had his back to the barn and he couldn't see Sebastian from the table unless he turned towards the barn. The officer could clearly see the barn and his own car but he also didn't seem to see Sebastian who struggled to signal to him.