Black to Blue

VII. Grey Town Bridge

'Wake up Eric. Eric' He woke up from his sleep hearing Catherine yelling outside the window. He had slept all night alone in the car. The sun had come up to the windows too. He rubbed his eyes and frowned at her. She was still knocking on the window. He straightened the seat and rolled the window down.

'Why did you sleep in here? I was worried. At least you could've told me you're sleeping in here' her voice has turned sad.

'I'm sorry, I was just talking to John' he said in his sleepy voice.

'Come on in. Have some breakfast. You have to drop us at the kindergarten'

'OK' He pushed the door open and walked dizzily towards the motel. Catherine rushed after him to hold him; climbed the stairs to their room.

Rick Jones beeped his Ranger truck outside the motel parking lot. They were already walking down the steps. Eric frowned under the heavy sunlight and walked towards him. 'Why are you here?' He asked.

'You have time to talk, Officer?' he asked softly.

'About what?'

'the things I saw and the things which could happen soon. I can't come to the office no more. Some one's been reporting every moves you make to William. I heard him talking on the phone'

'you sure about that? Talking things about your own brother. Or are you setting a trap for me?' He went straight telling that.

'I'm not hurting anyone. I am not that person. I just wanted to feel safer in these streets. I saw your house burning. I don't want something similar happening to me or anyone else'

'You feel safer if you tell me your brother's plans? Why me?'

'coz your name came up in his conversation with some George' Eric hear it with a shock.

'Never come around here any more. You understand that?' He whispered leaning to his side. 'Under the Grey town bridge at 5. Be careful'

'K, done' He drove and vanished at the traffic signal.

'We're already late. What were you murmuring to him?' Catherine scolded him when he got in the car.

'He has news about the George who called you from Mark's cellphone' He said.

'Oh, God. What will happen to HIM now?' She feared.

The weather changed as he drove through the pine forest towards Grey town bridge. Actually, the bridge is only named after the town because it just connects the two forests with a distance of 600ms holding up from the river. People once called it Saint bridge, but when the Grey town mayor stepped forward to renew it due to damages after a flood. Since, they called it Grey town bridge despite the established name. Rick put his arm outside rolling the window. The air patted harshly with cold. He rolled up the window back. He was afraid of robberies mostly happened in this route. They hide behind the trees and throw dirty tomatoes at the front glass. When the driver brakes down to clean it up, they come out with knives and pistols. The police had caught many of them, but they still pop out of nowhere.

Rick reached at the bridge. He never saw any one following him. He decided to hide his ranger behind the trees. And walked under the bridge. The water flow under it was narrow. And the bridge was built with a rest place underneath. Travellers usually take their time off to nap and eat there.

He felt a vehicle killing its engine right above him. He assumed it was Eric. He wasn't in his uniforms. Eric looked around as he walked towards Rick. 'We can't stay here for a long time. What you got?' Eric pushed him.

'William had paid to kill Hassan's son. I don't know who. But, when he came to the shop, he shouted at me for money and weed. No body sells weed in a grocery, and he forced me to empty the counter. I said there was no weed. And he shot carelessly at the ceiling a couple shots. William is going to meet this bastard in person this weekend at Helena's bar. If you want to find who he really is, you must be there' he said and stopped to look around. Eric looked the way he did. He whispered 'my superior, Smith. I feel something odd around him. When I asked for William's custody to question him, he ignored me and left the room, twice. You must be careful around cops too'

'Alright then. I must leave before it gets dark' Rick strode to his vehicle.

'Be careful' Eric warned him once again. He turned around and watched the river flow. Took a cigarette out of the packet and lit it up. There, he saw a wild boar drinking water from the bank.

Eric leaned back inside his car and smoked again. He was thinking about the files he examined which he found from George's truck. The Zac's Motel blinked every second and it made him dizzy. He got out of the vehicle and walked to his room. The phone rang violently. It was Phil.

'What is it?'

'It's a wrong person. George has died two years ago. This is not him any more. Did you get anything, Sir?' he asked

'Check the history of William Jones. Where is he and track him down'

'OK sir' He worked on his keyboard and said 'He's in White Field, Jeremy R H now. What do you want with him?'

'Just keep an eye on him. that's all. I'll call you later'

Eric was feeling both sleepy and tensed. He had to bathe for the stress to release and sleep calm. Catherine was called for a coffee and she went to the kitchen. Ben fell asleep. Eric went near him and kissed good night. His face was beautiful even in the dark. The golden hair of his mother. He reminded of her every time he sees him.

********