Malicious Intent (Soulscape #5)

CH 31

"Frank?" Ron rose from his chair when the men returned from inside. Frank's eyes were watery and bloodshot and rimmed in red. "What's wrong?"

Frank went to the far rail and leaned against it, drawing Zeke to him. The boy stood with his back resting against Frank's chest, his expression neutral with just the slightest tightness around his chillingly dark eyes. Frank curled his arm around Zeke's neck and shoulders in what seemed a deeply protective embrace.

The sheriff replied to Ron's question. "There's a group of bikers in the area. The leader, Silas Croix, has a biker bar just across the county line. They've been pretty quiet lately, staying to themselves. But Silas' son recently returned. He was the cause of most of the trouble in these parts when he was a kid. I don't think he's grown up much since then."

Ron glanced at Frank who remained silent. "What does that have to do with Frank?"

Sighing, Dennis rubbed his neck. "Silas' clan are hardcore white supremacists. Silas landed in prison a few times in his younger days for assaulting people of color and gays. In one instance, he nearly killed a young gay man."

"Is that the kind of trouble you had with his son?"

"Leroy was a jack-of-all-trades of troublemaking," Dennis said. "This is a very conservative area; we don't have many black people in our community. And until Frank and Zeke moved in, I was the only gay person—that I knew of. I don't doubt there are others who, like myself, preferred to keep quiet about their sexuality. So, in a sense, Leroy didn't have the opportunity for such assault." The sheriff hung his head. "Until now."

James looked anxious. "You expect to have trouble with them? Do you really think they would stir up trouble with Frank and Zeke?"

Standing eerily still, Zeke stared at Dennis, wholly focused on the sheriff, listening intently to his every word.

"I can't say for sure," Dennis said quietly. "We had a run-in with Leroy Croix today. He made some insinuations about Frank and I. Apparently, my deputy, Bradley Dean, brought to their attention Frank and Zeke's presence in the community."

"Your deputy is friendly with them?" Ron asked.

"Would seem that way."

"This is the deputy who was friends with your brother?"

Dennis nodded. "One and the same."

"Has he questioned the facts of your brother's case?"

"Not to me," Dennis said. "But whether he says so out loud, I believe he's having a hard time accepting that Randall was a pedophile... and that he committed suicide."

"Does he know you're gay?"

Dennis cleared his throat. "I think he suspects. And now, so does Leroy Croix... and surely his father and the rest of the clan."

Ron sank back into his chair and leaned forward, deeply troubled by the possible threat to Frank and Zeke—and the sheriff, as well. "Would they stir up trouble with you directly if they're convinced you're gay? How dangerous are they... in your opinion?"

"Uh..." Dennis shook his head. "These days... they're probably more talk than anything. People like the Croix clan get a sense of power through intimidation and fear tactics—manipulating others by scaring them."

The sheriff didn't seem convinced of his own words; he clearly expected real trouble from the bikers.

"Maybe someone should scare them," Zeke spoke low, and though his words were toneless—they sent a chill down Ron's spine.