My Brother's Keeper Read Online Free PDF Page A

mean then?”
    “Anyone can request a new hearing if they think they haven’t been given a reasonable bail.”
    Ellis laughed. It was a high wicked sound that was so unlike him. “Unreasonable? Denying him bail isn’t unreasonable considering he tried to kill you.”
    “It doesn’t mean he’ll get it,” Jon said. “The judge who remanded him will, more than likely, deny the request.”
    “That’s not saying he won’t let him out.”
    “Ellis,” George said, “I can guarantee you that Judge Hammond will not let Lenny out. He’s never gone back on a decision.”
    Ellis pulled out of Jon’s grasp and folded his arms. “What about Louis and Russell, are they going to get a new bail hearing too?”
    “No. They pled out earlier in the week. They’ll go to prison for a good long time.”
    Jon stood and took Ellis by the shoulders. He kissed him on the side of the head, then spoke close to his ear. “It will be all right.” Ellis shook his head. “Yes, it will. Lenny will stay in prison because Hammond will hold up his original judgment.”
    “Am I in trouble?” Rudy stood in the doorway with his empty bowl in his hands.
    Ellis slumped. “No, Rudy, you’re not in trouble. Now go to your room.”
    “But you’re yelling.”
    “It’s okay.”
    “Not if you’re yelling.”
    “Rudy, please. Put your bowl in the sink and go to your room.”
    Rudy’s gaze met Jon’s and he was struck by how much worry it held. Then Rudy’s smile returned and the expression was gone. “Don’t worry, Ellis. Jon will make sure your clothes aren’t wrinkled.” He went back into the dining room. There was the clank of porcelain against metal. “I’m going to my room now.” Rudy’s heavy steps faded away.
    Ellis glanced around like he didn’t know what to do or where to go. George caught Jon’s gaze. The look on his face clearly said there was more. George slid a look to Ellis and back.
    “I’m going to walk George to his car,” Jon said. “Will you be okay?”
    Ellis nodded then shook his head. “I will not be okay until that maniac is behind six feet of concrete.” He pulled away from Jon. “I’ve got to go do laundry.”
    George inclined his head toward the door. Jon followed him out.
    Jon said, “What is it you didn’t want him to hear?”
    George didn’t speak until they were beside his car. “Louis’s lawyer offered up some information for a reduced sentence.”
    “How much of a reduced sentence?”
    “Five to ten instead of a firm twenty.”
    “I hope it was worth it.” Jon didn’t know how it could be.
    “I think it was. He said before Lenny was arrested, he’d been saying some disturbing things about Ellis.”
    “Like what?”
    “You sure you want to know?”
    Jon knew he didn’t, but he loved Ellis and he wanted to keep him safe. “Yeah.”
    George took off his hat and smoothed out invisible imperfections along the rim. “He said they were drinking with Lenny one night at the bar when he started talking about killing Ellis. No reason. No explanation. Louis said Lenny told them that he had plans to break in, shoot Ellis and Rudy, and burn down the house.”
    Bile crawled up Jon’s throat. He leaned against George’s car. “What the hell is this guy’s fascination with Ellis?”
    “No clue. But nothing about that family’s ever made no sense.”
    “There has to be some reason.”
    George shook his head. “Some people are just bad, Jon. You’ve been on this side of the badge. You’ve seen it. And then some people are bad and crazy.”
    “I won’t argue about the crazy part.”
    “No. No I didn’t think you would.” George’s eyes darkened. “But what scares me more is, sometimes, I think that crazy is spreading.”
    “Why do you say that?”
    “Over the last five years the crime has gone through the roof in this town. Domestic violence, theft, breaking and entering. Good people are doing terrible things. People I know, Jon. Like Louis and Russell. I knew their