Slow Dance in Purgatory Read Online Free PDF Page B

deferentially, “but that’s an awfully big puddle of blood, and it obviously didn’t come from Billy Kinross.  Doc said the fall probably broke Billy’s neck, killing him instantly.  There was a little blood beneath Billy’s head, and he had blood on his shirt, probably from his brother falling against him, but nowhere else.  Plus, you would think if Johnny Kinross walked on out of here, he’d have left a pretty good trail, considering the amount of blood he had already lost.”
                Mayor Carlton shifted his weight uncomfortably.  There was no arguing with that.  There was no blood leading away from the large maroon pool now marking the center of the shiny new lobby.   It was clear that someone had once lain in the blood, but it was not smeared or marred in any other way.   
                Johnny looked down at his chest.  His tee shirt had been soaked in blood when he'd lain beside Billy.  There had been a singed hole where the bullet had ripped through his shirt and burrowed itself into his chest.  His shirt was now as white and hole free as when he had put it on earlier that evening.  He lifted his shirt up and looked at his flat, smooth torso.  It too was free of blood.  He ran his hand across his chest and down his stomach.  There was no wound.  Not a single mark blemished his skin, and he felt no pain.  He had felt that bullet hit him.   He’d seen the look on Billy’s face as he’d fallen into his arms.  Billy.
                Johnny cried out and grabbed his chest.  Now he felt pain, a fiery, tearing, blood-curdling pain exploding in his heart.  Billy was gone, and he was here and no one seemed to be able to see him, though he was standing where Billy had lain.
                “Billy!”  Johnny cried his name again, and ran towards the entrance doors.  He had to go with Billy.  He had to find his momma and tell her what had happened, tell her how he’d screwed everything up.  If only he hadn’t stolen that gun!
                The door had been propped wide to accommodate the gurney they had put Billy on, and Johnny lurched through the opening, only to be violently repelled and hurled back into the lobby.  He tumbled head over heels and landed on his back, stunned, looking up at the rounded ceiling high above him.  Shaking himself, he rose to his feet and again ran through the opening, only to rebound back like he had thrown himself into a fireman’s net.  Slowly, he walked to the open door.  Gingerly, he stretched his hand forward and extended it through the opening.  It felt like reaching into a hive of bees.  Johnny yelped and jerked his hand back, clutching it to his chest and staring out into the blackness of the night.  He realized that he couldn’t see anything but darkness beyond the threshold.  Surely, there should be police cars and flashing lights.  He knew there would be a crowd gathered, pushing forward to see the unfolding tragedy.  There should be excited voices and shouts from police officers to stay back behind the perimeter.  But he could neither hear nor see a thing beyond the entrance doors.
                Without warning, a police deputy surged through the black curtain and collided with Johnny, who had been unable to see him coming. Johnny stumbled back with a grunt, falling to the floor once again.  The deputy winced and, rubbing his shoulder fiercely where it had connected with Johnny, looked around with an incredulous look on his face. 
                  "What the hell...?"  The deputy muttered to himself.
                  "Parley?"  Chief Bailey asked expectantly.  Parley Pratt was a brand-new policeman, still wet behind the ears and easily impressed and distracted.
                “Uh... yeah....Chief!  We’ve got Dolly Kinross out there.  She’s insisting on seeing her boys.  Doc already left with Billy.  Should I send her along after