The Last Death of Jack Harbin Read Online Free PDF

finished army boot camp and will be deployed soon. I wonder how this injury is going to affect whether he can rejoin his unit. I almost hope it keeps him back. Rumors are high that there will be war in the Persian Gulf and it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world if Jack was unable to go.
    Both the boys signed up for the army fresh out of high school. All the way through school they were big sports heroes—quarterback and receiver, pitcher and catcher. They must have figured the only way they were going to continue to be heroes was to join the service.
    And then, out of the blue, the army rejected Woody on account of a knee injury he suffered in his sophomore year. Who would have thought that a boy who broke the school record for yardage gained in his senior year would be judged unfit to serve in the armed forces? Some folks said Taylor was marrying him as a consolation prize.
    We screech to a halt at the emergency room, and get chewed out for parking in the driveway until I show them my badge as police chief of Jarrett Creek. Attendants start to haul Jack away, but he stops them. “Chief Craddock, don’t tell my folks about this. Please.”
    â€œHow the hell do you think they’re not going to know? It’ll be all over town in no time.”
    â€œI’ll tell them I stepped on a nail or something.”
    He insists so much that I finally agree to keep quiet. When the attendants take Jack away, I tell Woody to come with me to park the car. After we park, he reaches over to open the door, and I clap him on the shoulder to make him stay put.
    â€œWhat the hell were you two boys really up to?”
    Woody shakes his head.
    â€œWas this on purpose? Is it about Taylor?”
    Woody stays quiet.
    â€œAll right, you’re not telling. It goes down as an accident either way, but I don’t like it.”
    We’re stuck in the waiting room for a couple of hours before a grinning nurse comes out to say, “That is one lucky boy! Shot went right through his foot without hitting anything major. Couple of small bones that should be good as new in no time.”
    â€œThat should make you feel better,” I tell Woody.
    But he groans and drops his head into his hands, which makes me wonder if he intended worse.
    At Woody and Taylor’s wedding, Jack serves as best man. He is on crutches with his foot all bound up, but the story that he stepped on a nail seems to have taken hold.

I’m walking up to my front door after leaving Jack’s house when a green vintage Buick comes barreling up the street and screeches to a halt in front of my house. I could have told you who was driving with my eyes closed. Laurel Patterson has always driven like the devil is chasing her down the road. She may be married, with two young kids, but that hasn’t slowed her down.
    I’m hoping she’s not coming to see me, as I need a few minutes to unwind, but she jumps out of her car waving at me, and heads my way. Laurel has put on a few pounds and doesn’t move as fast outside of the car as she does in it. She’s wearing shorts and an over-sized T-shirt, and has her light brown hair pulled back in a ponytail. Up close, I see that her dark eyes are troubled.
    â€œWhat brings you over this way?”
    â€œMr. Craddock, I have a favor to ask of you.”
    â€œWhat kind of favor?” She’s so serious that I have to hold back a smile.
    She plants her hands on her hips. “It’s about Woody. Daddy said you could talk sense to almost anybody.”
    â€œCome on inside, out of this heat, and tell me why you need me to talk sense to your husband.”
    We sit down at the kitchen table. Laurel grips her hands together in front of her so hard her knuckles whiten. Her eyes spark fire. “Woody wants to have Jack come and live with us.”
    â€œWhoa!” I rear back in my seat. I can’t even begin to list how many ways this is a bad idea, the primary one being