Inspiration 34

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Genesis 4:9

And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?

Siblings. I never had any, so how on Earth did I become the mother of five children? I watched them fight like cats and dogs, even leaving bruises or bringing blood. They have said some cruel things to one another. BUT! Dare anyone else to harm one of them. That person would be in for a world of hurt from the other four (And maybe a few friends thrown in.) So, in most cases, my kids are their siblings' keepers. 

How much deeper must that bond go with twins? The Bald Eagles have attacked everyone on their hit list except Raiford Gautier. What will Raiford Reynolds do the protect his twin?

Scott stared at his soggy waffle for a long time as he thought about the conversation he had just had. Is it possible Derrick is a government informant? He isn't FBI. DEA? The drugs? It's his father's factory. Scott's head was spinning. This was something he could not betray, not even to Frank. The man had practically put his own life and that of his son in Scott's hands. There was only one thing he could do—be Darren's keeper.

There is one other thing. He took out his secondary phone that would not register a number. He dialed the Gautier home.

At nearly four just as the sky lightened, Raiford Gautier answered sleepily. "Hello?"

"Don't talk. Just listen. Add security to your business."

"Who is this?"

"It doesn't matter. Trust me. Add security to your business."

A long buzz greeted Raif...

Early the next day Raif called Ray and told him about his pre-dawn phone call. "It was odd, bro. I mean, who called?"

Ray said, "The scuzz-balls are planning something against you. Sounds like somebody doesn't want you hurt."

"Who?"

"I can't tell you who I suspect."

"Why are they after me?"

"Dupree."

"What are we going to do, Ray?"

"Hmm. I think it's time for a little switch-a-roo again. It's time for me to be my brother's keeper. I'll take care of it. They're too chicken to try anything in broad daylight. You need to start working late for some reason."

"Don't you mean you?"

"You know it. Don't worry. My partner will be nearby."

For the next several days, Raiford Reynolds became Raiford Gautier while Parker Reynolds partnered with a calmer, less volatile "Raiford Reynolds" by day, and stealthily and patiently waited in the coffee house across the street from Gautier and Gautier, or in his car after the place closed until "Raiford Gautier" left the office, much later than normal.

Parker glanced at his uncle who sat at Ray's desk. "Interesting game on that computer, Daddy?"

"I'm bored. Mahjong is a bit more challenging than solitaire."

Parker gave him an Internet link. "Go there. I'll play you in a game of Scrabble while we wait."

Since nobody could know about the call or that the Detectives Reynolds were mounting their own investigation without approval from up-the-ladder, there would be no backup if things went sour...

Patience was rewarded a week later as a dozen masked teens descended on Gautier and Gautier after all was dark in the business quarter of Eau Boueuse, except for the personal office of Raiford Gautier.

One of the boys whispered, "Someone's still here, Lucas."

"So?" Lucas shrugged. "The old guy gets hurt a little bit. That'll really drive the point home."

Sitting at his brother's computer playing solitaire, Ray heard in his earpiece, "Daddy, they're coming in."

"Gotcha."

The worried boy turned the knob on the door of Gautier and Gautier. "It's unlocked," he said.

Lucas said, "Yeah, the old guy hasn't left yet. He would lock up when he leaves. This makes our work easier."

"Too easy," said the worried boy. "I'm outta here."

"What?" Lucas snapped.

"It's a set-up. I'm not stupid."

"It can't be a trap. Nobody but us knew when we were coming, not even Derrick."

"Well, I'll watch you run. I'm gone." The boy walked away, looking in every direction.

Parker informed Ray, "One of them left. He might actually have a brain."

"Less work for us," quipped Ray.

Lucas said to the other boys, "Come on. Let's get this done fast. If the old guy comes out, we'll hurt him some and haul ass."

Inside the reception area, Lucas pulled out a can of paint and sprayed, "Nigger lover," on the wall.

The next thing the kids knew was the sound of two voices saying, "Freeze. You're under arrest."

"Shit!" shouted Lucas. "Run!"

The whole group surged past Parker. Yet, he tripped one of them and slapped cuffs on him, locking him to the doorknob before he gave chase. The boys dispersed in multiple directions. Ray took off down the street and Parker cut diagonally across the parking lot. Ray tackled one boy and cuffed his wrist to his ankle. Then he ran after another that was already a good distance ahead. He turned the corner the boy took, but there was no sight of his quarry. Ray groaned, but went back to where he'd left the one he caught.

Parker yanked one boy by his hoodie and slapped cuffs on one of his wrists right by the garbage dumpster and looped the other side to the handle on the huge trashcan. He turned on the turbo and caught another hoodlum trying to climb a chain-link fence. "You made this one too easy." He hooked the handcuffs through the fence and clamped the boy securely to the mesh.

Seeing a boy on the other side of the fence, Parker scaled it and ran the vandal down. He dove at the boy and they rolled down a small incline before Parker jerked him to his feet and walked him back to Gautier and Gautier with the boy's hands cuffed behind his back.

All the boys caught were under fifteen and would give up nothing. As patrolmen transported them to juvenile lock-up, Ray said to Parker, "I'm not thirty anymore."

Parker laughed. "You caught one of them."

"Yeah. You got four."

"Daddy, we're detectives. The patrolmen are the ones who are supposed to run."

"Bull. I bet Raif would have caught half a dozen."

"He's a trained runner, Daddy. Stop whining. Yeah, you're sixty-one, but you're far from old."

"Too old for this."

"Don't think about leaving me."

"Not yet. I have a few years left in me. Let's just avoid chasing teenagers."

The five boys were charged with malicious mischief and put on probation, but they would not give up anyone else. Raif simply painted his reception area and got ready for high school soccer season in addition to ballet, piano, art, and swimming.

Ray sat back and watched his brother. They were exactly the same age, yet at times Raif seemed much younger. Ray noticed that he had a lot more gray hair than Raif. He mulled over the contrast. Is it because Raif deals with stress so much better? Maybe it's that occasional toke. Since they had found each other, Raif had always been more easygoing. Still, they had taken turns being each other's keeper. Ray thought that, perhaps, losing Raif would be harder than Larkin, the love of his life. Raif had already lost one wife and survived, even started a new family. Is that what keeps him young—the kids? Ray smiled to himself. I'll be content with spoiling my grandchildren. Under any circumstances, each would be his brother's keeper for life.

Cover by Christopher Chambers.

The Raifords the way I see them as they age: 30. 40s, 50+ AND STILL THE BLUEST EYES!