Brave (Aussie Weir AU)

[thehonorablebat]

“Your husband sure looks in great health for a dead man.” Carter pulled a sharp turn, getting honks from drivers he pissed off with the maneuver.

“Ex-husband!” Mary looked out the back window, pulling her son closer. She made sure the seven year old wasn’t looking. “I think you shook them.”

Carter glanced in the rearview mirror. He swung into a grocery store parking lot, stopping near the payphones. He counted out some quarters.

“K–Bill.” Mary didn’t like it when he addressed her son as just ‘kid’. He didn’t need her turning that white knuckled rage on him.

Will sat up, biting his lip. Looking like he might cry at any second.

“Go call your granddad.” Carter passed him the quarters. “Tell him to meets us at the fallback point.

Will stared at his hand.

“I’ll call.” Mary tried to take the change, but Carter shook his head.

Will snatched the quarters, and shuffled out of the car. He crossed the short distance to the payphones, head swiveling around.

“It’s not safe.” Mary moved to follow.

“It’s safe,” Carter said. He reached into the glove box where an unopened package of gummy worms sat.

Mary paused, hand on the door handle.

“Thomas?” she said.

“If he hadn’t shot his partner in the back, we wouldn’t have gotten away so cleanly. I’ll bet you my whiskey stash he’s been cleaning up.”

Neither adult took their eyes off Will.

Both his hands gripped the phone. His shoulders hunched when he saw a man in a business suit.

“What is he playing at?” Mary asked of her ex-husband.

“Don’t know that yet,” Carter said, but he had a strong suspicion some of his questions just got an answer.

Will laughed suddenly. Brightening like only his grandfather could make him. He hung up the phone.

When he climbed back into the car, Mary put her arm around him again.

Carter passed him the candy.

“For being brave.”

Will stuffed a handful of worms in his mouth, kicking his feet. The scary events of the last hour practically forgotten.