Booktree.ng_Forgotten-Witness

“I don’t even know why they kept ’em around in the first
place,” Johnson countered.
“What else were you going to do?” Bernard grumbled.
“Kill ’em,” Johnson suggested.
Reynolds stared across the room at Johnson and Johnson
stared right back. It was a long minute before a grin split his
face and he threw back his head and laughed.
“Good one. You had me going, Johnson.”
Reynolds laughed, too, and shook a finger. He resisted the
urge to wipe the ring of sweat at his hairline. There were times
he just didn’t get Johnson’s humor and there were times
Johnson just made him nervous.
“I’m just sayn’ that it wouldn’t have made much sense not
to do everything in my power to keep this place going. They
would have had to find a different place, move everything, and
get it set up. And the trauma it would cause those poor people?
Not worth it. And what were we looking at? Another five
years at most and they’d all be gone, right? That’s what the
last doctor said.”
“How would I know?” Johnson was bored with the
conversation. “I think it will blow over, though. Our folks will
probably let Emily go and you keep your buddies in the house.
It will all be like it was. You’re a good man, Bernard.”
“Thank you, Johnson. I appreciate that. And you’re
probably right.” Reynolds took a look around, buying a minute
that would hopefully calm his heart. Every few minutes it just
beat like the dickens. “Did they say when they’d get back to
us?”
“A few days. A week maybe.” Johnson got up. He was a tall
man, fit and powerfully built. When Reynolds was very drunk
and he squinted his eyes he thought Johnson looked like Iron
Man.
“Okay, so that’s the plan. I can hold Emily’s daughter off for
a week. Probably more.” Bernard hesitated, trying to decide if