Attachment Strings by Chris T. Kat Page A

you’ll regret it?”
    Alex threw the letter on the table before he stumbled a few steps backwards. “Yes.”
    Taking a handkerchief from my pocket, I unfolded the letter and read it. Basically, it said what Alex had told us. What he hadn’t mentioned was the threat to Sean’s life should Alex decide to go to the police, or the letter’s get-out-of-town ultimatum. They were supposed to live somewhere else by the 12 th of April if he wanted Sean to stay alive.
    Parker’s eyebrows rose upwards. Slowly, he turned around to look at Alex who had tucked his hands under his armpits. We could still see how much his hands trembled.
    “Did it ever occur to you this might be serious? A really serious threat to Sean’s life? And just because you’re afraid of youth services, you’re jeopardizing your brother’s life?”
    I hadn’t thought it possible for Alex to grow paler, yet his pallor changed to a ghostly white. He swallowed convulsively a few times and I thought he’d win against the rising nausea. He proved me wrong by whirling around and emptying his stomach in the kitchen sink. Parker’s eyes showed compassion when he got up, though his voice sounded strictly professional. “We have to take this seriously, Jeff. It’s too much of a coincidence. I’ll take the letter to forensics. You’re gonna stay here overnight?”
    Alex’s head whipped up. His eyes streamed as he stared from Parker to me. Hoarsely, he stated, “You don’t have to. We’re okay. I’ll lock the door and—”
    “Parker is right. You shouldn’t be without protection.” I couldn’t prevent myself from saying, “You should have gone to the police weeks ago.”
    “I got that much now, thank you .”
    It probably should have sounded snarky, scathing. It didn’t. It sounded helpless, defeated, and very close to tears.
    “Do you have any plastic bags here? For the letter?” Parker asked.
    Alex pointed to a cupboard to his left while he fought against another wave of nausea. My feet carried me to his side of their own volition. I opened the tap at the sink and rinsed it. The odor was strong, causing my stomach to churn in sympathy. Alex looked positively green around the gills. With a sigh, I rested my hands on top of his tensed-up shoulders and began to knead the knots out. Alex’s first reaction was to become rigid. Soon his shoulders sagged and he relaxed, though he didn’t acknowledge my ministrations.
    Parker finished wrapping the letter in plastic and bade his goodbye. “I’ll see who’s available to keep an eye on him tomorrow. See ya!”
    “I don’t need a babysitter!”
    That’s what they all say . Patiently, I patted Alex’s back and told him, “You should brush your teeth.”
    Alex stepped aside in what should have been a brisk movement. He swayed, which screwed up his performance. “Thanks for the advice.”
    “You’re welcome. I’ll sit with your brother till you’re finished.”
    Alex’s voice stopped me at the threshold of the kitchen door. “Do you really believe this is serious?”
    “Yes.”
    “I didn’t think it’s serious. I mean, it’s scary and I’m, uh, way more jumpy than usual but… you can’t let such stuff get to you, right? Those people would win then. They win anyhow because they make you feel unsafe and suspicious.”
    I noted the detached voice he used, how he changed from “I” to “you”, distancing himself from the threat. “That’s why we have to find out who wrote the letter, so whoever it is can’t harass you anymore.”
    Alex laughed harshly. “I’ve seen enough TV to know that you probably won’t find out who wrote the letter. You could do us a favor and go home now. Neither of us feels comfortable with the other one around and Sean’s harasser won’t act before the twelfth.”
    “This isn’t up for discussion. I’ll stay. Deal with it.”
    “You can’t—”
    I barked, “Alex, stop it! Think of your brother. You don’t know how this weirdo will act. He could