5 - ‘Come gentle night…’

Kemp pocketed the money without looking at it. At this point even twenty dollars would make his life easier, and knowing Leif, he had given him more than that.

“Thank you. I’ll keep in touch, I promise.”

Leif snorted. “Like you have a choice. Just, damn it be careful kid.” He got up and pulled Kemp into a bear hug. “You need me, I’ll be there.”

“I know. And I’ll call as soon as I figure out where I’m going to settle. Perhaps,” Kemp smiled as a sudden thought hit him. “Yeah, that would be perfect. No one will hassle me, and just maybe I can get a job doing what I do best.”

Leif stepped back to look at him, frowning deeply. “That hadn’t better be what it sounded like.”

It took Kemp a second to realize what he meant and then he shook his head. “Not even! No, I was thinking there are plenty of clubs there and it’s possible one of them would hire me on if they need a singer.”

Heaving in internal sigh of relief Leif nodded. “Possible, once you hit twenty-one.”

“Damn it, I forgot about that. Still, I am going down there.” He grinned. “Who knows, maybe I can hook up with someone to get me false ID.”

Leif chuckled. Instead of scolding his brother for even thinking that he said, “When you get there call me. I’ll have a name or two for you.”

“Serious?”

“Yes, seriously. If that’s what it takes for you to get a legit job, I think I can arrange it. Of course, if my chief heard me saying that he’d bust me back down to a street cop.”

“My lips are sealed.” Kemp drew his fingers across them in a zipping motion. “So, anyway…” He looked up at his brother.

“Yeah, well like I said, be careful. Got that? And, umm, hell, Kemp, I love you.”

“Love you too, Leif. So you be careful too. And stay out of the sun and all that crap. I don’t want to loose you.”

“Will do. OK, enough of this mush, I gotta get moving.” Leif backed towards the door. “See you…whenever kid.”

Kemp nodded. “Whenever.”