Free PIGGS - A Novel with Bonus Screenplay by Neal Barrett Jr Page B

compartment, got the insurance paper out.   The cop looked them over, looked up at Hutt.
    "Mr. Hutt Kenny?   This your current address?"
    "Yes it is."
    "I don't think I know anyone named Hutt."
    I don't know any assholes named Kreet, Hutt thought.
    "What you do down there, sir?   You don't mind I ask?"
    Hutt did.   "Sales.   Wholesale beverages and food."
    "Uh-huh."
    The cop gave Hutt a nod, walked around the side of the Dairy Queen and disappeared.   Came back a minute later with his car.   Stepped out and brought a sheet of paper up to Hutt.
    "I just stopped you because you were out-of-state, sir.   That's just routine, you didn't have any offense."
    "I didn't think I did."
    "The only thing is, I ran your name through, and a lot of bad shit come out.   I don't guess you're surprised to hear that."
    Hutt didn't answer.   The cop glanced at his paper, back up to Hutt.   "I got thirty-two arrests here, sir.   Assault, assault, breaking and entering, possession of controlled substance, assault, assault, possession again, assault, assault.   You assault folks a lot, Mr. Hutt."
    "Kenny.   It's Hutt Kenny, not Kenny Hutt."
    "Yes, sir."
    "That stuff you were reading.   That's not right, that's a mistake."
    "Which one is that, sir?   There's thirty-two here."
    "All of 'em.   I was falsely charged, officer.   If you got the record there, you know I was acquitted on every fucking one."
    "I'd prefer you hold back on the obscenities, sir."
    "Yeah, fine.   Only what happened is, there's people in the same business I'm in, I'm just trying to make a living, okay?   These people I'm talkin' about, every time I fuc–every time I turn around, they're accusing me of something I didn't even do.   I never did any that stuff you're reading there."
    "Mr Kenny..."   The cop folded up his paper and stuffed it in his pocket.   "I've got no reason to hold you here.   There's nothing I can charge you with, nothing you're wanted for.   You want to get in your car and go, that's fine with me."
    "Well...yeah, okay."   Hutt felt a great sense of relief.   The cop could see it too. Hutt didn't like that, but he didn't let it show.
    "You're just doing your job," Hutt said, "what you're supposed to do."
    "Have a good trip," the cop said.
    Hutt got in his car.   Put his seatbelt on, which he hardly ever did.   The cop put his hands on the sill, leaned his head in. Looked at Kenny a second, looked kind of funny for a while, said, "Would you hit that trunk release for me, Mr. Kenny, then step outside of the car?"
    "Huh?   What for?"
    "'Cause I asked you to, sir."
    "I don't get it.   You said we were fine, you said it was all okay."
    "Hit the release, and step out of the car, please, sir."
    Hutt did.   Something was wrong now, he didn't know what.   The cop waited for him, waited so he'd be behind, and Hutt was in front.   Walked him to the back, walked him to the big Buick trunk open wide.
    Hutt took one quick look, made an awful sound, staggered back and covered up his eyes.   The smell hit hard, hit him like a wall, hit him so hard he nearly fell.   He could feel the steak fingers and the fries, The vanilla-Coke malt, everything he'd had for a year, was coming up fast.   He swallowed hard, took a deep breath, held it all back.
    "I didn't smell 'em till I leaned in the car, Mr. Kenny.   Just a whiff is all.   Figured something bad was back here.   You acquainted with either of these persons, sir?   You know who these fellas are?"
    Hutt Kenny didn't, didn't know the joker with his zipper open and his pecker hanging out.   Didn't know the guy in the aviator jacket that was black or maybe brown.   Didn't know either one, but knew how they got there, knew who'd stuffed them in his trunk, and even knew why, fucking Cecil R. Dupree...
    "I don't know 'em," Hutt said, "never saw them before in my life."
    The cop shook his head.   "I don't think I could stop at a Dairy Queen, something like that in the car.   I sure couldn't