Amateur Hour

Guy

For a moment, Guy’s finger hovered over Steph’s name, in his ‘contacts’ list. Then he brought his hand down, to rest on the tabletop. Slowly, he drummed his fingers.

Could he sit tight? Did he have that luxury? If a number in red ink, meant something was concluded (and it seemed to), and a number in black ink was an indication of some order rescinded, made moot, then both yellow and green had to mean that something was ongoing.

He wasn’t comfortable with the idea, at all.

You’re not fooling anyone. You knew what you were going to do, when you asked Ted where Saguaro Springs was, pretending that he’d already mentioned it.

Stupid. It was a stupid idea. Better to wait, a few hours, until Ted could find a way to fit him onto the campus, seamlessly. Better to wait for Steph, and her brain, and second set of eyes.

She would be livid, when she got home.

He got up, and walked to the stairs, plotting, as he climbed.

If he packed, now, he could arrange for a flight, and drop Galen by the McKays’ house, in the morning. It wouldn’t be any different than any other day, when he went there, to play with Gerri.

Trudy would keep an eye on him, until Steph got home. But, Steph would murder him, when he got home. Well, no — she wouldn’t murder him, but she might reconsider their partnership.

The thought stopped his forward motion, in the middle of the living room.

“Did you forget something?” Galen asked, glancing up, from the nearly finished puzzle, on the upstairs table.

“More like I remembered something. You and Gerri are going great guns, on that,” he pointed to the puzzle.

“Two heads, and all that. It’s funny, you know? It’s like, she sees a few pieces, and I see a few more, almost right away. But, then we both get stuck, for a while,” he laughed.

“What’s this?” he picked up a pad, from the table. “Are you keeping score?” he demanded, laughing, in his turn.

“Only when we’re both working, on it. You can see, she’s kicking my ass.”

“Galen —” He tried to look stern, and failed, as usual.

“Language, I know. But, she is.”

“There’s always the next puzzle.”

“True. I don’t mind — I like smart women.”

“Speaking of which, I’m gonna duck out onto the balcony, and call your Mom.”

“Again? She’s never going to get a boyfriend, with you tying up her phone.”

The kid had the damnedest way of forcing him into double-takes. And, damned if he wasn’t yanking his chain, too.

“Maybe that’s my plan,” Guy retorted. He made his escape, before Galen could zing him again, as he almost certainly would have. He didn’t look much like his mother, but he had her impudence.

“Are you driving?” he asked, after Steph’s hello.

“Women are allowed to do that, now, vato.”

Yep, the cheekiness was hereditary.

“I mean, should I hang up, and call you back?”

“You’re on Bluetooth. What’s up?”

“Ted has a location, on Franklin. He’s at another Ridgeview school, in Arizona.”

“And you’re itching to fly right out there.”

“I am, yeah. But, I’m not going to leave Galen with Kayla. That’s a nonstarter, I know.”

“Give me about an hour. I’m almost there.”

“Why are you almost here? What’s happened?”

She sighed, wearily.

“I’ll tell you later. It’s not really a big deal.”

“Are you okay? You sound beat.”

“I’m going to grab a cup of coffee, at the next exit; stretch my legs, a little.”

“Should I let Galen wait up?”

“No, send him to bed. It sounds like we need to talk, about your plans. Dare I hope Kayla is out, on a hot date?”

“She’s out, and she might be, all night. I’ll fill you in, when you get here.”

“Okay. Tell Galen I love him.”

“Will do. Drive safe, Steve.”

“Will do.” There was a hint of a smile, in her voice. “Love you.”

“Love you, too. Bye.”

“Bye.”

***

Steph

A mile farther down the road, Steph pulled into the first Waffle House parking lot she saw. She was stiff, with sitting behind the wheel, and the adrenaline had worn off. But, she felt like less of a yellow dog coward, at least.

She could almost laugh, now, at the memory of the confrontation, with Julio’s man. Almost, but not quite.

He’d approached her, while she was, ironically, standing in line at a donut shop, buying coffee, and an eclair. Had come up behind her, actually. She’d felt his too large, too near presence, before he’d hissed her current address into her ear.

She had rounded on him, so suddenly, that he’d leapt back.

“Watch the suit, lady,” he’d bawled, in an aggrieved tone, with a pointed look at her pastry. Then, he had leaned in, again. “Julio says, hi.”

“Back off, ape face.”

It had been an absurd response. The man was large, and broad, but his actual face was pleasant enough — for a stone cold thug.

“Not a lady, then. My mistake.”

“I’m leaving. Move.”

The fellow had crossed his arms, making himself broader.

“Julio would like for you to stay gone. From Atlanta. That goes double for your partner.”

“Ma’am,” the girl behind the counter had spoken up. “Is this man bothering you? Should I call the police?”

Steph had turned her head, slightly, to smile at the girl, keeping Mr. Menace, in her peripheral vision. She was a reedy blonde, with an earnest face. Steph had to admire her guts; she was all of sixteen.

“No, Honey. I think it’s a case of mistaken identity…” On the last word, Steph had pivoted, and, heedless of the eclair in her right hand, had landed a solid throat punch to Julio’s messenger.

She had walked away, slinging the remains of the pastry, off her hand, and leaving Mr. Menace clutching his throat and gasping.

The shakes had mostly subsided, by the time she’d reached her mother’s house, but Ruth had known something was wrong. She’d asked very few questions, though, after establishing that Steph was uninjured, and that she was fit to drive back. She hadn’t been thrilled with the gathering dusk, but had accepted Steph’s word that she had needed to get home.

This cup of coffee was fresh and hot, and she’d paid for it, defiantly, with her debit card. If Julio knew her home address, it didn’t seem to matter, anymore.

*******

Liam

They had taken Janice’s car, this morning, but by the time came to leave work, Liam didn’t think his wife was in any state, to drive. She’d kept up her usual cheery, helpful front, all day, with the students, but now, she looked too distracted and depressed to be behind the wheel.

He couldn’t blame her. The connection she had hoped to make, between Jess Greene, and a faculty member, had amounted to a big goose egg. Jess had been registered by her mother, Anya Greene, and Anya Greene had made all the payments for tuition, books, uniforms, and sundry other fees, charged by the school.

When he’d quietly offered to drive, Janice had turned up one side of her mouth, in the facial equivalent of a shrug, and handed over the keys, without comment. She’d slumped into the passenger seat, and had barely moved, since.

She wasn’t stewing, simmering, or seething. Liam was accustomed to these things, on the rare occasions that they happened. Though, the occasions had become less rare, in the past three months. Her disappointment was so palpable, it was like another passenger, seated between them.

Even when he literally ground her gears, down-shifting for a stop sign, she didn’t react. Ordinarily, she’d make a scolding, humorous remark about his having forgotten how to drive a car, with standard transmission.

“What do you want to do, for dinner?” he ventured, when they had ridden in silence, for half the drive.

“I don’t care. Whatever you want.”

“Not the response I was hoping for, but, okay. Fried chicken, it is.” They’d had fried chicken, the night before.

“That’s fine.”

This apathy was disturbing. If it wasn’t home cooked leftovers, Jan didn’t want the same dinner, two nights, in a row.

“Come on, Babe. It’s not that bad.”

“I suppose it’s not.”

“It’s not like you, to throw the towel in, over a setback.”

“Liam?”

“Yeah?”

“Shut the hell up. Really. Just shut your mouth. Take me home, then get whatever you want, for dinner. I’m done.”

Something, in her quiet delivery, killed any appetite he might have had, and his saliva tasted like he’d been sucking on a rusty nail. He opened his mouth to say something, that he hoped would sound reasonable, and thought the better of it.

You’re driving. You can argue, or whatever, when you get home.

If he left her alone, she might self-reset. He wasn’t optimistic, but it had happened, in the past.

They didn’t stop, anywhere, on the way. Liam decided he could fry an egg, or eat a bowl of cereal, if he had to, later.

He pulled into the driveway, and parked her car, in its usual place. Jan was out, before he was, but, rather than continuing up their walkway, to the door, she went around the back of the car.

She had abandoned her handbag, and her new leather satchel, in the floorboard, he saw, and he snagged them, before getting out, himself. Jan was halfway down the sidewalk, to the next house over.

“Jan? Where are you going?”

She didn’t answer, or look back. She merely continued to walk, head down, shoulders hunched. It was a bit alarming, but she was heading in the direction of Ted’s and Nina’s.

For a moment, he felt as abandoned as her satchel and bag. Then, he was ashamed, of himself. This wasn’t about him. Or, if it was, it was about her need to put some distance between them. Going after her, would be a mistake.

Unhappily, he turned toward the house. He’d call Ted, and ask him to keep an eye out, for her. It was a hard pill to swallow, that she’d rather talk to Ted, than to him, but he’d call, just the same.

***

Janice

Nina and Raven stood at the corner, waiting, as she crossed diagonally from her own street. It was a shock, to see Nina out, in the neighborhood, without Ted, and a relief — Ted wasn’t home, evidently.

Janice didn’t really want to talk to him; it was Nina she sought.

“Liam called,” Nina informed her, when she’d gained the corner. “Are you all right?”

“No,” Janice sighed, then smiled at the dog. “Hello, pretty girl,” she said, scratching Raven’s head.

Raven snuffed a greeting, and licked at Janice’s wrist.

“You’re not nervous, to be out here, by yourself?” she asked Nina.

“I’m not by myself. I have Raven,” she smiled. “We’ve been taking walks, for a week, now. I feel almost untouchable, these days.”

They turned, and began to stroll toward Nina’s house.

“I’m afraid Ted’s not home, if you were needing to speak to him, about something.”

“Why is it, that you never think anyone wants to see you?” Janice demanded, irritably. “I’m sorry. It’s been a bad day.”

“That’s all right.”

“No, it’s not!”

“Come on. Let’s have a beer.”

Janice was so startled, she had to laugh.

Nina smiled. “I mean it. Who says we have to stick to coffee? Neither one of us is driving.”

“In that case, let’s have a beer.”

Nina linked arms with her, and led her to the house.

“It’s still a bit of a mess,” Nina apologized, ushering her guest, inside. “I’m trying to stay on top of it, but you know how that goes.”

“You’ve widened the doors,” Janice observed.

“Most of them. There are still a few to do, yet. Hannah could get through them, before, but now it’ll be easier.” She turned Raven loose, to take a big, sloppy drink, from her bowl. “Want to see the baby’s room?”

“I do.”

“I wouldn’t show it, to just anyone,” Nina said, as they moved down the hall, “because, it’s not even close to being finished, yet.” She opened the wide door, and flipped on the light. “But, you’re family.”

Janice stepped into the room, and turned a slow circle, looking at each wall.

“Nina — this is brilliant.” Janice took in the peaceful scene, which was teeming with wildlife, from the herons, on one wall, to a group of sandhill cranes, on another. The Florida black panther, in the nearest tree kept a lazy eye on the cranes, in a way that seemed more protective, than predatory, which was odd, but it worked. “That’s you,” Janice pointed to the cat.

“Yes!” Nina beamed, delighted. “I knew you’d get it.”

“And the eagle — is that Ted?”

“Are you sure you’re not an artist, Janice? That’s so Ted, I call him ‘Ted’ when I’m working on him.”

“He’s not finished?”

“Oh, no. He needs a lot more detail. All of it does, and you can see where I just have elements sketched, on the wall.”

“No gators?”

“Not in this swamp. I’m not giving Ted any excuses not to change a diaper.”

Janice chuckled, appreciatively.

“There’s so much left to do, but, you get the idea,” Nina said.

“I don’t know how you managed to make it so lively, and so restful, at the same time.”

“That’s the way the swamp is, when everything’s in balance, and functioning, as it should. Ready for that beer?”

Janice would have stayed longer, to admire the murals, but she nodded, and followed Nina out. Once the beers were opened, they proceeded out onto the back patio, and settled into the chairs, with Raven, between them.

The early summer evening was tolerably cool, with the sun down, and a light breeze. Nina lit a citronella candle, on the table.

“Hopefully, the mosquitoes won’t carry us off,” she said.

“Is Ted working, late?”

“He thinks it might be all night.”

“Hmph.”

“Now, before you go thinking he’s neglecting me, he’s got a very good reason. He’s found a location for at least one of the missing students. He wants to look for more.”

Janice straightened, in her chair. “Did he say, which one?”

“Franklin Riley? Does that sound right?”

“Yes. I should probably call Liam. He’s very concerned about that kid.”

She didn’t want to call Liam. That was the thing. Some vicious, jealous little part of her, didn’t want to allay Liam’s concerns, in the least. Still, she took out her phone, with an exasperated sigh. “Do you mind? It won’t take a minute.”

“No, go ahead. I can step back inside —”

“Don’t you go anywhere.”

Liam picked up, on the first ring.

“Jan — ”

“Ferme-la!” she barked. “Ted has info, on Franklin Riley. Call him.” Before he could utter another syllable, she hung up.

Nina downed a sip of her beer. “I don’t speak French, but I’m pretty sure I know what that meant.”

Janice dropped her phone, on the table, not wanting to touch it, any longer. She’d done her duty, and now she was, once again, done. “I hate who I am,” she muttered.

“I’ve been there,” Nina said. “So hurt, and alienated, that I couldn’t stand to be around myself.”

“It’ll pass,” Janice said.

“Unless you self destruct.”

“I won’t. It’ll run its usual course. I’ll hate Liam, for a while, then we’ll make up, leaving me with only myself to hate.”

“Why do you hate Liam?”

“It’s a long story, Nina.”

“I have more beer, and nothing else to do.”

“It’s stupid, and a little bit evil. I hate him, because all of the angels are on his side. The things he focuses on, get attention, from the whole goddamned universe.”

“Like Franklin Riley?”

“Like Franklin Riley. And, I resent it, which is pure evil. Franklin’s a kid, who needs help. A living, breathing, kid.” Janice took a deep pull on her own beer. “Meanwhile, I’m bashing my own brains out, trying to figure out why another kid is dead. And no one cares!”

“Meaning, you don’t feel like Liam cares.”

“He doesn’t. He won’t even look at the girl’s journals. No — that’s my job.” She thought Nina might say something to excuse Liam.

“It’s not fair,” Nina said. “The journals are hard to read, for anyone with a heart and soul.”

“You’ve seen them?”

“No one told me I couldn’t, and I didn’t ask.”

Janice drank some more, and stared out, at the back yard. It was a very quiet night, except for the frogs, and the crickets.

“It’s so quiet, out here,” she said.

“That happens, when you don’t have neighbors, on either side. They bugged out, with a vengeance.”

“You’re so calm, about Jess’s diaries. Am I overreacting?”

“It’s easier, for me. No one expects me to do, or try to do anything with the information, or about the situation. They made me cry. Parts of them, made me laugh. Jess had a way with words, when she was having a good day. Some of her descriptions of the teachers were pretty hysterical.”

“She liked Ted, though, and a few others. And, it’s too bad she never got to know the real Steph.”

“That is a shame. She had a handle on Guy, though, from being in some classes, with him. ‘You don’t want to laugh, because you know it’s only going to get him into more trouble, but you can’t help it.’,” Nina quoted.

Janice looked at her friend, startled. “You did read them.”

“She mattered. You matter, too, to so many people. I think you need therapy, my friend.”

“No doubt.”

“Come on,” Nina stood up.

“Where are we going?” Janice frowned, but she obeyed.

“To get you some therapy.”

“I’m not so drunk you can call the Sheriff and have me Baker Acted,” Janice joked, following Nina back into the house.

“You’re not drunk, at all, but maybe you need to be a little disorderly.”

“What do you mean?”

“Come on,” Nina repeated. She led a mystified Janice through the house, to the utility room, and out into Ted’s garage gym.

The garage had been upgraded, too, Janice saw. There was a fresh coat of paint, and a couple of ceiling fans had been added. Ted’s equipment had been spread out, so that it unabashedly occupied most of the floor, and the tatty lawn chairs had been replaced, with more comfortable seats. Ted had also sprung for a full sized refrigerator.

“Here.”

Janice turned to see that Nina was holding out an aluminum baseball bat, with one hand, and stretching out her other, for Janice’s beer bottle.

“What am I supposed to do with this?”

Nina walked over to a six foot object, draped with an old sheet, and stripped the covering away, with a flourish.

“Say hello, to my little friend. It was Ted’s, but it’s too light, for his workouts, and he never uses it. He gave it to me, as a joke.”

It was a stationary kicking and punching bag, on a stand.

“You want me to whack at it, with the bat.”

“I want you to beat the stuffing out of it, if you can, with the bat. You could use gloves, if you’d rather. Mine might fit you. I don’t use them, myself. Tried it, once or twice, but I prefer a weapon, when I’m feeling hostile. It’s easier on my delicate, little artist hands,” she joked.

Janice tried, with all her might, to picture Nina, going to town on a bag, with a bat, and couldn’t do it.

“I don’t think I can.”

“Sure, you can. Just keep a firm grip. There’s not a lot of recoil, but there’s some. And, you want to keep your legs about shoulder width apart, so you don’t lose your balance.”

“I mean, I’d feel ridiculous.”

“You’re afraid you’ll get into it. But, I’m afraid the top of your head is going to blow off, if you don’t let off some steam. Tell me, you don’t want to club Liam, like he was a baby seal, for being indifferent. Tell me, you wouldn’t like to take a crack at some of those angels, who are ignoring you, too. What about Jess Greene’s parents, who stuck her in that place? You haven’t heard a peep out of them, because Gordon supposedly paid them off. They don’t have a daughter, but, hey, they gained a few bucks, right?”

While Nina was speaking, Janice’s hands had tightened around the bat, and she’d raised it, her vision narrowing, on her target. Now, she drew back and swung. Yes, she wanted retribution, for all of those things. The first six whacks, were for Liam, and they felt fine, which was wrong, but she didn’t care. She was so done, with him.

Gordon received a vigorous beating, while she cursed him, aloud, for his avarice, his cruelty. For good measure, she cursed his grave, and his soul, in a deranged combination of English and French. Janice was unhinged, and it felt glorious. Before she was finished, with all parties concerned, and there were several, even Ted caught a couple of blows.

When she dropped the bat, she was panting, sweating, and sobbing. Nina draped a towel over her shoulders and head, and led her to a chair, because she was too blinded by tears, to see anything. Janice heard the fridge open and close, and felt a very cold bottle pressed into her hands.

It was a few moments, before she could open it, and gulp some of the liquid down. The first swallows were too much of the sports drink too fast, and she got a touch of brain freeze. Gradually, she caught her breath, and sanity began to return.

Nina sat, opposite her, with her own bottle of water, waiting her out, with a Zen quality of calmness.

“I guess that could be qualified as a meltdown,” Janice remarked, at last.

“I think so.”

“Maybe I should get one of those.” She jerked her chin in the direction of the bag.

“Highly recommend it. When you let go of the stress, a little at a time, you don’t have to go full-on berserk, as often.”

“I’m sorry I dragged Ted’s name into it.”

“Let me tell you something. The night everything went to hell, after the pizza, I came out here, and gave him quite a few smacks, myself. I seem to remember yelling, ‘Wake up!’, several times. Husbands can be so dense.”

Janice chuckled, sadly.

“They can’t help it, Janice. They’re not women. They feel, but not quite the same way, we do. Their priorities are different. But, we need them, for balance, and they need us.”

“How I hate generalizations. You’re right, though.” She scrubbed at her hot face, with the towel. “I’ll bet I look lovely, right now.”

“A little cold water, on the face, and a good night’s sleep will fix most of that. And, something to eat. I don’t know about you, but I’m starving.”

“I’ve kept you from dinner.”

“You haven’t. It’s just time to eat, that’s all. I have a ham steak, and I was going to make fried potatoes and onions, to go with it. If you stay, I won’t have to fuss with leftovers. Unless, you’re worried about Liam.”

“He’s a big boy. He knows at least four ways, to cook an egg.”

She was still a little bit put out, with Liam, but no longer bitter. The desire to club him, was gone, and merely letting him fend for himself seemed adequate.