The Karma Beat

by Juli Alexander

  Ian always said Dad looked like a tool. I don’t think Dad has figured out what he means.

  I scribbled down some of Katie’s tips, and then glanced up to find Leo watching me with a grin. He put his hand against mine, sending heat rushing through me, and wiggled the pen out of my hand. He wrote, “We are not going to be tested on this material.”

  I just shook my head as I grabbed the pen. “It’s interesting,” I wrote.

  He moved to steal the pen again and I held it away from him.

  “Fine,” he whispered. “I’ll stop. You’re going to get me in trouble with Katie.”

  I thought this was pretty sweet. The people sitting right around us hadn’t noticed us, so I doubted Katie had. He didn’t want to hurt her feelings.

  When she finished speaking, several students approached her with questions or comments.

  Leo and I stood up where we were to wait. My rear end was numb from the hard wooden seat.

  “If one of them asks her questions about being a vegetarian, we’re doomed,” he said. “She can give a month long sermon on avoiding meat products.”

  “So you’re saying I shouldn’t bring it up?”

  He shook his head furiously. “I’m starving. Once we get our lunch, you can ask whatever you want.”

  Katie finally finished with her fans and shook hands with the guy who’d been speaking when we arrived. “Thank you for having me.” She pointed our way. “My friends are waiting for me to take them to lunch.”

  She grinned as she walked over to us. “You must be Jen.” She shook my hand. “I’m so glad to meet you. Leo was telling me about your newly forged friendship last night.”

  “Nice to meet you,” I said automatically.

  She smiled, and I realized I actually was glad to meet her. She had been smart and impressive when she addressed the group. One on one, she was warm and friendly.

  “I’m sure Leo has told you I’m a vegetarian. I hope you don’t mind going to Birk’s for lunch.”

  “Sounds good. I’ve never been, but I’m sure it’s fine.”

  “Leo’s been several times,” she said with a smile for him.

  She started to reach for him, and for a moment I thought she was going to reach out and tousle his hair. She let her hand dangle in the air for a moment and then turned back to me. “Do you mind if I ride with you two?”

  “You’re actually volunteering to ride with me.”

  Katie grinned. “You’re actually a much better driver than Joe.”

  “That’s not saying much,” Leo grumbled.

  She looked over at me, “Wonderful man, terrible driver.”

  “When dad’s around, Katie insists that she drive. When he’s not, she usually lets me do the driving.”

  I guess Leo had been doing a lot of driving lately.

  The restaurant was only a mile away.

  Katie held the door open for me and I climbed out of the car.

  Leo and I followed her through the door to the restaurant. The place was small and busy.

  Katie walked up to the hostess and said, “Table for three, Leanne, and we’d like to sit in Nate’s section please.”

  The hostess smiled, eying Leo over her funky glasses. “Yes, ma’am. Follow me, please.”

  “Who’s Nate?” I asked Leo.

  “He’s the only guy who works here. He won’t flirt with me and irritate you.”

  After the waitresses at Chili’s, I guessed I should be grateful. “She’s doing it just for me?” I wasn’t his girlfriend after all. I shouldn’t be getting jealous.

  “Oh no. She always asks for a guy. It drives her nuts otherwise.”

  We squeezed into a corner booth, Leo sat by Katie and I sat on the end next to him. The hostess handed us our menus.

  “What would you like to drink?”

  “Water with lemon,” Katie said. “You, Jen?”

  “Unsweet tea please.”

  “And you,” the hostess said with suggestive emphasis on the you.

  “Lemonade please,” Leo said, not looking up from his menu.

  The hostess hesitated as if trying to find a way not to leave, until Katie finally said, “Thank you, Leanne. That will be all.”

  She walked away, and Katie said. “Leanne’s such a sweet girl when I come without Leo.”

  “You’re lucky she likes Leanne,” Leo said. “Otherwise you’d hear her rant about the incessant gawking I’m subjected to.”

  Katie smiled. “I may have mentioned once or twice that he shouldn’t have to go through life being ogled like breasts at a wet t-shirt contest.”

  Leo blushed.

  I couldn’t help thinking that I would so not mind Leo ogling my breasts.

  Okay, so now I was blushing too.

  “She doesn’t feel sorry for Dad when it happens to him.”

  “You’re constantly harassed by hormone-crazed older women, and you’re practically a child.”

  “Ka-tie,” Leo said in the voice I used with my mother. He elbowed her and squirmed in his chair.

  I couldn’t help laughing at the tough guy behaving like a little boy.

  “Huh,” I said. “Leanne should have left you a kids menu.”

  Katie grinned.

  “Just for that I’m not sharing my crayons.”

  The waiter came over with our drinks.

  “Hi, Nate,” Katie said.

  I ordered a salad, and Katie and Leo ordered their usuals.

  After the waiter left, Katie asked me about the band. “Is it really called the Armpit Hostages?”

  “Yes,” I said with a wince.

  “It really is nice of you to help us when Leo messed up your chances with the band.”

  I shrugged. “I want to help.”

  “You know,” she said with a smile, “I’m not sure what an Armpit Hostage looks like, but I’m envisioning something much hairier than you.”

  Leo and I laughed.

  “My brother just wishes he were hairy,” I told her. “He’s as repulsive as an armpit though, so maybe the name fits.”

  Katie giggled. Then she turned to Leo. “Before I forget. I checked that antique answering machine at your dad’s place this morning. Someone called. David Laverdiere. He said something about being in town.”

  Leo leaned forward. “David Laverdiere?”

  Katie nodded. “Am I remembering right? He was one of your father’s old partners in crime?”

  “He and my dad got into lots of trouble together. Even though David wasn’t” —he looked around—“a genie.”

  “Is he a possibility?” I asked. “Could he have set up your dad if he isn’t one?”

  “It certainly doesn’t seem likely,” Katie said. “I don’t think we can leave any stone unturned though.”

  “I’ll check it out,” Leo said.

  Chapter Seven

  I let Leo enter the garage before I snuck in the front. Horrid sounds were already coming from the garage when I went in the front door.

  I checked to be sure that Mom, Dad, and Sean had cleared out. No sign of anybody.

  Since I was feeling a little too healthy from the tea and veggie lunch, I grabbed a soft drink from the fridge. I popped the top and chugged some of the fizzy beverage. My body had certain standards and didn’t perform well without some pollution.

  Here was my perfect opportunity to sneak back into Mom’s office and try to get the dirt on Leo’s dad. The more time I spent with Leo, the more involved I was. I’d spent the day with him, and the U.N.I.V.E.R.S.E. wasn’t likely to let me talk my way out of that one. Of course, getting to know Leo more and more just made me hope his father really had been framed. Leo was a good guy. And I liked Katie. The fact that he’d fathered Leo and obviously liked Katie a lot too made me think Joe wasn’t such a bad guy.

  I’d just wanted to find out the truth before. Now I was rooting for Leo’s dad. Neither motive made it easy to break into my mother’s office.

  Mom and Dad wouldn’t be back until at least six thirty if
they kept to their usual pattern. I had plenty of time to accomplish my search and get over to Alex’s.

  I put down my drink. Now if I could only make my feet move toward Mom’s office.

  The Armpit Hostages geared up in the garage, and I realized I hadn’t ever seen Leo playing the drums. Talking about it at lunch made me curious. I wanted to go in and peek at the band for a few minutes. Despite Ian being a jerk, watching the guys usually helped me relax. And how was I going to picture Leo beating on the drums if I’d never actually seen it?

  I glanced at the clock. I had plenty of time. I could watch Leo play one number and then proceed with my espionage.

  If I slipped in during one of the guitar solos, I probably wouldn’t be noticed. I didn’t want Ian thinking I’d forgiven him. Because I totally hadn’t. Backstabbing bag of barf.

  I heard my cue and opened the door. The guys would have to turn around to see me. I edged in, closed the door, and perched on the hard freezer. So far so good.

  I glared at Ian’s back and then settled my gaze on Leo.

  He’d taken off the leather jacket even though the garage was cooler than the house. His arm muscles bulged under his black t-shirt as he kept the beat. His mature physique was totally out of place between my scrawny, boyish brother and slightly chunky Dylan.

  The boy, make that the man, looked twenty-five.

  I couldn’t believe I was drooling over a man. Alex, yes. Me, not so much.

  No doubt about it. Leo was hot. He wasn’t terrible on the drums either, and he certainly looked good doing it. He was better than average. Just like he’d said.

  They wrapped up the number and Ian turned around as they discussed making some adjustments.

  Then he spotted me.

  Crap.

  “You know what to do guys,” he said with glee. “Jen’s serenade.”

  I winced as Leo gave me a friendly smile.

  The others were already counting down. They started with familiar melody to Message in a Bottle by the Police, all of them singing at the top of their lungs, “Jenny in a bottle.”

  Leo raised a brow.

  Ian loved to taunt me like this. His friends thought it was funny. They totally missed the genie reference because why would genies occur to them?

  Leo didn’t miss a thing.

  My only choice was to leave. I could yell and scream like usual, but I didn’t want Leo to see my shrewish side. The guys were all watching me, so I couldn’t even wave to Leo. I met his eyes one more time. The green glow leapt in his irises as he clenched his fists. Uh oh. Leo getting angry and pounding my brother wouldn’t help anything.

  I shook my head at him. Then I went inside.

  I hated when Ian played that song. When I was younger, he’d threatened to trap me in a bottle. When his buddies weren’t around, he sang the lyrics as “Genie in a bottle.”

  Shuddering, I pushed the thoughts from my mind. I’d never be trapped in a bottle. Never.

  With a scowl at the door to the garage, I headed to Mom’s office.

  My stomach dropped to my knees as a horrible idea occurred to me. What if the other realm was actually a bottle?

  No. I assured myself with a frantic shake of my head. The treaty wouldn’t allow them to return genies to that claustrophobic hell.

  Slumping with relief, I walked to Mom’s office.

  First, I wanted to check on that technology interference thing. Then I wanted to check for any information at all on Leo’s dad, and I’d take another look around for info on the Directorate.

  I was just punching in the combination when Ian and the Armpit Hostages finished a song and I heard a noise at the front door.

  I jumped away from Mom’s office and headed as fast as I could to the front door to investigate the source of the sound. The guys in the garage wouldn’t come in that way, but everyone else was gone.

  I almost screamed at the sight of Mom coming through the door. “Mom!” My heart nearly pounded out of my chest.

  “Hey, hon.” She pulled off her coat and hung it on the hook. “I thought you were at Alex’s.”

  Yeah, um. “I just stopped by for a few things.”

  Mom gave me a sharp look. “You didn’t come by for rehearsal did you?”

  “Um, no.”

  “Good. I know you think that Derek boy is cute, but I really don’t know about him.”

  “I’m not here for Derek, Mom. I promise.” I was violating her trust and running around with someone I should never have met. Derek, no. He didn’t hold a candle to Leo.

  It must have finally registered where I had come from because Mom asked, “Were you doing laundry?”

  “No. I, um, was looking for my good bra.”

  Mom raised a brow. “Please don’t tell me you and Alex are taking lingerie pictures and posting them on the Internet.”

  “Very funny, Mom.” She knew I’d never do that. “What are you doing here, anyway? You bailed on Dad and Sean.”

  “The movie we wanted was sold out. Dad and Sean wanted to see that new parody.” She grimaced. “I hate those. Boy humor with no sophistication.”

  “You did the right thing, Mom.” She’d paid me to take Sean to see those movies more than once. Sean cackled all the way through, and I winced at every crude joke.

  “I don’t know why all boys love those movies,” Mom said.

  I doubted Leo would watch them. He seemed so much more mature. Plus he had more important things to deal with than movies.

  I had so many secrets, I felt them bubbling over. I needed to split before Mom got me talking. “I guess Alex is wondering where I am. I should get going.”

  “Okay. Have fun!”

  At least she didn’t tell me to stay out of trouble.

  By the time I got to Alex’s, I was totally exhausted. As usual, Alex was full of energy.

  “Hey, girlfriend,” she said, yanking open the front door. “You’re right on time. The game just ended.”

  Behind her in the living room, I could see her dad turning off the television. “Hi, Mr. Anderson.”

  “Hey, Jen,” Alex’s dad said.

  “How’d we do?” I asked, knowing they lived for the games.

  “We blew ‘em away,” Mr. Anderson said, beaming.

  “How many games did you guys watch today?”

  Alex grinned. “Four and a half.”

  The two of them were obsessed with college basketball. I guess it was a good thing Alex was so into b-ball. It must have made it a lot easier for them to stay close after the divorce.

  “I’ll dump my bag in your room.” I wanted to give them time to say goodbye. Alex’s dad usually came to her mother’s house for them to spend time together. Her mother would head out shopping or something. I think Alex said her mother had read that switching houses was harder on kids of divorce. Some weekends, her dad came and stayed there, and her mother crashed at a friend’s.

  It seemed a little weird, but I guess it worked for them. “Bye, Mr. Anderson. Good to see you.”

  “Bye, Jen.”

  I headed down the hall with my overnight bag. My room at home looked like a Pottery Barn explosion. I loved my room, but the truth was the truth. Alex didn’t do coordinated. Her room had a thrown together look. Nothing matched, and a few piles of clothes on the floor. She spent most of her time downstairs in the rec room where her mother had set up an elliptical and an exercise bike. I think the main draw was actually the entertainment system and the distance from her mother.

  Alex’s room looked more like a sloppy guest room than a teen’s room. I heaved my overnight bag onto the bed.

  “I hope you brought some decent snacks,” Alex said from behind me. “Mom’s dieting again and Dad ate all the chips and dip.”

  “Sorry, I didn’t think of it.” After the mega-healthy lunch I’d had, I could use some empty calories.

  “We need dinner, too,” Alex said. She wrinkled her nose, “I don’t really want pizza again.”

  Since I’d had pizza last night
, I didn’t bother arguing. “How about Subway? Then we can grab some snacks and soft drinks from the store.”

  “Deal,” Alex said. “But I’m getting the Italian BMT with extra fat and everything on it.”

  “Then I get a pint of Chunky Monkey for dessert.”

  “We need cereal for breakfast, too.”

  I grabbed my purse off her bed. Alex and I were totally in sync except when it came to driving. “I’ll drive,” I said quickly rummaging for my keys.

  Alex’s eyes narrowed. “You always drive.”

  “No. I drive a lot when I’m with you because I never get to drive any other time. I have to fight Ian for the car, and you know it.” Plus, Alex scared the bejeesus out of me when she drove. She drove like she played basketball. Aggressively. In Atlanta, the average driver was bold. Alex was just plain militant behind the wheel.

  Hands on hips, Alex probed me with a glare.

  “You drive every day,” I argued. “I haven’t driven since Wednesday.” Okay, I was exaggerating a little, but my life was at stake.

  “Fine, but you’re buying.”

  My safety was totally worth the price of a sandwich. “Yay!” I silently cheered. Another crisis averted.

  When we pulled into Alex’s driveway later, her mother was already home. “Just leave the soft drinks in the car,” Alex warned. “We’ll sneak out here for them later. If we take them in, Mom will drink them all.”

  “I thought she was on a diet.”

  Alex rolled her eyes. “She has zero willpower. Put the ice cream in your purse. If she sees it, she’ll confiscate it, and eat it. Then she’ll be downstairs on the elliptical half the night.”

  “Over my dead body,” I said, cramming my pint of ice cream into my purse.

  “Don’t tempt her,” Alex muttered. She stashed hers in her bag and opened the car door. “Mom always says that something becomes most desirable when it’s forbidden. She might jump us for the stuff.”

  I accidentally dumped my purse out in her driveway at the mention of desiring the forbidden. Why did Leo have to be so off limits?

  “What the freak, Jen?” Alex ran around the car to help me scoop everything back into my purse. “Why don’t you just open the door and yell that we have ice cream?”