by Ross Jeff
“You cool?” Adam said.
“More like cold,” I replied. He looked in the side mirror and put the car in gear. As soon as we had pulled onto the road, he flipped the heat on higher and started messing with the radio. If he were a smoker, he would have lit up at that moment.
“I don’t think there’ll be any cops back here,” he said.
“What’s going on, Adam?” I said.
“Apparently, they hauled Sly in again, and this time he decided to roll on me and say I was the one who gave that girl the drugs.”
Which is true, I thought. “And they just believe him?”
“Yeah, well, three other people were brought in who will back him up. Amanda something—a girl who was with Mary Jane when I gave her the E. She also said that Mary Jane had been asking about you on the way in. So they figured you were in on it as well, and I guess Sly just went with it.”
“How do you know all this?” I asked.
“A friend of mine called to let me know. They pulled her in too. That’s why I came and got you.”
“What friend?” I asked.
He glanced over at me. “You think I’m lying?”
“No, it’s just…what friend, that’s all.”
“Rachel Jones.”
“Rachel?” I said. “Why’d they pull her in?”
“I don’t know, Rob. I didn’t dig into her life that deeply. That Detective Weir wants this figured out fast, and I guess he thinks I’m his man.”
“Oh,” I said. “But—”
“No buts. It’s true,” he said. “Listen, you don’t want to come along, then fine. I’ll drop you somewhere. But don’t blame me when the police pick you up.”
I honestly didn’t know whether to believe him or not. But I figured that if he was lying, it was only because he didn’t want to be alone.
“So where are we going?”
“We have to talk to Sly. We have to make him change his story.”
“You think he’ll do that?”
“I can pin some of this on him. I mean, his fingerprints have to be all over the place where the drugs and money were kept.” Adam slowed for a stop sign but didn’t come anywhere near a full stop.
“Where did he keep the drugs?”
“In the garbage room.”
I considered this for a second. “Did you get into the club the same way we got out?”
“Yeah. The cops were already all over the place when I got there.”
I had no way to tell if this was true. Everything Adam was saying was muddying the waters.
“If you’re thinking that I was sneaking into the garbage room to see if there were any drugs left for me to steal, you can forget it,” Adam said. “That’s not what I was doing. I’ve never sold drugs, and I’m not going to start now.”
It was what I had been thinking. I had had a vision of Adam driving away from Resurrection Falls with enough pills to sell to put him a long way away from all the troubles here.
The problem was, he had sold drugs. He just hadn’t made any money from it.
“So you weren’t going to leave?”
“No,” he said. “I wasn’t. I have to come clean. But so does Sly.”
Chapter Ten
“We can’t go near Sly in my car,” Adam said as we neared the downtown core. “He’s been in it a few times. Plus, the police will be looking for it.” We were passing the high school.
“Pull in here,” I said. Adam turned into the school’s driveway quickly. “Go around to the back parking lot. They just put another portable back there. The car will be hidden from the road.”
“And how are we going to get to Sly’s?”
I pulled my cell phone out and dialed Matt.
“Matt,” I said when he answered.
“Where are you?”
“Home,” he said.
“Come to the high school and pick Adam and me up.”
“What? Why?”
“Because we need your help.”
“What for? Actually, you know, forget it. I’m not going anywhere.”
“We’re in serious trouble here, Matt.” Adam had brought the car to a stop behind the portable. It was snowing hard enough that the tracks would be covered in the next fifteen or twenty minutes.
“What did he do?” Matt asked.
“I’ll tell you when you get here. We’ll be out by the bike racks.”
“No way, man. I’m not—” I hung up before he could go on.
“He coming?” Adam asked.
“Yeah,” I said.
“Did he say he was coming?”
“No. But he will.”
Adam shut the car off, and we were dropped into a deep, soft silence.
“Why were you doing it?” I finally asked. Adam stared straight ahead. The snow had really begun to come down.
“Honestly, I was just happy to be for real for once,” he said.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean I sometimes talk a good game. I really want things to happen, so I say stuff is going to happen or, like, it already has. I figure if it looks like I’ve done stuff already, people will see me as useful. This thing with Sly, it was…I don’t know, it was just that I wanted to be that guy for once. The guy who got things done. The guy who got people what they wanted.”
“You don’t have to be like that.”
“Yeah, well, what else am I?” He rubbed a hand across his face. “Come on, let’s go meet Matt and see if we can’t make this right.” He opened the door and got out. I followed.
It seemed colder already. The moon and stars had been blotted out by a thick band of clouds.
“Here,” Adam said, pulling his coat off and handing it to me.
“No, I’m cool.”
“Look, I got you into this. You shouldn’t be the one freezing.”
I took his coat and put it on. It smelled like Adam. A smell I’d been living with all my life.
Adam jammed his fists in his pockets and stared at a bike that was chained to the racks.
“Who just leaves a bike here?” he finally said.
“I have no idea,” I said.
“Like, what happened to whoever owns this thing? Did he just forget he’d ridden to school? Wouldn’t he then walk past here every day and see his bike all covered in snow and think, hey, isn’t that my bike?”
“You’d think.”
Adam stared at the bike.
“Or was he just tired of the bike?” he asked. “Like, he got a ride home in a car one day and then suddenly he was getting a ride in a car every day, so he just left his bike here because he didn’t need it any longer.”
“Yeah, I still don’t know,” I said.
“That’s a good bike,” Adam said. “It’s not even like it’s a piece of crap. But it’s likely been chained here since, what, November?”
“Probably,” I said. He kicked the rear tire, and snow tumbled from the seat and handlebars.
“Who is dumb enough to just leave a bike here. Any ideas?”
“At this school? A lot of guys,” I said. “It could have been a girl as well.”
Adam shook his head. “No, girls aren’t that dumb. Ever. Take the dumbest girl in the world, and there’ll be a few thousand dumber guys beneath her.”
“A few thousand guys beneath her?” I said. “That sounds kind of crowded.”
He laughed and hit me on the shoulder. “You’re more of a one-on-one guy, are you?”
“Yeah, that’s how I roll,” I said. He laughed again. A pair of headlights cut through the snow and moved toward the school.
“Those cop headlights?” Adam said.
“No, those are Matty headlights,” I said. “See the way the one jiggles? It’s loose, and he’s never got it fixed.”
“Oh yeah,” Adam said. “Looks like a chick that’s only wearing half a bra.”
“Or something like that.” We ran out to the road as Matt pulled up. I opened the passenger-side door and got in while Adam slipped in the back.
“Don’t tell me we’re doing anything illegal,” Matt said. “I swear I’ll just take you both home. Or, no, I’ll just drop you somewhere and make you walk.”
“What the hell are you wearing?” Matt had a giant black hat on, with some kind of Russian symbol on the front. Beneath this he was wearing a pink-and-purple scarf, his father’s work jacket and a pair of trackpants. “Do you have flip-flops on too?” I asked.
“I grabbed the first stuff I could find. You seemed like you were in a rush. And you haven’t told me whether we’re doing anything illegal yet.”
“Nothing illegal, Matt,” I said. “We just have to find Sly.”
“What are we?” he asked. “Private investigators?”
I gave him a long stare. “No, not at all. But for tonight, let’s pretend.”
Chapter Eleven
“This is, like, the worst part of town,” Matt said as we pulled into the parking lot of a bowling alley.
“Likely,” Adam said from the backseat.
“And we’re here because?” Matt said.
“Because Sly lives in the apartment building across the street.”
“So, go in and talk to him,” Matt said.
“His car isn’t here,” Adam said. “He always parks right out front. I don’t want to be standing around out there when he arrives. He’d likely just call the cops.”
“Man, I do not like this.” Three guys came out of the bowling alley. They were dark shapes against the white of the parking lot. “Like, look at these three,” Matt said, checking them out in his side mirror. “They look huge.” The figures grew larger as they advanced toward the car. When they passed, I realized that they were likely no older than thirteen. Out past their curfew.
“He’ll be here eventually,” Adam said.
“What is this all about?” Matt said. We hadn’t filled him in on pretty much anything. It was often best to keep Matt in the dark. He was far too paranoid to ever be trusted with the entire truth.
“Sly told the police that it was Adam and I who sold the pills to Mary Jane.”
“Why would he do that?”
“Because it was really him,” Adam said. “Kind of.”
“What do you mean kind of?”
Matt said.
“There he is,” Adam said. A beat-up-looking Nissan Sentra came sliding down the street, stopping on an angle to the entrance of the apartment building. The door opened, and Sly swung out holding his broken wrist.
“He’s alone,” I said.
“I’ll get to him before he goes inside,” Adam said. He opened the door as Sly went into the apartment’s foyer. Adam was halfway across the parking lot, the hood of his hoodie covering his head, when Sly pulled his phone from a pocket and started talking on it. He turned and stepped back into the street, then slid back into his car. Adam hadn’t even made it across the street as Sly pulled away from the curb.
“Pick Adam up,” I said to Matt. Adam had already turned around and was running back toward us. Matt got the car started just as Adam swung into the backseat.
“Follow him,” Adam said.
“What?” Matt said.
“Follow him. Don’t lose him.”
“What if he sees me?” Matt said.
“He’s not going to expect someone to be following him. Just try to keep your distance. But don’t lose him.”
“I can’t—”
“Go,” I said, giving Matt a slap on the arm. “Just follow him.”
“Man, he might have a gun or—”
“He doesn’t have a gun,” Adam said. Matt started the car and pulled out of the parking lot. A minivan had managed to get between us and Sly. “Keep an eye out at the crossroads in case he turns.”
“Okay,” I said. “Matt, keep watching. I’ll watch on this side.”
“I’m just going to drive,” Matt said in a higher voice than necessary.
“Okay, man. Okay.” We drove straight through the downtown core back out toward The Disco. The minivan stayed between us until Sly finally turned right into a neighborhood dubbed Edenvale.
“Why’s he going into suburbia?” Adam said.
“Okay,” Matt said. “I am better with this. My piano teacher lives here. No one is going to get shot in Mrs. Murdoch’s neighborhood.”
“So what’s he doing out here?” Adam said. We were moving slowly down the snow-filled streets. It didn’t seem like a plow had been by in days. Sly was skidding back and forth on the road.
“It looks like he’s still drunk,” Adam said.
“Where the hell is he going?” I said. He took a sharp right and gunned up a slight hill.
“Go past this road,” Adam said. “Don’t turn.”
Matt slowed down.
“We’ll lose him,” Matt said.
“It’s a cul-de-sac. There are only three houses up there. Just park here.”
Matt pulled over in front of a U-Haul van.
“Who lives up there?” I said.
“I don’t know,” Adam said. “I did the roofing on the places though. They’re mansions. It’s also really secluded—the perfect place to have a conversation with Sly.”
We jogged up the hill. At the top, there were three houses, just like Adam had said there would be. They were set in a semicircle. Sly’s car was in front of the center house. There was no way to look casual up there. No one would be in the area unless they had some business there.
“Let’s go see who he’s visiting,” Adam said. “The kitchen and living room are around the back.” There was a tall fence and gate, between us and the backyard. Adam tried the gate but it was locked.
“Hoist me over,” he said. “I’ll go see.”
“I need to see too,” I said. I looked at Matt with his ridiculous hat and jaunty scarf. “You stay here. Give us a signal if anyone comes.”
“What?” Matt said. “By myself?”
“You’ll be cool, man. Give us a lift.” Matt laced his fingers together and hoisted Adam over the fence. He then spent a good thirty seconds wiping his hands off.
“Now me,” I said. He sighed and laced his fingers together again. When I had ahold of the top of the fence, he said, “What kind of signal?”
“Whatever,” I said. I didn’t really think anyone was suddenly going to come creeping along the edge of the garage.
“Okay,” he said. “I’ll think of something.” I dropped down to the backyard.
“Like a cat.” Matt meowed. “That good?”
“Yeah,” I said through the fence. “Perfect.” He meowed again, and I followed my brother’s footsteps in the snow.
Chapter Twelve
The snow was untouched in the back-yard. A light glowed from a large window. Adam was kneeling just outside of the light, peering through the window.
“What’s going on?” I said.
“Sly’s in there,” Adam whispered back.
“Who else?” I said.
“I don’t see anyone.” I peeked through the window. Sly was leaning against a counter in the kitchen. He had a beer bottle in his good hand. I started to stand a little taller to try and see what he was looking at. But just as I was getting up to full height, Adam yanked me back down.
“Someone’s coming into the kitchen,” he whispered. I leaned against the wall and stared out at the blank, white backyard.
“Who is it?” I got myself level with the window and looked in. Standing on the other side of the kitchen from Sly was Amanda Palmer.
“Do you know her?” Adam said.
“Yeah, that’s Amanda Palmer. She’s one of Mary Jane’s friends.”
“I thought I recognized her,” Adam said. “She was at the club that night, wasn’t she?”
“Yeah, they did everything together.”
“What’s Sly doing with her? I mean, she’s like your age.”
“And Sly’s, what, eighteen?”
Adam looked at me as if I were dim. “Twenty-one.”
“No way.”
“Yea
h.”
I looked through the window at Amanda. She was wearing a tank top and pajama bottoms. Her hair was all over the place, and she looked as if she’d been crying.
“Do you think something was going on between him and Amanda?” I whispered.
Adam shrugged. “I have no idea.”
Amanda was shaking her head at whatever Sly was saying. Sly held his hands out to her, and she backed up, wrapped her arms around herself and then pointed at the front door. Sly dropped the beer bottle onto the counter and took a step toward her. She backed up again, and I heard her yell, “Just go.”
“What’s he doing?” I said.
“I don’t think she wants him there,” Adam said.
We watched as Sly reached out for her. She turned away from him, and he grabbed her roughly and spun her around.
“The asshole,” Adam said. And then he was up and running toward the front of the house. Amanda shoved Sly away, and he came right back at her, grabbing her and shaking her.
I followed Adam around the side of the house and scurried over the fence.
“What’s going on?” Matt said.
“Sly’s getting weird with Amanda Palmer,” I said as I dropped to the ground.
“Amanda? What’s she doing with him?” I darted past Matt, trying to keep up with my brother.
I made it to the porch to discover the front door open. I hesitated for a moment and then stepped in.
The house was dark except for the kitchen and living room. It seemed that Sly spotted Adam just as I came out of the foyer.
“What are you doing here?” Sly said.
“You have to tell the truth,” Adam said.
“Amanda, you’d better call the police,” Sly said. He let Amanda go and pointed at the cell phone on the counter. “There’s a criminal in your house.”
“Everyone just get out,” Amanda said.
I came up behind my brother.
“Two criminals,” Sly said. He smirked at me. “Drug dealers, or so I’ve heard.”
Adam stepped toward Sly. Amanda grabbed the phone. Her eyes were all over the place, dancing from one of us to the next. She suddenly ducked into the hallway saying, “Yes, police please.”
“You know my brother had nothing to do with it,” Adam said.
“That’s not what I hear,” Sly replied. He zipped his coat up and moved around the island that separated the kitchen from the living room. “Listen, why don’t you just get out of here. The police are going to be here any minute, and they have an arrest warrant on your head.”
