The Mangrove Coast

by Randy Wayne White

  And: “… I promise you this. If he ever hurts you, I will be the friend there to help you. Why? Because you see me the way I am. Not the way I look. I will always be your servant because of that.”

  I removed my glasses and cleaned them on the sleeve of my blue chambray shirt. I was about to comment on the obvious way that Merlot had manipulated her. By telling her over and over why he admired her, he was giving her subliminal instructions about how she should behave toward him. No, he wasn’t physically attractive, but that wasn’t important. It didn’t matter to her. She thought he was beautiful. Right? Right? Right?

  Told repeatedly, the time would come when Gail would feel obligated to behave accordingly. And maybe she was actually suggestible enough to believe it. It was a concept that Tomlinson would quickly grasp. But as I turned to speak, I was interrupted by a fairy-dust sound coming from the computer, a riff of bells.

  Tomlinson whistled and said, “An instant message for the lady in question, man. How weird!”

  I said, “What?’

  “An instant message. Gail just received an instant message.”

  A bordered rectangle within a bordered rectangle, typed words inside, had appeared on the screen.

  “We’re in direct contact, man. Just him and us. See the screen? It’s from Darkrume.“

  Tomlinson’s voice dropped a little, as if he didn’t want anyone to hear. “He’s out there, man. His computer, he must have it locked onto Gail’s screen name. He knows we’re here. He knows where we are.”

  The message read: Is it you?

  After a few more seconds, the screen read: I’m waiting.

  11

  I called Amanda back into the room. She needed to be part of this.

  She was staring at the screen, looking at the name—Darkrume—when I asked, “What do you think we ought to do?”

  “Tell him to kiss off. Never write again or we’ll notify the AOL people. The jerk.”

  I told her, “You don’t see this as an opportunity? I think you ought to write the guy, find out whatever you can about your mom. Maybe he knows where she is. Maybe he knows what happened to the money. Any information you can get, we’ll take it.”

  I was standing, trying to make Amanda sit in the chair so she could use the keyboard. She wasn’t eager. She had her hands up, palms out—a “screw this” pose—as she said, “You think I’m going to be nice to this guy after the trash he wrote my mom? All that really sick stuff. No thanks. No way. Not me.”

  The way she said it, there was a frustrating, petulant quality in her voice that I found irritating. The last time I’d heard that same infuriating tone was years ago in the jungles of Cambodia. No doubt that she was her father’s daughter.

  “Just throw away a chance to get information? You don’t have to be nice. Get a conversation going and let’s see how we can use him. Pump him for whatever he might know. You think he wrote some sick, ugly stuff? Fine. Get even by tricking him. He thinks he’s writing to your mom. That’s what we want him to think.”

  “If it’s so important, why don’t you do it?”

  “Because you’re her daughter. And you’re a woman. The way you write is way more likely to resemble your mom’s sentence patterns. These two exchanged letters for months. Thousands of words. Even if they never met, they know each other intimately. He’s not going to be easy to fool.”.

  She turned away from me, arms folded. I felt myself coloring, getting angry. “Goddamn it! Your mother was a sexual person—what a hell of a shock that must be to someone as high-minded as you. Gee, she had men friends. They talked dirty to each other. She probably looked forward to it. She probably thought it was fun. Maybe she even had orgasms. Isn’t that just awful!”

  “Knock it off, Doc! That’s not fair.”

  “Yes, it is fair. It’s not only fair, it’s the truth. You want me to help find her? Then you’d better sit your butt down in that chair and cooperate.”

  She glared at me. She turned to look at Tomlinson, as if he might offer her refuge. To his credit, he slowly shook his head. Nope. He couldn’t help. It was only then that she put her hands on her hips, made a fluttering noise of contempt through her lips, plopped down in front of the screen and placed her long fingers on the keyboard.

  Gail73679: How’ve you been?

  Darkrume: Great as always. :-} But I don’t think this is Gail. This really the whore queen?

  Amanda repositioned herself in the chair as she whispered, “Asshole. What a creep.”

  I patted her shoulder as I watched the screen. Beneath my hand, I felt her take a deep breath.

  Gail73679: It’s me all right. And I’m so horny you wouldn’t believe.

  There was a pause. A very long pause. Was he thinking about something? Maybe.

  Darkrume: Is it really you? I missed you. Missed you a lot. Where you been? : ∼ ?

  Gail73679: Been really busy.

  Darkrume: Sure but where you been busy?

  I touched my hand to her wrist. Made her take a few seconds before replying. “What do those little symbols mean? The little things he adds after sentences?”

  “Cyber faces. Look at them kind of sideways, you’ll see facial expressions. It’s what people use on-line to show emotion. You know, happy, sad, joking. Like that.”

  My recurring question: Adults do this? I said to her, “Keep playing him along. If he and your mom are still close, he knows where she went. No matter what he says. Find out.”

  Gail73679: I thought I told you about the trip I was taking. Come on, my love. You forget already?

  Darkrume: You told me where you were going?

  Gail73679: Of course I told you where I was going. If you cared about me, you’d remember. God, all I can think about is getting dirty together.

  Darkrume: <——– Remembering now. You went on a sailboat trip someplace. With Merl who wrote me those times. Merl who told you to stay away from me. What a jerk. : = (Was it Colombia?

  Gail73679: You know it was Colombia. Or maybe you don’t. Maybe you don’t care enough to remember. I told you the city and where I was going to be staying. Remember the name of the marina?

  Darkrume: Maybe. Did you screw Merl?

  Gail73679: No way. Are you kidding? He would’ve crushed me. You’re the only man I’m thinking about now.

  Darkrume: Crushed you? The E-mail Merl who hated me because he was jealous, your neighbor in Florida. He fat?

  Gail73679: Yes, crushed me because he’s so fat. Fat and disgusting.

  Darkrume: <——– Laughing. Never liked him. He wrote me those idiotic E-mails, stay away from Gail. Jealous fat man.<

  Gail73679: Yes, he’s terrible. Huge.

  Darkrume: Know what’s on my mind all the time? Looking down and seeing your eyes. You on your knees looking up at me. >:-{o} The way your lips felt on me when we finally met. God, you are even prettier than I thought you would be.

  Beneath my hand, the pace of her breathing had increased. She said, “I can’t do this, Doc. I really can’t do this.”

  “Those little arrows at the beginning of a sentence. What do they mean?”

  “It’s like a present tense thing. The arrow means he’s doing it at the time. Laughing, remembering, whatever. With this guy, you can probably add whacking off.”

  “I’m becoming a little uncomfortable with his approach.”

  “He’s awful. And those little cyber faces. He’s disgusting.”

  “Oh yeah, he’s that.” I was still patting her back. “Know what Amanda? You’re right. I was a dope to get you involved in this, way off base. Hell with it. Sign off. Or … whatever it is you do. This guy really is sickening.”

  “I’m sorry, but … this is just too much. Pretending I’m my mom and him writing that stuff.”

  “I agree. It’s awful. We’re all better than this. I had no idea.”

  “But I didn’t get any information for you.”

  “That’s okay. Yeah, maybe he knows something. But the key is Merlot. We’ll deal
with it. You don’t need to put up with this kind of garbage. Forget it.”

  She was still breathing heavily, but also thinking about it.

  “Look … I’m okay now. Let me just try one more thing.”

  “Nope. Drop the whole act. I feel bad enough as it is.”

  “What you’re forgetting is I can make my own decision.

  I don’t need you to tell me what to do. I’m an adult. I may not act like it sometimes, but I really am a pretty solid person.”

  Her fingers began to move again on the keyboard.

  Gail73679: I wish I was looking up at you right now. From my knees. Can just imagine the way you’d be. Call me on the telephone, sweetheart. Call me right now. I want to finish up hearing your voice. We’ll both have a wonderful time.

  I patted her shoulder. It was a nice finesse. No one but Gail would risk asking him to call. Very convincing and completely safe.

  Darkrume: What you mean, call? Just tried to call you. Thought I’d give you a little surprise. Recording said the line was disconnected. :=(

  Gail73679: Damn! I guess the phone company only connected one of my lines. Because of the trip I was on. The dopes. Then let me call you, love. Give me your number so I don’t have to look it up.

  As she typed she said, “We get his number, we’ll find out who he is.”

  There was that fairy dust noise again.

  Darkrume: Maybe I’ll call later. Know what I’m thinking about right now? Remember the way we both got off the best?

  Gail73679: You always got me off. I hope I always got you off.

  Darkrume: No, this way was special. We were all naked. We were in a hot tub. We were drinking good wine and all three of us had a bottle of baby oil. Rubbing it on each other. I watched you rub the oil all over her body. It was you and me and what’s her name?

  Gail73679: Umm-m-m. Sounds wonderful. Tell me her name. I remember her name, but do you? I think I’m in love. Darkrume: Yes. I remember her name. It was the three of us. You and me and … If you remember, say the name. >:+{o}

  Gail73679: You say the name. I’m too hot to think.

  Darkume: Okay. Okay. It was you and me and … she had these weird eyes you told me. Not like yours. Different. Crossed eyes. Her name was Amanda. You and me plus your ugly daughter.

  The chair went tumbling backward when Amanda jumped to her feet. “The son-of-a-bitch. He set me up!”

  My hands were shaking, but I had my arms out and around her now.

  Behind me, I could hear Tomlinson making a strange whoofing noise. Was he groaning or fighting back nausea?

  “Let it go,” I told her. “Let it go.”

  “My mom wouldn’t have done that! My mom would never have done that! I don’t care what he says! You bastard!” She was yelling and now she smacked the screen with her open hand. “You filthy-minded creep!”

  I pressed Amanda into Tomlinson’s arms as I took her spot in front of the computer and began to type a reply.

  Gail73679: The trick’s on you. This isn’t Gail.

  I could hear Amanda crying, still furious, as I waited for the fairy dust sound.

  Darkrume: I know that!) : =)

  Gall73679: Why so sure?

  Darkrume: Wouldn’t you like to know. You’re Amanda. The daughter.

  Gail73679: Amanda’s not here.

  Darkrume: You’re lying. Either Amanda or some computer nerd friends. Someone to figure Momma’s password. Not smart enough to do it alone.

  Gail73679: You changed her password?

  Darkrume: Just in case. Someone has to protect our privacy.

  Gail73679: Pretending to know Gail, pretending to know Amanda, too. You’ve never met either of them.

  Darkrume: <——– Smile smile smile! Right. Never met you. The ugly daughter.

  I was fighting it, trying hard not to get mad.

  Gail73679: Why so mean?

  Darkrume: Not mean. I’m happy. HAPPY! Want to do to you what I did to your mom.

  What then followed was a graphic litany of his sexual triumphs with Gail. Real or imagined, it was impossible to judge. But very specific. Each outrage was listed as a conquest.

  I waited patiently. Then:

  Darkrume: You want the same things done to you?

  Gail73679: Love it. Let’s arrange a meeting. Tell me who you are.

  Darkrume: Figure it out.

  Gail73679: Okay.

  Darkrume: I’m serious. Try.

  Gail73679: We’ll go through your letters, they’ll tell us. Lots to choose from. Pick the best ones and take them to the police.

  Darkrume: Be my guest. Better hurry!

  From behind me, Tomlinson said, “What the hell does that mean?”

  He still had his arm around Amanda, reading along with me.

  Gail73679: Why so evasive? You’re a friend of Gail, we’re friends of Gail. So what’s the problem. What are you scared of?

  Tomlinson said, “That’s the wrong approach, man. This guy wants to be in charge, let him be in charge. Don’t push him.”

  Darkrume: Why should I care about Gail? Already done everything I wanted to do to Gail. But I wouldn’t mind meeting you. Got any videos?

  “This is a sick, sick person.”

  “Yeah, man. He is truly and honestly twisted.”

  Gail73679: Got a great video. You’ll love it. Tell me where to send it.

  Darkrume: Find me, asshole.

  “He’s not going to cooperate.”

  “Nope, not a chance.”

  “Then I’m done playing his game.”

  “Don’t blame you. Fire away.”

  Gail73679: Find you. Exactly what I plan to do.

  Darkrume: Oh. You sound so dangerous.

  Gail73679: I’m not.

  Darkrume: Didn’t think so!

  Gail73679: No. Amateurs are dangerous.

  Darkrume: <——– Shivering with goose bumps. That means nothing. You expect me to be scared?

  Gail73679: No, I expect you to be inept.

  Darkrume: You jerk. I don’t waste my time worrying about people like you.

  Gail73679: I’m counting on that, too.

  Darkrume: On what?

  Gail73679: Your stupidity.

  Darkrume: Fuck you!

  Darkrume: Fuck you!

  Gail73679: You illustrate my point.

  Darkrume: FUCK YOU!

  Tomlinson said, “You’re getting to him.”

  “Apparently. Let’s hope he’ll hang on until he lets some information slip.”

  Darkrume: You don’t have a goddamn clue who you’re talking to.

  Gail73679: Wrong. I know the type of person you are. So did Gail. That’s why she stopped writing.

  Darkrume: She never stopped, you idiot.

  Gail73679: But she refused to meet with you and she told me why.

  Darkrume: I’m the one refused to meet her, scum. That slut would have met me anytime anyplace.

  “There,” Tomlinson said, “we just learned something.”

  Gail73679: Because of the problem you have, she said she felt bad for you. I’m your friend, too. That’s why I’m telling you this.

  Darkrume: You got the problem, not me.

  Gail73679: No, but I’m sympathetic. Impotence or homosexuality, nothing to be ashamed of.

  In the long pause that followed, I suspect that he typed and erased a number of replies. I wish that I could have read them. Finally:

  Darkrume: You think I’m stupid. You must really think I’m stupid.

  Gall73679: Already told you: inept. Is your memory really that bad?

  Darkrume: Time to show you how smart I am. How much smarter than a cross-eyed hag like you ever thought of being. You say I don’t know you. You’re so wrong about that it makes me laugh. <——– laughing right now. Remember the letters you planned on reading? Read them now. Bitch!

  The Instant Message screen was suddenly filled with a series of strange figures.

  Behind me I heard Tomlinson say, “What the hell
… Hey … HEY!” He lunged over my shoulder, began to click the mouse frantically, but our cursor was now frozen.

  “He’s pumping in some kind of … he’s uploading a file into our system. Look at that crap … it’s like taken complete control, shooting its way right in here….” Tomlinson slapped the desk with his hand. “Shit! Now he’s taken over the whole computer.”

  The screen continued to pulse with line after line of figures:

  Just before the screen froze, the last instant message from Darkrume read:

  You lose! <: +))

  “I appreciate the fact, man, that you’re trying to concentrate. Trying to pull off one of those total-recall deals. But do you really have to drive so slow?”

  We were midway across Alligator Alley, the Everglades holding the horizon in all directions. Saw grass, globes of cypress shadow, gators baking mud gray on canal banks, black vultures cauldroning.

  I’d asked Tomlinson to give me some silent time. Let me think about the few letters we’d had time to read.

  “I suppose that means no radio, too.”

  He’d been switching back and forth between WAXY 106 and ZADA 94. Miami and Lauderdale, all the old hard-rock classics.

  “The radio’s fine. The radio I don’t have to think about.”

  “Yeah, well … the radio doesn’t make you think ‘cause you weren’t the one who dated Janis Joplin. But don’t get me started on THAT weird episode.” He was tinkering with the dials. “Hey … you know, it wouldn’t kill you to have a tape player installed in this truck. Maybe a set of earphones for your noise-loving buddies.”

  I just nodded.

  What was it about the few letters I’d read and my exchange with Darkrume that I found so troubling?

  Something. Couldn’t manage to nail it down. Perhaps it was tone or implication; a word or a phrase that nagged at me. But if it was important, really important, why couldn’t I dredge it up out of the narrowest processing conduits of my brain?