Unwritten Rules

by G. L. Snodgrass

  Getting in line to exit the bus I felt like we were stuck in oatmeal. An old man had to use the handrail and take the steps one at a time. My heart raced and I was having problems getting a full breath. Come on people.

  I skipped down the stairs and ran around the back of the bus then quickly glanced both ways before running across the street. Who needed crosswalks?

  Austin smiled and met me as I entered the park. He wore a different gray hoody over a blue sweater, blue jeans, black work boots and a wool watch cap pulled down over his ears but no gloves. Didn’t the guy’s hands ever get cold? I wondered for the thousandth time what his life was like, where did he live, how did he survive? A sleepless night of tossing and turning hadn’t helped me come up with answers.

  “You’re early,” he said.

  “Yeah, I’ve got to catch the six Ten bus tonight. It is the last one that gets me to my connection on time. I told my mom that I was staying at Steph’s. ”

  “And she bought it.”

  “Sure, we do it all the time. All three of us were always spending time at each other’s. Either Steph’s or my house, never at Jeanie’s though.”

  “Why not?” He said with a quizzical frown.

  “I don’t know, it never seemed to come up. You know how it is.”

  “Actually I don’t” He said as he chuckled.

  My face turned beet red. I know because it felt warmer than a stove top. Two minutes, that’s all it took to stick my left foot into my mouth.

  Austin chuckled again, “Come on I’ve got an idea where we can look. Let’s get you and your friend home.”

  Great, he already can’t wait to get rid of me. Is it all only about the money? Is that all he cares about. What about yesterday, the kiss. The kiss to top all kisses. I’d felt the shivers up and down my back all night. Didn’t it mean anything? Sighing, I joined him as he headed down the hill. At least this time he wasn’t tugging me everywhere.

  We walked in silence for a moment. “Coffee!” I said. “I need coffee before we do anything else.”

  “Okay, we’ll grab some on the way.”

  That uncomfortable silence descended over us again. He shifted to put himself on the street side as we turned a corner. Why did boys do that? “Here you go,” he said pointing to a coffee shop. It was different than the one yesterday. He’d probably picked it because it was free of ex-girlfriends. Either that or it happened to be the first one we came across. I knew I was probably over analyzing everything. But I’d been buzzing all morning. When he’d told me about what Jeanie might be getting into, the whole chicken hawk thing, it’d really hit home. This wasn’t kid’s stuff we were messing around with. It made the lies to my mom easier somehow.

  “You go ahead and get what you want, I’ll wait for you out here,” Austin said. He stood there looking out over the street, scanning, searching for something. Nodding, I went in and got what I needed. When I came out and handed him a Hazel Nut Mocha his eyes narrowed and he sort of blushed.

  “Uh I didn’t ask for this,” he said with a frown.

  “That’s what you had yesterday I remember. I figured it was safe to get you the same thing. For me I thought I’d try Pumpkin spice. Something different. If I’m going to rebel, I might as well go all the way.”

  He started laughing, it was only then that I realized what I’d said and how it could be misconstrued. “Left, meet Right” I thought as I turned away so he wouldn’t see my face.

  “Come on, let’s go,” he said shaking his head with a big jerk grin.

  At first I wondered if he was referring to my stupid choice of words or finding Jeanie. Somehow I knew it was the latter. He wasn’t that kind of creepy guy. “Here hold this,” I said as I handed him my coffee cup. Once he had it I gently removed two muffins from my coat pockets. They were those large delicious kind that coffee houses always seemed to have in abundance. I’d wrapped each of them in white napkins. “Which do you want, Lemon-Poppy or Honey-Almond.”

  “Uh, that’s all right you go ahead, the coffee is more than enough.”

  “Two muffins, Are you crazy, no way am I eating both of these. I’ll blow up like a blimp. Come on you’ve got to take one. And between you and me I’m hoping you pick the honey one.” I watched his face. I swear a thousand emotions flashed across it in a split second to be replaced by that calm, cool appearance. The one that said there was nothing wrong and even if there was it wouldn’t affect him.

  “Well, if I get to choose I’ll take the lemon one,”

  “Oh,’ I said my lips falling into a pout before I could stop them.

  He laughed again. One of those deep belly laughs that I knew I could grow to love. “I’m kidding, the honey-almond will be fine.”

  “No, no, if you want the lemon that’s okay,”

  “Casey, I was kidding. I love almonds, Thank you.”

  “No, I insis…”

  “Casey, give me the damn almond muffin please.”

  “Okay, okay, if you’re going to get all forceful and stuff. Here, take it.”

  He held up both cups of coffee and l held up both muffins. We looked at each other and laughed then did that coffee-muffin swap thing where you try not to spill the drink without crumbling the muffin. Finally success and we started back down the hill.

  He told me that we were headed to the Bus Station. I noticed that his eyes constantly scanned out over the street, both sides. I didn’t know what he was looking for. I was pretty sure it wasn’t Jeanie. I also noticed that his muffin disappeared in about three bites. I hadn’t even finished half of mine and I was already full. I glanced around for a trashcan to throw out the rest. Austin saw what I was doing and a strange look passed behind his eyes. Wow he must really have preferred Lemon-Poppy, I’d have to remember that for the future. “Here you want to finish it, I’m done.” He hesitated a moment then mumbled thanks.

  We continued on for a few minutes when he held a hand out to stop me. “There he is.” A young man with a heavy beard and jean jacket stood outside on the corner. “Hey Rocco, how you doing.”

  The young man’s shoulders hunched and he turned slowly. Recognizing Austin he relaxed. “Hey kid, how’re you mate?” he said with a heavy Australian accent. As we approached I got a good whiff of heavy body odor mixed with marijuana. It’s a smell I’ll never be able to forget. I had to breathe through my mouth to lessen the pain. Austin didn’t notice.

  Rocco glanced my way and ran his eyes over me as if trying to figure out who I was and what I was to Austin.

  “Listen Rocco, you still hang out over by the Bus station, right?” Austin asked.

  The young man nodded “Yeah. Sometimes,” he answered hesitatingly as he glanced up and down the street. His forehead creased in worry. I could see that he was wondering why Austin was asking about where he hung out.

  “Yea, I thought so. Have you seen a guy named Charlie, leather coat, gold tooth?”

  Rocco glanced my way and came to some kind of understanding. “Sure. Why, you thinking of going into business too?” Giving me a knowing smile.

  My skin crawled with what this jerk was thinking. My hands curled into fists and I stepped forward to tell him what he could do with himself but Austin put out a restraining hand.

  “Any idea where he hangs out?” Austin asked.

  “Sure man, I haven’t seen him around for a couple of days. Probably busy with something new. But he used to have his girls work over on 4th between Pine and Amber Ave. You know it?”

  “Yeah, thanks, I appreciate it.” Austin said before ushering me away.

  “Why’d you let him think that stuff? Why didn’t you tell him the truth?” I asked as we headed up another damn hill.

  “Because what he thinks doesn’t matter. Besides, if he knew you were a suburban princess he would have never told us a thing. The last thing he wants is to be involved with outsiders.”

  “I’m not a suburban princess,” I said.

  “Honey, you’re a beautiful young girl, intelligent, and
strong willed who happens to live in the suburbs. Believe me, you are the classic Suburban Princess.”

  I was getting ready to argue but bit my tongue. If he wanted to think I was beautiful. I was okay with that.

  We spent the next three hours hiking all over the city searching for Jeanie and this Charlie creep. It wasn’t all romantic. No hand holding, or gazing into each other’s eyes. Austin was on a mission. Constantly scanning everything. I was grateful for his help and dedication but it would have been nice if he noticed me a little more.

  “What are you looking for?” I asked. “You’re constantly scanning everything. Believe me, if Jeanie is around she won’t be hard to notice.”

  “I’m not just looking for Jeanie,” Austin said as he continued to stare up the street. “I’m trying to see far enough into the future to avoid problems.”

  “Okay,” I mumbled. The last thing I wanted to be was a problem. Besides, he was getting paid for this so fine, let him keep looking everywhere.

  My legs were killing me, my head hurt, and I felt like my feet were about to fall off. “Let’s grab some lunch,” I said, as I started to pull him towards a Thai restraint.

  He balked for a moment and said, “In a minute. I’ve got to stop in at the 102 club for a second.”

  Still holding hands we walked up the street and around the corner. Okay, I could put off lunch for some hand holding. Definite plus there. We entered the same bar as yesterday. It still gave me a queasy feeling walking into the place. I laughed when I thought about all the things my parents would be pissed off about. Walking into that bar wouldn’t have even made the top ten. Austin asked me to wait at the door again and approached the bartender.

  I decided now would be a good time to learn about bars. The place was almost empty. An older couple sat in a distant booth. The man leaned forward to hear what the lady was saying. A middle aged guy sat on a stool and looked at the mirror behind the bar as he gripped a drink. I wondered what his problem was. A cheating wife or a demanding girlfriend. Maybe the bank was getting ready to foreclose.

  “Hey Sam,” Austin said to the big bartender as he leaned forward and said something in a low voice that I couldn’t hear. Sam scowled at me over Austin’s shoulder; I could tell he wasn’t happy about something. Finally he relented and nodded his head then reached back and took a twenty from the till and handed it to Austin.

  “What was that all about?” I asked as we exited the bar. Austin’s hand on the small of my back was sending chills up and down my spine. Even through my jacket.

  “Oh, nothing, don’t worry about it. Let’s grab some lunch, my treat.”

  We didn’t head back up to the Thai restraint, instead in was McDonalds. The place had that world renowned McDonald’s smell, grease, salt, and fried meat. I could feel myself putting on weight just by walking in. A minor flash of disappointment surged through me. Here I was in the big city and I’m having the same salad I could have gotten at home. Austin was oblivious as he ordered two double cheese burgers and large fries.

  We sat there for a moment, my legs screaming thank yous as I tried desperately to think of something to say. I was getting around to asking him about his family when he froze in mid bite and stared over my shoulder. I shifted around to see. My heart raced and my jaw dropped. Our friend, gold tooth Charlie was standing there staring up at the big menu above the workers.

  Chapter Seven

  Austin

  My stomach had stopped bitching at me and now this. Our main lead walks into a McDonalds. Two hundred dollars on the hoof. Maybe? I mean, all we really had was a couple of people, some of them less than sober, telling us they’d seen Jeanie with this guy. Day’s ago.

  “Come on,” I said taking Casey’s hand and pulling her out a side door.

  “What … We’ve got to talk to him,” Casey said as she dug her heels in.

  “He’s already lied to you once. What makes you think he’s changed his mind? Our only chance is to follow him and hope he leads us to your friend.” She paused for a moment, looked back into the restaurant and then nodded in agreement.

  We picked a spot on the opposite corner, a place where we could watch both exits and see which way he headed. So of course the jerk decided to eat his lunch inside. I leaned up against the gray granite blocks of the bank and pulled Casey in front of me so that I could block the wind. She leaned back into me and my world shifted.

  A guy could get used to this. Hell a guy needed this.

  Casey shivered and reached up and pulled my arms around her. “I’m cold,” she said with another shiver. I know things were moving fast. But there was something between us. Something big and overwhelming. It made me want to charge in there and take this guy on. It made me want to climb mountains and to jump out of planes. These were feelings I wasn’t used too. I couldn’t afford to feel things. Nothing except the usual anger.

  Her hair had that honey smell I remembered from the day before. The kind of soft sweet smell that made me want to bury my face in it and never come out. I looked down catching a brief glimpse of soft skin where her neck met her shoulder. A perfect patch of perfection. I was leaning forward to nuzzle that very spot when Casey said, “Yes, finally.”

  I hesitated for a moment and realized that Numb Nuts was coming out of the McDonalds. He stopped for a moment and looked both ways before heading up the block. The man exuded arrogance. That friggin smile and the way he held his shoulders back, as if he owned the world and he was graciously allowing us to live in it.

  We stayed across the street and started following. My heart began to pound and not just from the climb. Two hundred dollars was within reach. The first step on a long trip. Casey would be impressed. I imagined her smiling at me as if I had done something worth one of her smiles. My guts tightened up. That smile would also mean the end. Sighing to myself I tried to shake it off.

  “What’s wrong?” Casey asked.

  “Nothing, thinking this might be coming to an end soon.”

  She frowned for a moment then caught her breath when our friendly neighborhood creep turned the corner and headed up Fourth.

  For two hours we followed him around the neighborhood. He was looking for someone. I knew because I’d been doing the same thing for the last two days. Stopping in some of the same places we’d stopped.

  “Hey Austin, you looking for a date?” A young woman asked.

  I’d been so focused on Butt Wipe across the street I hadn’t seen her there. She was sitting on an empty brick planter outside an office building. A different time, different place, with a different outfit and she could have been mistaken for a college coed. She wore a short fake fur coat and shorter skirt with black boots all the way to her knees. The bare skin between boot top and skirt hem looked longer than a football field. Casey’s jaw dropped and her eyes grew to the size of saucers.

  I hesitated a moment. “No Camille, not tonight sorry,” I said.

  Camille looked at Casey, examining her all the way up. “Sure, I understand.” She said with a sad smile.

  “Here, give me your phone for a second,” I said to Casey. A quick check confirmed that Ding Bat was still across the street waiting for the light. Since when did he start following rules? Then I saw the black and white patrol car cross through the intersections. Without thinking about it I turned my back and stepped between it and Camille as I showed her the picture. “Have you seen her by any chance?”

  The young hooker glanced at Casey’s phone. I could tell she was trying to decide whether to get involved. Instinctively doing that risk reward analysis we all did when people were asking questions. Casey kept looking at me as if I’d lost my mind.

  The young woman came to some kind of conclusion and nodded her head. “Sure I saw her with Charlie Dover. I haven’t seen her working the street though. Not yet. But if she’s with him it won’t be long.

  My shoulders slumped in relief. Camille was pretty smart, if she saw them then that locked it in for me. Maybe we’d be in time. I caught a move
ment out of the corner of my eye and saw our quarry start off again. “Thanks Camille, I owe you. Talk to you later.”

  “Sure Austin, You know where to find me.” She said with a smile.

  Casey glanced over her shoulder as I took her hand and we started forward then dropped my hand and looked at me like I was used gum stuck to the bottom of her shoe. “I’ll see you later? What was that?”

  I decided the best way was a coward’s choice and pretended not to hear a word she said. Taking her elbow I gently guided her across the intersection so we could keep Puss Wad in sight. He was an easy man to follow and I knew every nook and cranny of this part of town. His ridiculous shiny leather coat stood out in this cold weather. He had a habit of walking close to the curb and hesitated whenever he crossed an entrance way. As if he worried about somebody jumping out of an ally and tackling him.

  Several times he glanced over his shoulder. I saw his eyes scan back up the sidewalk. Once he looked across directly towards us but I’d pulled Casey into an alley behind a dumpster and he totally whiffed. The guy was about as smart as a red onion. Laughing to myself we ducked back out of the alley when he started off again.

  Only a few minutes later he ran up steps and punched his security code into an old apartment building.

  Bingo, we had him.

  I knew the place pretty good. I’d delivered for Chang’s last summer when their son had gone back to China for a few months. He’d returned in September with a new wife and a couple of cousins. It was the kind of place with threadbare carpets and small apartments barely bigger than studios. Cheap but old.

  He stepped in and the door latched before I could get across the street to hold it. No way were the tenants going to buzz anyone in unless they knew who it was. Between the cops, Immigration, debt collectors and ex-wives, there were too many bad things on the outside to ever let in.