Chapter Seventeen
I got a good look at the new paint job as I pulled into Circle Q. The repairs were finally done. I say finally because it had been an inconvenience. If we’d been a normal customer, we’d still be waiting on bids. Hell, Mary had even gotten new appliances for the kitchen. Good to know people with connections.
I was climbing out of the truck, grabbing Gram and my saddlebags from behind the seat, when Katie grabbed me from behind. I turned to wrap my arms around her, getting a strong whiff of tiger balm and sweat.
“You been working out?” I asked, smiling down at her.
“Hell, yes,” she said, stepping back. She was in sweats and a T-shirt. One of mine, no less. I could make out Angus Young’s ugly mug just above her breasts. He never looked better.
“We’re going to the concert tomorrow tonight,” she said, turning to kiss the palm of my hand. “I’ll get cleaned up and we’ll have a quiet evening at home with Jai Li. Try and reach for some normal. What say?”
It was almost like she was reading my mind. The trip to Bellingham would be fun, especially with the concert and all, but … “If you’re wiped out, we can stay home,” I said. “You’re more important.”
“I’m feeling stronger every day,” she said, grinning at me. “I aim to misbehave.”
I gave her a look and she laughed.
“We have an opportunity to get away for a night and enjoy ourselves,” she said, shaking her head. “No way I’m letting that go. Never know when things are going to get jacked up again, you know?”
I nodded. I did know. She just described the last eighteen months.
That night we had one of the best nights in a long time. The place looked like futuristic robot Martha Stewart had exploded inside. Everything was immaculate. The couch had been replaced with one in a very nice burgundy leather. Two matching recliners flanked the couch, and the focal point of the living room proved to be a brand new sixty-inch flat screen television.
“Holy balls,” I said, turning around in circles and looking at the place. “Where the hell did all this come from?”
Mary stepped out of the kitchen. “Thought if we were redoing things, we needed to bring us up to the twenty-first century.”
I poked my head in the kitchen. Edith was stirring something on the stove. Smelled like cabbage. At least some things stayed the same. Julie sat at the new kitchen table drinking a cup of coffee and reading the paper.
“Good day?” she asked, folding the paper closed.
“Oh, yeah,” I said. I’d only been gone ten hours. Qindra’s people moved fast.
I told them all about Mr. Kateel and the ironwork he wanted. I pulled out a sketch pad and showed her a few things he and I had worked out. Pretty soon the whole household was crowded around the kitchen table, adding their two cents to my ideas. Jai Li even started a few sketches of her own, giving me some great ideas.
“Like the gate I made for Qindra,” I said, pointing to one particular drawing. “Only you used horses instead of dragons.”
Jai Li beamed.
I grabbed a shower and we all sat down to a hearty dinner of cabbage, pork roast, and fresh bread. All during the meal we commented about how great the place looked without all the bullet holes and construction. Mary laughed and said it looked better than the day she’d moved in. I could tell she was thrilled to have her house back. It may not really be our home, but it would do in the meantime.
After dinner, we let Jai Li pick the music and we played games. Mary and I knitted while Julie played rummy with Edith. I had a scarf to work on while I was around Jai Li. Didn’t want to ruin her Mohawk surprise. Jai Li and Katie played Candy Land for a while, but eventually they ended up with rummy as well. It was brutal. After a bit, I put aside the knitting and got settled into a wicked game of three-way War with Jai Li and Katie. That child loved to slap the cards down. The delight in her eyes every time she did was priceless.
We had popcorn and cider, told stories, and generally enjoyed the peace of being surrounded by family and friends.
The night was so amazing that after everyone went to bed, I sat up in the living room with Gram on the couch beside me, watching the night through the big picture window and keeping an eye on the mirror over the couch. A night this peaceful had to be a precursor to something nasty. I kept expecting to see Skella or Gletts tumbling out of that mirror, chased by biters and eaters. Maybe I wasn’t totally over my exploration of the Sideways after all.
At one a.m., Katie came and dragged me to bed. She even made me tuck Gram away. The house was still. Katie snuggled up against me and slipped off her PJs. She was all naked and warm. I pulled her against me, hugging her back to me, one hand over her breasts, and fell asleep. That night, for the first time in a very long time, I had no dreams at all.
The next day we packed an overnight bag, drove out to Black Briar and left Jai Li with Trish and the troll twins. Frick and Frack were thrilled they were going to have a sleepover. They wanted Jai Li to play school with them and they’d already gotten every stuffed animal they could find and lined them up. We kissed Jai Li goodbye and hit the road.
We were meeting Carl and Jennifer in Bellingham at this great little pizza place on Railroad Avenue for an early lunch. I hoped it was still as good as it was when I’d gone to college. I’d convinced them to come scout Bellingham before the concert. I had a good feeling about doing some external shots up there for Cheerleaders. It would be awesome.
I’d called ahead and got a reservation at the hotel there by the airport on the north end of town. We got there a little early, so we checked into the hotel at 9:30 and messed around for an hour. To get in that early, we had to pay for an extra day, but it was totally worth it. We didn’t get up to anything too serious; Katie didn’t want to mess up her hair.
Railroad Avenue ended in a cul-de-sac with the pizza joint on the south side. When I’d been at Western, there’d been a used bookstore and a thrift clothing store. Now there was a Starbucks and an adult entertainment store. I grinned at Katie when we drove by it but parked on the opposite side of the parking lot from the adult store. Didn’t want her getting any ideas. Places like that terrified me and thrilled me, not that I’d admit to either publicly.
Apparently, Carl had had the same idea, as he and Jennifer were just parking their car as well. We grabbed some awesome pie, chatted about the movie, Bellingham, punk rock, and raising kids. That last one was crazy, the blind leading the blind. Jennifer was definitely in the baby mood. Carl seemed on board, but I don’t think either of them really knew what they were getting into.
As for the movie, they’d scouted the locations we’d discussed, confirming what I’d suggested the last time I was up this way.
“I’ve already contacted the city,” Carl told me as we stood at the register to pay. Jennifer was out on the sidewalk chatting with Katie. I was happy to see them getting along so well. I liked socializing with them.
“We’ll be able to start shooting here as soon as the permits come through,” he said. “Think about props and such for the cheerleader-mutant rumble from the first act.”
I’d already put a ton of time into that scene. “We’re agreed, hand weapons only, right? No firearms.”
Carl nodded as he handed the young guy behind the register his credit card. “Let us get this one,” he glanced at me. “Flight Test can pick this up.”
I shrugged, “Sure, thanks.”
We left the shop well fed and happy. I was thinking about blocking and choreography for the fight scene. Maybe we should bring in some of the Black Briar folks as consultants. They’d be inexpensive and know their stuff.
The sky was a brilliant blue and the temperature was hovering around seventy. It was a gorgeous day and I was feeling fine.
Then Jennifer spoke up, and my stomach fell to my toes.
“Hey,” she said, pointing. “Can we go check out that dildo store?”
Carl and I exchanged a look that spoke volumes. He was more terrified than I was.
Katie, of course, saw how I was reacting and got this huge grin on her face. “Absolutely. Always good to get some new ideas, shake things up a bit.” She grabbed Jennifer by the elbow and started guiding her down the sidewalk. Jennifer looked back once, smiling, and Carl grew even paler.
“I’ll wait by the car,” he said. Coward.
“Me, too,” I squeaked. Give me a dragon any day. Katie in a sex shop was mortifying.
We stood there, not really looking at each other, lost in our own thoughts. I’m pretty sure Carl liked sex nearly as much as I did, but I’d met his parents. I’m confident his upbringing highlighted the more private aspects of sex. Heck, my parents never even gave me the talk.
After five minutes I was getting worried. “You think it’s safe to leave them in there too long?”
Carl’s head snapped around. “You think they’re talking?”
I just looked at him. “Seriously? Katie’s in there. Jennifer is probably already talking about your favorite position.”
We both blushed again.
“Oh, God,” he said. “Maybe we should go in there, assess the situation.”
I nodded. “Good idea.”
He straightened up and got very serious. “This will be like Vegas, right, Beauhall? What happens here is never spoken of again.”
I had to grin at him. Even I wasn’t quite that uptight.
“Sure, boss. It’s in the vault.”
He nodded and turned, striding toward the shop like a man going to his execution.
Imagine my surprise when we walked in and Sprocket was behind the counter. I knew he had a job, but I had no idea it was here.
His face lit up when he saw me. “Hey, Sarah.”
Jennifer and Katie were in the back looking at something that needed batteries. They turned as one, grinning. Jennifer handed Katie the fat, purple vibrator and walked over to Carl, kissing him on the cheek and dragging him back to the video section. He looked back once, panicked. I just gave him a little wave and turned to look at Katie.
She put the vibrator down and walked over to me.
“I’m going to look at the lingerie, you should at least say hello to Sprocket. He’s anxious to talk to you.”
She patted me on the ass and turned, sashaying over to the section of crotchless panties. That girl had no shame.
I went to the counter and tried to avoid looking at the flavored lubricant display. “Hey, Sprocket. How’s it going?”
He shrugged. “Katie said you were scared to come in here.” He was grinning. “Glad to see you overcome that fear.”
“Every day’s a growth experience.”
“You got that right.” He looked around the shop; we were the only ones in the place. He leaned against the counter and his face got serious. “Skella says I can trust you. Says you have good insight into weird behavior.”
“How weird?” I asked. “You work in a sex shop.”
“Nothing like that.” He looked sad all of a sudden, concerned. “Two more kids on campus have committed suicide.”
Ouch, that sucked. “Friends of yours?”
“First guy was just an acquaintance, not close.”
“And the second?”
“Yeah, I knew him.” His shoulders slumped. “He lived in the boarding house with us.”
“Oh, right. Skella told me. That’s hard.”
He began straightening up the bottles of lube, keeping his hands busy. “Guy was quiet, didn’t get out much socially. We just thought he was a good student, always studying.”
“Well, it’s a college. Seems reasonable.”
“Yeah,” he said, glancing up at me. “He was gay but didn’t seem like he was taking shit for it or anything. Western is pretty tolerant about that. He dated a bit and seemed happy.”
I wasn’t sure why he was telling me this. Tragic, but I wasn’t a counselor. “Why did Skella say you should talk to me about this?”
He glanced at me again, then away. Furtive. “You’ll think I’m crazy.”
“I don’t know,” I said, honestly. “My life has had some pretty strange moments. I doubt you’d even move the needle.”
He smiled at that, gaining some courage. “I think the suicides are linked. I think they all have something in common.”
I thought about it a minute. “After Ginny killed herself, there was an opening, a period of time that the suicide taboo had been broken and others could see it as a viable solution to their problems. Pretty quickly, public sentiment shuts that line of thinking down. But once that window is opened, it’s not uncommon for several more to take that way out.”
I was proud of myself. I’d read that in college. Psych 101.
He looked thoughtful. “Makes sense, I guess. I just think there’s something more there. I think they are all tied in another way.”
“Like a suicide pact or something?”
“Maybe.” He shrugged and pursed his mouth like he’d tasted something sour. “More than that, I think.”
“I don’t know—” I began.
“Never mind,” he said, waving his hands. “I’m just upset. It’s probably nothing.”
I reached over and patted him on the arm. “Suicide is hard on everyone.”
“Yeah.”
“Sarah?” I looked over. Katie was calling me, holding a baby-doll nightie set up to herself. “What do you think?”
Sprocket chuckled. “Any chance we can talk about this more later?”
“Sure. We’re going to the concert tonight. Maybe we can all get drinks after.”
“Oh, right. Hey, you could all come back to our place. Mimi would love to see you again.”
“Sounds good.” I started to turn, but a thought struck me. “You folks want to grab dinner around five? I’ve been dying for a decent burger.”
“Sure,” Sprocket said. “Dinner before, drinks after.”
We agreed to meet at Tamatio, a really awesome organic joint a block away from the concert venue. They had fast service. We’d have enough time to eat before heading to the show.
Katie had taken a thong off a rack and was holding it up, pointing to me. Oh, hell no. “I’d better go stop her from committing a fatal lapse of judgment,” I said, mortified. What the hell was she thinking? Me in a thong?
“Tonight, then,” he said, waving me away.
“Definitely.” I turned and walked to Katie. Jennifer and Carl were still going through movies in the back, but I saw that Jennifer had a few in her hand, had already made her selection. I was afraid to know what.
Katie tortured me for another fifteen minutes before sending me off to pick out a movie. She said either I chose one I was comfortable with, or she’d choose one and I may not survive the first viewing. I didn’t have much exposure to porn, but I knew a threat when I heard one.
Carl and Jennifer were over looking at things that appeared suspiciously like handcuffs when I walked by, but at least he was looking happy, if a little glazed over. I think they had a hotel room in town as well. I hoped they still made the concert later.
I avoided anything that involved nurses. We’d spent way too much time in hospitals. Instead I opted for something all-girl with a plot. The cover promised real orgasms. Seemed like a good choice.
Katie took the video and told me to meet her at the car. She wanted to surprise me with something. God only knows what she was up to. I’m sure it would be terrifying and amazing.
As I walked out, Sprocket watched me, his face intent. There was something about the way he looked at me, something familiar. It was a feral look, part desperation and part determination. I’d seen it a few times on the faces of those who went into battle, fearful that they’d be killed, but determined to do their best.
I smiled at him and waved. He nodded back but didn’t wave. Definitely a sense of finality there. It was strange how deadly serious that look was, how anxious it made me. And damned odd with him standing amid the corsets and dildos.