Luke said, “I think so.” Wondering if Bill Wink was serious. He could see the shapes of two heads in the Camaro as Bill approached the car.
Teddy sat in the front passenger seat, his eyes trying to adjust to the bright lights. Jesus, they were fucking blinding him. He opened the glove box, took out a big chrome-plated Sphinx nine, watching the cop get out of the patrol car. He saw the dark silhouette shape coming toward them.
It was a good thing Celeste was driving ’cause he was fucked up, trying to remember how many beers and shots of Jager he’d had. He released the safety and racked a round into the chamber.
Celeste said, “Jesus, Teddy, you dipstick, put that away. I can handle this country boy.”
He slid the gun under the seat.
She hit the button and the window went down. She had her hands on the steering wheel-ten and two, the way they taught you at driver’s training-as the cop walked up and shined his flashlight in Celeste’s face.
He said, “License and registration.”
Now he swung the flashlight across the interior, holding on Teddy and then looking in the backseat. He was a sheriff ’s deputy. Teddy could tell by his Smoky the Bear hat.
Celeste said, “I don’t think I was speeding, was I?”
She handed him her license and registration and insurance certificate.
He seemed to study the license.
Celeste said, “It’s me. I had blond hair then.”
“Do you know why I pulled you over?”
“No, sir,” she said.
He was bending over, his head almost eye level.
“You were weaving all over the road,” the cop said. “You been drinking?”
“No, sir. I’m not allowed to on account of my religious conviction. I must’ve taken my eyes off the road trying to find that national Christian radio broadcast Theodore and I listen to. It offers spiritual enlightenment-food for the soul. You should tune in sometime, officer. It’s very inspirational.”
“How’s your driving record?”
“Clean as a whistle,” Celeste said. “Never got a ticket in my life.”
“All right, you have a nice evening. Keep your eyes on the road, let Mr. Hicks work the radio.”
Teddy waited till the deputy was in his car before he said, “Never had a ticket, huh? Listen, he doesn’t believe you, runs your license, sees you got more points than a boxful of pins, we’re fucked. And what was that bullshit about Christian radio?”
“It’s called quick thinking,” Celeste said. She put the car in gear.
“Wait till he goes,” Teddy said.
They watched the cop car pull out and pass them.
“You were laying it on a little thick.”
“He believed me ’cause I was convincing.” She looked in the rearview mirror, didn’t see headlights, and hit the accelerator, picking up speed.
“He believed you ’cause he wanted a piece of ass. If I wasn’t here he’d have asked for the order.”
“It’s over and done with. Why’re you worrying about what might’ve happened?”
Teddy could really be annoying.
Bill and Luke were talking about their favorite movies, driving through the woods to the lodge, high beams illuminating the narrow road Owen McCall had cut through heavy timber so he could build his place by the lake. Jesus, he had a spread, bordering national parkland on one side. Probably the biggest privately owned piece of property in northern Michigan. Bill wondered if this kid sitting next to him had any clue how rich he was.
Luke said, “My top five are Aliens, Terminator, Fargo, Rocky, and My Fair Lady.”
“What’d you say?”
Luke said, “I was kidding about My Fair Lady.”
“Geez, I hope so. I was thinking you went gay on me.”
“ Pulp Fiction was my fifth favorite,” Luke said.
“That’s better.”
“What about you?”
Bill was thinking Full Metal Jacket, Rambo, Above the Law with Seagal; he also liked Rocky and The Rock, the one set on Alcatraz. That had some good action scenes. They came through the woods and pulled into the yard. There was a car parked in the circular drive, a Lexus. He glanced at Luke. “You got company?”
“It’s Jack,” Luke said.
“Who’s Jack?”
“An old friend of my mom’s.”
“He staying with you?”
“I don’t know,” Luke said.
Bill didn’t like it. He thought he’d been getting somewhere with Kate. And now this old friend shows up.
Luke took off the vest and said, “Thanks, it was a blast.” Got out and closed the door.
Bill couldn’t remember if he said good-bye to Luke or not, his brain was so clouded at the moment. Jesus, she trusted him enough to call up and ask for him personally. And he saw the look on her face the other day when she showed up at the lodge. He’d had his share of relationships. Knew women and there was something there, he was sure of it. He was going to ask her out to dinner, take her to Windows on the Bay-have a gourmet meal and a good bottle of wine. Get to know each other.
Maybe the guy was just a friend, as Luke said, but Bill doubted it. Kate was too good-looking and rich. He’d have to give this one some serious thought.
SEVENTEEN
Luke woke up to Leon licking his face. He pushed him away. “God, Leon.” Wiped Leon’s slobber on the bedsheet and looked at the clock. It was early, 7:15. Luke got up, went downstairs, opened the front door and let Leon out. He saw Jack’s car still parked in the same place and was surprised. His mom said he was staying at a motel in Northport. He didn’t mind Jack showing up if it made his mom happy but didn’t like the idea of him staying over. They were on the couch watching TV when he got home, not even sitting close together.
He heard Leon bark, opened the door and let him in. He went upstairs and checked the other bedrooms-they were both empty. He went to his mom’s room, tried the handle. It was locked. Now he was pissed. He couldn’t believe she’d get together with somebody like this. He felt guilty ’cause his dad wasn’t there, and it made him angry.
Luke walked back down the hall to his room, Leon trailing him, took a shower and got dressed. When he went downstairs again his mom was in the kitchen making breakfast, a whisk in her hand, arm wrapped around a mixing bowl. He could smell bacon cooking. Leon was sitting on the kitchen floor, staring at the skillet on the stovetop, bacon grease popping.
“Morning,” she said. “How was last night, did you have fun?”
He sat at the table his mom once told him came from Normandy, bleached wood with a drawer at one end. “Looks like you had more fun than I did.”
She stopped moving the whisk and gave him a quizzical look.
“What does that mean?”
“Where’s Jack? He still up there sleeping?”
Kate said, “What’re you talking about?”
“I can’t believe you’d have him over. Don’t you care about Dad anymore?” He was angry, couldn’t hold back.
His mom looked stunned. “Of course I do. I don’t know what you think happened, but you’re wrong.”
“Where is he, then?”
“I don’t know,” Kate said. “Maybe he’s out taking a walk.”
She put the bowl down and stared at him, then moved to the stovetop. He could see her flipping slices of bacon in the big cast-iron skillet. She made pancakes and piled them on a platter with the bacon and brought it to the table. Leon came over and sat next to Luke, looking up at the food.
She pushed the platter toward him. “Eat something.”
He could feel the anger building in him, like it was under pressure, like he was about explode.
“What’re you going to do today?”
He stared at the table, couldn’t look at her.
His mom said, “Want to hang out? We could have lunch at the Bluebird.”
He couldn’t sit there any longer. Got up and walked past her out of the breakfast room.
His mom said, “Where’re you going? Talk to me, will you?”
He moved through the lodge to the back door, put on his fleece jacket and a pair boots and went outside. It was cold. He could see his breath as he moved toward the woods.