“Really, but don’t tell. I told your dad I never knew who my father was.”
“Why?”
Echo shrugged. “Eh. I guess I sensed that they were probably both alike,” she said. “And I didn’t feel like telling your dad that my dad hardly knew I existed. What’s the point of talking about someone like that? You may as well say you never knew them at all.”
Vee considered that logic. She thought about refuting it, wanted to argue that her dad knew she existed—he was just really busy. But something about defending him after being forgotten the day before brought a sourness to the back of her tongue. Why should she defend him? Yesterday, he had promised to take her to the beach. Today, he had promised to take a day off and take her to Seattle. Both vows were empty and worthless.
“Hey, maybe we can take a walk along the coast,” Echo suggested. “Have you gone yet?”
Vee shook her head that she hadn’t.
Echo gave her a dubious stare. “You aren’t even a quarter of a mile away and you haven’t gone yet? Oh, you poor girl.”
She was supposed to have gone yesterday, but no, thanks to dear ol’ dad.
Echo was right, Vee was a poor girl. And maybe Echo had been a poor girl, too. Maybe, finally, Vee had found someone who understood what it was like.
NORTHWEST NEWS 1 TRANSCRIPT
Aired April 2nd, 1986 – 06:15 PST
JAMES MARKEL, NWN1 REPORTER: Breaking news this morning regarding Washington State congressman Terrance Snow.
(Begin Video Clip)
JAMES MARKEL, NWN1 REPORTER: Police report that Congressman Snow’s vehicle, a silver Lincoln Continental, was found having veered off the road a few miles north of Thurston County’s Schneider Creek. The vehicle, traveling northbound on US Highway 101, was involved in a possible sideswipe scenario, causing the congressman to lose control of the car.
(End Video Clip)
JAMES MARKEL, NWN1 REPORTER: Both the congressman and his wife, Susana Clairmont Snow, were pronounced dead at the scene. President Reagan issued a statement early this morning regarding the congressman’s untimely passing.
(Begin Video Clip)
PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN: Nancy and I were saddened to hear of the passing of our friend and congressman Terry Snow. Terry was a great leader. He led with diligence and honor. We will truly miss his presence and his unwavering devotion to our great country.
(End Video Clip)
JAMES MARKEL, NWN1 REPORTER: The couple lost their daughter and only child, Audra Snow, three years ago at the hand of cult killer Jeffrey Halcomb. Congressman Snow has been using the Halcomb case to strengthen his argument for retaining the death penalty as a form of punishment in Washington State. He was due to speak on the Congress floor regarding his capital punishment stance later this month. NEWS 1 will continue to report story details, as well as keep you informed of plans as they develop regarding a memorial for the congressman and his wife.
36
LUCAS PULLED THE Honda into the Chili’s parking lot, tucked a hardcover copy of Bloodthirsty Times beneath his arm, and stepped into the restaurant. He spotted Josh and Marty just left of the door. Josh raised a hand, motioning him over.
The two coworkers were already snacking on a plate of nachos when Lucas took a seat. A cola sat at Josh’s elbow, fizzing in a plastic mug fashioned to look like a heavy-bottomed beer glass. Marty had a matching mug, his filled with pale yellow pilsner.
“Hello again,” Lucas said, extending a hand to Marty for a formal introduction. “Lucas. Thanks for agreeing to meet with me.”
“Good to officially meet ya,” Marty said. “I bought your book. It’s good. Really good. I sure would appreciate an autograph, if you don’t mind doing that sort of thing.”
“Not at all.” Lucas took a seat and gave the two corrections officers a pensive smile. “Speaking of which . . .” He held his book out to Josh, who immediately brightened.
“Thanks, man,” he said. “How much do I owe you?”
Lucas shook his head and held up his hands. “Don’t worry about it. This meeting is payment enough. Consider it a thank-you.”
“Hey, thanks a lot.” Josh reached out and swatted the back of Lucas’s shoulder, then flipped through the pages of his new book. “It must be pretty cool getting your stuff published, huh? It’s like, even after you’re gone, this book will still be here. Almost like immortality.”
“Well . . .” Lucas gave Josh an indulgent look. “Until it goes out of print.”
“What? Why would it go out of print?” Josh peered at the thick volume before him, then gave Lucas a dubious glance.
“Just the nature of the beast.”
“Ebooks,” Marty cut in. Both Lucas and Josh turned their attention to the man who looked even more like a grown-up Goonie out of uniform than he did in it. “You know, ebooks?” he asked. “Those don’t go out of print. They’re just a file sitting on a server, right?”
“That’s true. Ebooks will save the world. So, Josh mentioned that you have a family emergency,” Lucas said, veering the conversation toward the point. “Hope everything is okay.”
Marty shrugged and peered down at his beer. “Wife’s pop,” he said. “He’s been sick for a while. It’s been a long time comin’. The old man finally gave up the fight.”
“Sorry to hear it,” Lucas told him.
“It’s all right,” Marty said. “The old guy was a pain in the ass, if I don’t mind sayin’ so myself. Never did like me much. But when the wife’s pop dies, you drop everything and fly out to the funeral to hold her hand.” He dislodged a cheese-covered chip from a mountain of nachos, stuck it in his mouth, and crunched down. “You married?”
Lucas hesitated just long enough for Marty to catch on.
“Divorced, then. Yeah, it happens. Me, I’ve been married for thirty years this September. I keep telling Josh here to get himself hitched, but he listens as well as a deaf guy.”
Josh raised both eyebrows at his coworker. “Who am I supposed to marry, Marty? I don’t even have a girlfriend. Besides, mi madre is a picky woman. If the girl doesn’t stack up to Our Lady of Guadalupe, she’s a putana and gets her ass thrown out onto the street.”
Marty barked out a laugh and chomped another chip. Lucas nodded at the waitress who approached. “Just water for me, thanks.” The girl wandered away, and the conversation at the table waned into silence.
“So,” Lucas said after a moment, “rumor has it you may have some information about Jeffrey Halcomb that could be useful? Josh mentioned a visitor.”
Marty nodded and wiped his mouth with the corner of a napkin. “All off the record, though, right?”
“Yeah, sure,” Lucas agreed.
“I’m being dead serious here. Because the last thing I need is to be losing my job, you know? If that happens, I’m gonna be divorced, too, and let me tell you, a sad sack like me can’t afford a breakup. I’m not a fancy world-famous writer like you.”
Lucas bit back a comment. Yeah fucking right, he thought. The sob story I could tell you, Marty. It would break your goddamn heart. Instead, he forced a smile and offered more reassurance. “This will all be anonymous, if I use any of it. This is all for background information, I promise.”
“You swear?” Marty asked. “We don’t have to sign some sort of paper or anything like that?”