Chapter Seven

 

The rumbling in his grandfather’s driveway made AJ sigh. Nine thirty already.

The long honk made him curse his own stupidity for agreeing to this crazy plan, and Chaz’s stupidity for blasting the horn so late. All the neighbors were Grandpa’s age or older, and bound to complain.

Guitar case in hand, he strode toward the front door. “I’m going out for awhile.”

The light of the TV flickered across Grandpa’s face as he peered over his glasses. “All right.” He raised an eyebrow at the sight of the case, but let it pass. The tone of the old man’s voice held a warning against staying out too late.

In the truck, AJ cradled the case between his knees. “Are you sure we won’t get in trouble for this?”

Metal groaned as Chaz backed out. “Trouble? For what? Public singing?” He chuckled and ground the gear into first.

“Grandpa will kill me if I get fired.” AJ said it more to himself than anyone.

Chaz blew raspberries. “You worry too much.” The truck sputtered ahead down the dark street. He pulled down an embankment near the bridge and parked behind a tree. From the back bed, he pulled the metal-lined net. Beneath it laid the rifle, its dark metal as sinister as Chaz.

The sight of it sent a chill through AJ. “What if you actually catch one? You’re just going to throw her in the back of the truck?”

In a matter of fact tone, Chaz said, “Yeah. Then to my house. I have a pool.”

The dude’s plan had more holes than the net. AJ didn’t resist the urge to point out the many flaws. “What about the chlorine?”

“What about it?” Chaz pulled the rifle from the truck bed.

He couldn’t believe he bothered arguing about a hypothetical mermaid. “Never mind. Just be careful with that thing.”

“I’m a deadeye shot.” His inflection reminded AJ of a mafia mobster. Not to mention the gleam in his eye as he patted the gun.

“Great. Just make sure to point it away from me.” AJ climbed the short, steep hill to the bridge and opened his case. “Anywhere in particular?”

Chaz skulked behind the tree. In a hoarse whisper, he said, “Don’t talk to me, you’ll give me away. Just play.”

He ran his fingers across the strings. “Right. I’ll give you away. I wasn’t thinking.”

“Shhh!”

AJ tuned several strings. He hadn’t planned what to sing. He ran through his band’s old play list, and settled on a Foo Fighter’s Everlong. He’d always liked the acoustic version. The vocal range fit his comfortably.

He strummed the insistent beat and closed his eyes. When he began singing, he didn’t feel stupid, as he thought he would. Music always carried him to another place, and it was no different now.

Closing his eyes, he imagined a roomful of girls swaying as he played, his song’s rhythm flowing from himself and getting inside them. The follow-up was always even better, when one or more would let his body’s rhythm get inside them, too. He smiled as he ended the song, the chords thrumming in the darkness.

“Oh, that felt good.” Really good. He hadn’t lost his touch. He splayed his fingers in a stretch.

Silence from down below. Right. AJ wasn’t supposed to talk to him.

“OK. Let’s see.” Other than the chirping crickets and other night sounds, AJ felt like he was back on stage again. He’d wondered whether he should attempt a solo career, whether he could cut it alone on stage.

Without thought, his fingers launched into the next song on the old play list. Confidence returned with each song he played. Three songs became four, four slipped easily into five, five transitioned to six. At the end of the seventh, he stopped to drink from his bottle of water.

“All right. Well. Any requests?” He plucked the strings and tuned each one.

Still nothing from below. Maybe Chaz had fallen asleep.

“No, I didn’t think so.” He’d play a few more, then call it quits. His fingers skipped across the strings as he mentally ran through the old set lists. The tune he’d started last week remained unfinished. He strummed the opening bars and sang. It sounded better here than at the shore, where the wind and waves mixed with it. Here, the sound was clear, maybe something about the placid water. He looked out over the canal as his voice carried through the night.

Something caught his eye. A movement, a ripple beneath the surface. He stumbled on the lyrics, then picked the rhythm up again. At the point where his voice took off in the song once more, the still canal broke in a splash.

“What the...” A reflection across the surface revealed rings radiating outward, but nothing more. “Hello?”

From beneath the bridge, the oval outline of a turtle drifted by.

He let out a breath. How stupid. He was letting Chaz get to him. He checked the time on his cell phone. Ten twenty-five.

“That’s it. Show’s over.” Placing the guitar in its case, he snapped the locks shut and carried it down the embankment to the truck.

Chaz was nowhere in sight.

AJ whistled. Leaves rustled beyond the tree.

A man’s figure came clear in the darkness, then Chaz stood outside the driver’s window. His whisper strained from his throat in excitement. “Did you see that?”

“It was a turtle.” This guy needed some Prozac or something.

Chaz’s eyes had a crazed look as he held a finger to his lips. “No. Something else was in there, too.”

AJ opened the door and climbed in. “Probably a manatee or something.”

“Listen,” Chaz whispered as he scanned the canal.

“Come on, man. Enough for one night.” He wanted to go. Enough of this.

When Chaz jerked his head toward him, the sharp look in his face rattled AJ. “When I say listen, listen. How are we ever gonna do this if you don’t pay attention? Now get ready. If I call you, come quick.” Chaz crouched, then stole to the end of the truck, net in hand.

“This dude is a loony tune.” He slumped against the seat and let his eyes drift shut.

When the truck door opened and Chaz got in, he snapped awake.

AJ rubbed his eye. “What time is it?”

His hand on the ignition, Chaz looked out the side mirror. “I don’t know. After eleven.”

“You were out there for more than thirty minutes?” He yawned.

Chaz glared at him. “Yeah. Way to back me up.”

“Hey, you weren’t the one up there singing for an hour plus. Can we get out of here, please? It’s been a long day.”

The atmosphere in the truck cab grew tense as Chaz’s cold gaze went over him.

AJ wasn’t about to engage in a stare-down. He stretched his legs and spine so he sat taller in the seat. Taller than Chaz.

With a shake of his head, Chaz started the engine. The truck rocked up the incline to the street. They rode to the house in silence, not even the radio on.