Nathan...divorced. A few times. But a man who coached his one son’s team, a guy who seemed to love his children...
“I think it’s time, children, that we do get back. Last tech tomorrow, and then show goes up at eight!” Mark said. He looked around the table, grimacing. “I am the oldest dude in this fizzy party now, so children, all of you—off to bed for a good night tomorrow!”
They all stood and headed out. Chase paused on the sidewalk.
“Chase?” Sky asked softly.
“Such a beautiful night!” he said.
“Yes, it is,” she agreed. “For...for most of us.”
“Let’s get to the car. Get some sleep.”
He nodded. The street here, off the tourist path and in a neighborhood section of the city, was quiet. His car was just down a block or so, and they started for it in silence.
Maybe it was the quiet, maybe it was his training, but he heard someone slip almost silently down the street toward them just as he opened the driver’s door to his car.
He spun around, almost reaching for the small sidearm in its holster at his waistband which was hidden by the jacket he was wearing.
But again, gut sense had kicked in.
It was Brandon Wiley, looking at him anxiously.
“Brandon?”
“Sorry, sorry, I didn’t mean to sneak up on you. I mean, I wanted to get to you without anyone else seeing... I, man, I don’t know. Well, I mean, you do know. I swear, no hard drugs, but I do some weed now and then, and now...”
“Do you have something on you?” Chase asked. “Brandon—”
“Yes, yes, I do. And I don’t know, Chase, I mean no one really understands what you’re up to all the time, but I thought that—”
“Brandon, yeah, I know some people, and I can—”
“Please, please, please, I’m going to be sitting in for many of the numbers tomorrow night, and it all means a lot to me. I don’t want to get in any trouble—”
“Brandon,” Chase promised, “I’m not going to get you into any trouble. I’m going to be grateful as all hell you came to me if the stuff you have turns out to be tainted. Thing is, if there is something... Brandon, we have to know where you got it.”
Brandon nodded. “I didn’t buy it. There’s a guy who works the spotlights over the audience at the arena. I gave him a few joints a few years ago, he caught up with me after today’s rehearsal and gave me these.”
He produced two joints, handing them to Chase.
“I’m going to need to know this guy’s name,” Chase told him.
“But if there’s nothing wrong with these—”
“Look, laws about pot have changed. Possessing a couple of joints is nothing. Let me find out what the story is with this. First off, you no longer possess it, I do. And as for anyone else...at tops, small amounts are a fine and a few days in jail. But I’m not after you or anyone else just smoking a joint—we need the source.”
Brandon nodded seriously. “Don’t worry. Nothing for me in the next days except for a beer—in a bottle that’s sealed when I get it!”
“Good thinking. Okay, I’ll get this somewhere. I promise. And I’ll let you know what’s up in the morning. And if there is something in this...”
“I know, I know, I know. I got it from a guy named Bobby Sacks. He works lights.”
“Thanks. Let’s keep Bobby alive, okay?” Chase said.
“Thanks,” Brandon told him. “Okay, uh, see you lovebirds tomorrow, huh?”
“Yep, good night.”
Brandon walked away. Knowing Sky was watching him, Chase still knew he had no choice.
“Just a sec,” he told her, dialing Wellington’s number. “Hey, um, a friend of mine got panicked when he saw the news. I have a couple of joints...um, yeah. I’ll give you an address. You can pick them up from me there? I mean, I know you’re a lecturer, but with what’s going on... Great. I thought you might know what to do.”
He hung up. “A friend who knows everyone in every lab from here to the ocean.”
“Chase, my God, do you think—”
“I don’t think anything right now. Let’s let my friend get these to a lab, huh?”
She nodded and crawled into the car. They were silent on the way to the house. When they arrived, Larry was overjoyed to see them.
Sky might have said she didn’t want a dog. But Larry evidently loved her.
And she loved Larry, it seemed.
“He’s been sleeping on the couch, you know. And there are guest bedrooms here—”
“I guarantee you, when you go to bed, Larry will park himself in front of your door,” Chase told her dryly. “I have to wait for my friend.”
