Page 14 of The Attraction File

SEVEN

Edgar

“Remember the naked 7-Eleven incident?”

A roar of laughter caused me to hold the phone away from my ear. It had been two weeks since I realized Ashton Graham was missing. Evaleen sent me an email last week that she couldn’t get a hold of him and even his friends and neighbors hadn’t heard from Ashton. I didn’t know how she would know that, but I had learned not to question her.

Because of what she told me, I decided to reach out to one of my old friends, Kingston Marks.

“Yes, how could I forget? The promise of group sex with sorority girls only to discover I was naked in a convenience store. You know, King, that’s not why I called—”

“Man, I had never seen anything so pale as your ass running across Deering Meadow that night trying to get back to your dorm unnoticed. I thought it was the moon. Turned out I was right.”

More laughter, followed by a snort.

“You got me, I have a pale ass.” I didn’t even remember the last time I rolled my eyes, but I felt that moment warranted it. “Listen, King, I wanted to ask about your dad.”

“Oh, he’s doing well. Had a heart attack a few years ago, but I have to say it was the best thing that ever happened to him. He gave up smoking and eats healthy, even finished his first marathon last year.”

“Wow, I had no idea. I’m sorry for the heart attack. That must have been scary.”

I swiveled my office chair to watch a few fat snowflakes meander down to Michigan Avenue below. The last time I talked to King he was still studying to become a doctor. We drifted apart, not having time to hang out together with his studies and residency and me helping my brother turn Mimir into a billion-dollar company.

Now I wish I had been there for him and his father. He doesn’t have a mother like I do or a brother, or even a sister. It was always just King and his dad.

“I’ll be honest, Edgar, I nearly peed myself when they called to tell me Dad had a heart attack and was in the hospital. I was doing my residency in New York and had to fly back. Longest plane ride of my life. But I finally let him have it. It was me lecturing him this time. And it seemed to work. He’s healthier than me now.” There was another chuckle but this time not deafening.

“I’m glad things turned out okay in the end. I really am. Hey, does he still do investigative work?”

“Oh yeah, that’s the one thing he can’t give up. I think that’s why he never married again because his real love is being a private investigator. I can text you his information if you need it. Got a female stalker, huh? I told you one day your Nordic Don Juan ways would catch up with you.”

My nickname in college, the Nordic Don Juan. Henrik Payne, who was my roommate back then was known as Goof, which didn’t fit him anymore. Tragedy struck his life a few years after we graduated and he hadn’t been the same since. But King seemed to be the same guy. I wondered if all that time studying to be a doctor stunted his maturity.

“No, something happened at work involving an employee and I want to get to the bottom of it. I just have a funny feeling about it.”

“Okay, well I’ll text you. It was nice catching up with you, man. Hey, I just moved back to Chicago. I work for Northwestern now; can you believe it? I’ll be spending most of my days catching babies like footballs over at the women’s hospital off Michigan Avenue.”

I couldn’t help but frown. I suddenly felt pity for the women who had King as their doctor.

“Yup, we should have a beer. Henrik rarely goes out anymore. It will be nice to have someone to hang with at night.”

“The Goof is there? Oh man, he has to come out too. This Friday night we will all legit party hard. If I have to come to your brother’s building to drag the Goof out, I will.”

That image made me laugh. He probably will have to drag Henrik from his desk. “Sound’s good. I’ll let you—”

“Oh, that reminds me. You will never guess who I saw on the plane ride back to Chicago when I moved back here last month?”

“King, I have no idea. Just tell me.”

I liked King, I did, but I could only take him in small doses. It’s like hanging out with an eight-year-old. Sure, it’s fun to do silly stuff like when we were kids, but then you start to wonder at what age all your energy dried up. When did the jungle gym make you feel like having a heart attack after only a few minutes of play?

King was always trying to make me guess what he was thinking, or go streaking, or ride bicycles drunk. I’m almost thirty-five, I wouldn’t do those things even if a woman wanted me to, let alone my immature friend.

“Damien Rosen. Remember that douchebag you had my dad try to hunt down after walking out on your mom? He looks a little different now. No more clean-cut, light brown hair. It’s jet-black and shaggy now, but other than that he appeared almost the same. I tried to follow him but he got into a limo after we landed at the airport and I needed to pick up my luggage.”

It was as if his words were a fist that landed a straight shot into my gut.

“I thought for sure that son of a bitch would be dead by now or at least in jail. He must be after another family if he’s getting into a limo.” King kept talking, but all I could think about was that Damien was here, in Chicago.

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