Page 65 of Them Bones

By the time early August rolled around, things were running pretty damn smooth. With Cary gone, everyone was more confident, more relaxed, and more efficient. Even on his best days, Cary had you checking your pockets for a weapon – he was a ticking bomb, and nobody ever wanted to be the one to set him off. Once the guys stopped walking on eggshells, they were a helluva lot more productive. John kept things in line when they slipped up, but overall it was a good summer.

“Nick!” John smiled at him and clapped him on the back. “Can you do me a favour?”

“What’s up?”

“I need you to run by Cary’s other place. He hasn’t heard from Laney in a few weeks, been calling and there’s no answer. Linette’s supposed to be there but…”

“What am I, a babysitter now?”

“You’re whatever I tell you to be.”

For a guy with a sunny disposition, John had a way about him that meant business. He levelled a stare at Nick.

“Alright, alright, don’t get your boxers in a twist,” he grumbled.

“Give me a call when you get there. Just let me know what’s what.”

“Do I need to like… do anything?”

“No,” John said, “those kids take care of themselves just fine. Just check in, make sure there’s nothing wrong with the phone, let me know if Linette is there, and tell Laney to give Cary a call.”

Nick drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, the sunroof of his Sunfire open, seriously irked about being the day’s errand boy. John was a good guy, he didn’t make anyone do crap jobs for no reason and tried to keep it fair. But it was generally understood that Nick was higher up in the pecking order, that he was more valuable at the shop than doing menial tasks.

The downside of their summer efficiency was that Nick had more downtime.

He knocked – no answer – and after a minute or two he tried the doorknob and it wasn’t locked. He let himself inside.

“Hello?” he called.

He heard shuffling, and a skinny, unfortunate-looking boy with weirdly nice hair poked his head around the corner. He pushed his glasses up his nose and frowned at Nick.

“Who are you?” he asked. His voice was strange, nasal and kind of hoarse, like he didn’t use it much.

“I’m Nick. I’m a friend of your brother’s.” The boy scowled. “He sent me to check in. Make sure you guys are okay.”

“We’re fine,” the kid said, in a voice that sounded likeyou can go now.Nick bristled at the dismissal.

“Linette around?” he asked, voice sharp. The boy shook his head. “What about your sister? Cary’s been calling her.” The boy’s face tightened, but he said nothing.

Nick sighed. “Look, kid, I can’t leave until I talk to her, okay? You know how Cary is.”

The kid scowled again but nodded his head towards the stairs leading to the basement.

“She’s in her room,” he said, and then disappeared back around the corner.

Nick stomped down the stairs, his sweat-soaked shirt sticking to his back from the crushing August heat. It was cooler down there, but not by much and still too humid to be comfortable.

No wonder Cary doesn’t stay here in the summer,he thought. Cary kept his shop and apartment as cold as The Beer Store.

There were only two doors that he could see in the basement and one of them was a tiny bathroom, so he knocked on the other.

“What,” came a voice from inside.

“My name is Nick. Cary sent me.” There was a rustling noise and then the door opened.

Nick took a step back and grinned. It was the blonderockethe’d talked to on New Year’s Eve, right after the countdown. He’d managed to say about two words to her before she’d disappeared into the crowd; he hadn’t seen her again the rest of the night.

The girl had been a totalsmokeshow.Likeother-levelhot. He chuckled, realizingof courseshe was Cary’s sister. He’d been stupid not to realize it at the time – you didn’t really encounter people as good looking as Linette or Cary in real-life, not in this town. He should have figured they were related.

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