poster children for the benefits of tanning beds. The sportier of the two wore a silky pageboy haircut; the other had long, blond locks.
“Man, that’s a big cat,” Pageboy called out.
I pushed flyaway hair out of my face and readjusted my glasses. “He’s a Maine Coon cat. They’re generally a big breed, but he might be a little too big.”
I slammed the door before Theodore could escape, not that I thought he’d move as long as he was in the vicinity of a well-stocked food source.
Blond Locks smoothed her swimsuit over her flat stomach. “You shouldn’t let your cat get that big, you know.”
I mentally snorted, no one lets Theodore do anything.
“The cat’s not hers,” Pageboy said.
Before they could accuse me of cat-napping, I said, “He’s my brother’s cat.”
“You’re Mark’s sister?”
“Uh, yeah,” I said.
She snapped her gum. “We live next door to him. I’m Brit. This is Karen.”
“I’m India. Have you seen Mark today?”
Brit and Karen consulted each other with a look.
Apparently spokesperson for the duo, Brit said, “Saw him this morning, when we were heading to the pool at about ten.”
Karen nodded in agreement.
“He was acting really weird,” Brit added.
I stepped closer to the aluminum fence. “Weird?”
“Yeah, like he was crying really hard, and when we asked him if he was okay, he didn’t even look at us.”
My shoulder began to throb as it always does when I’m upset. “So he didn’t say where he was going or anything?”
“Naw,” Brit said and wrapped a bright towel around her waist. “But after he left, this older guy pulled up and banged on his door. Me and Karen were talking to Kev at the time, he’s, like—well, we’re kinda dating or will be. The only reason I noticed is because this old guy showed up with a couple of cops. Kev, he’s going to the police academy after he graduates; he said it was, like, a takedown.”
Mains and reinforcements.
Karen finally spoke up. “Is Mark in trouble?” Her eyes sparkled hopefully.
“No,” I said. “Best of luck with Kev, Brit.”
After rolling down the windows in my car for Theodore, I hurried back into Mark’s apartment.
Certainly, my brother wouldn’t be so distraught that he’d—of course not. I yanked his portal phone from the kitchen wall where it hung next to a three-year-old calendar. I dialed my parents’ number. No one answered, and the machine picked up. I didn’t leave a message. My parents were having Sunday lunch at some parishioner’s home or trapped into some type of meeting with the church elders. I contemplated calling the church office but thought better of it.
I tapped the portable phone into the palm of my right hand. Where could he have gone? Then, it hit me. No, he couldn’t be that stupid, I thought.
But then again, I knew he could.
Chapter Fourteen
For the second time that weekend, I directed my car down my childhood street. Several homeowners along its length were mowing their lawns or gardening through the oppressive afternoon heat. The Blocken house remained rooted and stone silent. Several cars speckled its long driveway. The blinds and curtains at every window were sealed tight. I discreetly passed the house, searching for my brother’s car.
Childishly, I directed my eyes forward as I rolled beyond the Blocken home, believing that if I couldn’t see them, they couldn’t see me. I drove the street’s length, and I didn’t see Mark’s car or any other sign of him. I exhaled with relief and guilt. How could I think that he would have come here? Oh, me of little faith. Maybe Mark was smarter than I gave him credit for, I thought. I looped around the block for a second pass—just to be sure—and headed home.
I parked the car in my driveway and sprinted into the apartment, while awkwardly managing Theodore and his now-empty food dish, before Ina could burst out of her unit and harangue me with questions. Slamming the door, I bolted it
“Man, that’s a big cat,” Pageboy called out.
I pushed flyaway hair out of my face and readjusted my glasses. “He’s a Maine Coon cat. They’re generally a big breed, but he might be a little too big.”
I slammed the door before Theodore could escape, not that I thought he’d move as long as he was in the vicinity of a well-stocked food source.
Blond Locks smoothed her swimsuit over her flat stomach. “You shouldn’t let your cat get that big, you know.”
I mentally snorted, no one lets Theodore do anything.
“The cat’s not hers,” Pageboy said.
Before they could accuse me of cat-napping, I said, “He’s my brother’s cat.”
“You’re Mark’s sister?”
“Uh, yeah,” I said.
She snapped her gum. “We live next door to him. I’m Brit. This is Karen.”
“I’m India. Have you seen Mark today?”
Brit and Karen consulted each other with a look.
Apparently spokesperson for the duo, Brit said, “Saw him this morning, when we were heading to the pool at about ten.”
Karen nodded in agreement.
“He was acting really weird,” Brit added.
I stepped closer to the aluminum fence. “Weird?”
“Yeah, like he was crying really hard, and when we asked him if he was okay, he didn’t even look at us.”
My shoulder began to throb as it always does when I’m upset. “So he didn’t say where he was going or anything?”
“Naw,” Brit said and wrapped a bright towel around her waist. “But after he left, this older guy pulled up and banged on his door. Me and Karen were talking to Kev at the time, he’s, like—well, we’re kinda dating or will be. The only reason I noticed is because this old guy showed up with a couple of cops. Kev, he’s going to the police academy after he graduates; he said it was, like, a takedown.”
Mains and reinforcements.
Karen finally spoke up. “Is Mark in trouble?” Her eyes sparkled hopefully.
“No,” I said. “Best of luck with Kev, Brit.”
After rolling down the windows in my car for Theodore, I hurried back into Mark’s apartment.
Certainly, my brother wouldn’t be so distraught that he’d—of course not. I yanked his portal phone from the kitchen wall where it hung next to a three-year-old calendar. I dialed my parents’ number. No one answered, and the machine picked up. I didn’t leave a message. My parents were having Sunday lunch at some parishioner’s home or trapped into some type of meeting with the church elders. I contemplated calling the church office but thought better of it.
I tapped the portable phone into the palm of my right hand. Where could he have gone? Then, it hit me. No, he couldn’t be that stupid, I thought.
But then again, I knew he could.
Chapter Fourteen
For the second time that weekend, I directed my car down my childhood street. Several homeowners along its length were mowing their lawns or gardening through the oppressive afternoon heat. The Blocken house remained rooted and stone silent. Several cars speckled its long driveway. The blinds and curtains at every window were sealed tight. I discreetly passed the house, searching for my brother’s car.
Childishly, I directed my eyes forward as I rolled beyond the Blocken home, believing that if I couldn’t see them, they couldn’t see me. I drove the street’s length, and I didn’t see Mark’s car or any other sign of him. I exhaled with relief and guilt. How could I think that he would have come here? Oh, me of little faith. Maybe Mark was smarter than I gave him credit for, I thought. I looped around the block for a second pass—just to be sure—and headed home.
I parked the car in my driveway and sprinted into the apartment, while awkwardly managing Theodore and his now-empty food dish, before Ina could burst out of her unit and harangue me with questions. Slamming the door, I bolted it
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