The drive to Josh Schumacher’s bungalow was easy that time of night. Traffic was light. Few cars were parked along his street. The phony gardeners weren’t lurking in the weeds and the meatball and his skinny partner weren’t peering over a steering wheel. I parked at the steps leading up to the bungalows and texted Pike.
Bungalow still deserted?
A few seconds later, Pike responded.
Yes
A man of few words.
I climbed the steps to Josh’s door, opened it with Adele’s key, and turned on the lights. The sudden glare made me squint. I shut the door, locked it, and turned to face the living room. According to Jon Stone, the meatball’s camera was above the bathroom door and looked directly down the hall past the flat-screen to the front door. I stayed at the door long enough to give them a good look. Then I coughed loudly three times and made a face as if I smelled something sour.
“Man, could it stink any worse? Wow.”
Atypical, non-ambient sounds.
I moved toward the camera, looking around at the living room walls as if I was searching for something. I drifted to the left far enough to be out of their view, then returned and stood by the sign Josh had pushpinned beside the flat-screen. matter. I recalled what Ryan had told me. Josh pretends he doesn’t care, but the only thing he cares about is showing his father he matters.
My phone buzzed with an incoming text. I glanced at it. Jon Stone.
Cole u asshole! What r u doing?
I slipped the phone into my pocket and moved closer to the poster. This put me dead center in their field of view. I pulled the pushpin from the lower right corner, lifted the paper, and peered underneath. Then I pretended to remove something tiny from the wall. I took out my handkerchief with my free hand, pretended to wrap the tiny thing in my handkerchief, and stuffed the handkerchief into my pocket. Then I took a card from my wallet, placed the card beneath the poster, and pushpinned the poster into place. My phone buzzed again.
I took out my phone and glanced at the text. More Stone.
r u high?
I pretended to dial and pretended to leave a message. I did not whisper and I did not shout. My voice level was appropriate.
“Got it, man. You were right. They didn’t find it. I left the Crystal Future info. And, Josh, thank you, man. Later.”
I pretended to end the pretend call, turned off the lights, and let myself out.
Jon Stone texted again.
Then again.
hats off, bro. #respect
When I looked up, Leon Karsey opened his door.
“It’s the middle of the damn night. You robbing the place?”
“Working.”
“Work someplace else. A man needs his beauty sleep.”
“Some men more than others.”
“Hey. Was that a crack?”
“It was.”
He considered the crack and nodded.
“Not bad, kid.”
Karsey hocked a loogie, let fly, and disappeared into his bungalow.
Pike called as I reached my car.
Pike said, “He’s rolling.”
36
Jared Walker Philburn
Jared Walker Philburn lay beneath the beautiful night sky and knew himself to be truly blessed. He pointed out his friends above and called aloud their names.
“Andromeda, Pegasus, Pisces, Cassiopeia, Perseus.”
The stars overhead were old and dear friends. Stars closer to the horizon were lost in the city’s glow, but Jared knew them as well from time spent beneath darker skies. Jared found peace in the stars and their unchanging courses. Mighty Orion would rise shortly, anchored by Rigel and Betelgeuse. Castor and Pollux would follow, marking the rise of Gemini. The stars never changed. They sailed across the sky in dependable patterns and were always where they were supposed to be.
Jared was glad to be home. The officers had been very kind and the lady at the shelter meant well, but Jared could not abide sleeping indoors surrounded by ceilings and walls and hapless strangers. Fresh air was scant, he’d grown anxious, and felt as if he’d suffocate. So Jared Walker Philburn had slipped away and returned to the freedom of home.
Lying on his sleeping bag in the open air beneath the infinite stars was so much better.
Jared said, “Thank you, Lord. Bless this world.”
The Lord said, “You are my blessing, Jared.”
“That’s very kind. Thank you.”
“Of course.”
Jared startled awake, surprised and confused.
“Lord?”
The Lord didn’t answer.
Jared realized he’d been dreaming and chuckled.
Then he heard others’ voices and knew they weren’t the voice of the Lord or the voices in his head. These voices were below. Sounded like two men, but Jared wasn’t sure. He didn’t understand what they were saying.