Approaching Menace (21 page)

Sylvie shoved a hand through her hair. “I’m almost late. If I miss my appointment, I can’t get another one for a week.” She rushed to her car.

Josie went inside. “Colin. Hey, Colin.” Dipping her head into each room, she saw no sign of him except for his school bag beside the desk in his bedroom.

She walked out and called again.

Then remembering he’d been disappointed with her for dropping him off at school, she checked behind the garage to see if he was sulking.

With no sign of her brother, she crossed to the Allen home. Tiny lilac wildflowers were sprinkled throughout the lawn, she saw, pausing to find others. Buttery-yellow buds hid between the shorn grasses. She glanced at the sky. That too, pale blue without clouds, looked lovely today.

With a bounce in her step, she determined she would continue to pay attention to what was around her. The beauty she saw made the world easier to comprehend. She stayed inside too often.

She knocked at the side door of the Allen house, and Otis Babineaux opened the door. “Would my little brother be here?”

“I believe he’s near the pool.” The man’s eyes narrowed on her. The sultriness of his gaze made her start to lose her composure. His eyes widened to their normal state. “Would you like to find him, Josie?”

“Yes. Thank you.” She squeezed herself sideways to walk past him. Scurrying through the kitchen and breakfast room, she felt his presence like an unwanted shadow.

Opening a glass door, she peered out.

The water glistened so clear and still the green tiles on the pool floor appeared to float on top. On the shallow end, a snake-like arm curled and swept the pool’s bottom.

“I guess they’re not here.” Babineaux stood right beside Josie. She stepped back against the door. “Maybe your brother went off somewhere with Randall’s wife and daughter.”

She tensed. “Mom didn’t tell me he was going anywhere.”

“You could stay and wait for them.” He moved even nearer. She felt his body warmth.

“No.” Josie clutched the doorknob behind her. She could yank the door open and run out back. And then what? Swim the pool? Try to climb the wooden fence?

Releasing the knob, she closed her hands in fists.
Five, four, three
, her mind said.

“Hello neighbor.” Randall Allen stepped into the room. “I really like this jacket.” He wore a swimsuit with swirls of different shades of green. The swimsuit jacket Josie had made picked up one of the colors from his trunks.

“It fits you well.” She realized tension made her tone high. Otis Babineaux moved away, and she felt as though more air had come inside.

“Thank you,” Mr. Allen said. “You did an excellent job.”

“Did you see Colin?” she asked him.

“I did. Would you like to join us for a swim?” Before Josie could decline, he tapped his forehead. “Oh, someone else called to say he would help with your cause.”

“That’s wonderful.”

Mr. Allen moved from the room, uttering, “Where did LauraLee put that information? You’ll need to pick up the donation.”

Before his words trailed off, Josie’s other boss moved toward her. Babineaux clasped her arm. “Wait, Josie.”

Her hands balled into fists.

“Hey Josie, come see what we got!” Annie’s voice had never sounded so lovely, nor did the crinkle of packages.

Josie unglued her back from the glass door. Behind Annie, LauraLee shuffled in and then Colin came tossing and catching his football. LauraLee dropped bags on the sofa. “Girl, come and look at all the pretty things we bought Annie. We found Colin something, too, a pair of nice shorts. But he said he didn’t need them.” She pulled ruffled dresses from a bag without looking at her guests.

“I can’t,” Josie said, clutching Colin’s hand.

“You should have seen those kids shopping.” LauraLee yanked out more dresses and two shorts sets. “Those children have such a good time.”

She held up a girl’s striped shirt with a gold anchor and smiled with approval. Finally she glanced up at Josie. “You look sick.”

Josie’s gaze met Babineaux’s. “I’m not feeling well. Thank you for watching Colin.” She hurried him away through the kitchen.

Outside, Colin trailed behind, flipping his football.

“You watch out for yourself,” LauraLee yelled, holding her side door open. “It was just announced on the radio. That young woman who’s been missing from the beach—her body washed up. They think she was strangled like the others.”

Jitters skittered through Josie.

“And did you hear?” LauraLee said. “The hurricane that got weaker stalled again. It might strengthen and turn toward our coastline.”

Josie tightened her arms to stop their trembling.

* * *

Concerns left her by the next afternoon when she drove Colin to the radio station.

Bold black letters across the front door said KVJA. Behind the door a waiting room held two chairs.

Angela Sanders, the receptionist, looked like a high school student. She gave a friendly greeting, asked them to be seated, and worked on a computer.

Josie’s fingers tapped on the wooden rim of her chair and she wondered if she’d made a mistake. How could she accomplish even the slightest portion of what she had hoped? She’d contacted the local Knights of Columbus and Chamber of Commerce and would be allowed at both of their next meetings. Afterward, she would speak to other organizations, urging all members to become aware. Organs were desperately needed. “Don’t only think about how donating is a great idea. Really think about the need. And sign up now to give yours.” That’s what she would say once she told the groups all the facts. She’d say many people could live full lives with new organs or tissues and how many, right in their region, were waiting for body parts. She’d also stress how many would die without them.

Would she really have the courage to do it?

Colin squirmed on the next chair, his wide eyes scanning the room and reminding her of the answer.

“Hey,” she said and he turned the inquisitive eyes up to hers. She smiled. “We’re here.”

A grin replaced his anxious expression. “Yeah.”

Angela glanced up from her computer. “He’ll see you now.” She pointed to a door with pebbled glass with
Station Manager
painted in red.

A tall figure approached behind the glass. The door opened. “Hi. Come on in, Colin. Josie. I’m Cheyenne Moore.” Moore was a balding man with a ruddy complexion and a balloon replacing his waistline. He stuck out a thick hand.

Josie rose and shook it.

Colin accepted Moore’s handshake and returned his friendly smile.

“Y’all come on in.” Scattered papers topped Moore’s desk. He indicated the only chair besides his. “Sorry I don’t have more places to sit. Or we could pull in a chair from out there.”

“It’s no problem,” Josie said.

Moore stood until she sat, then dropped to his worn leather chair. “Josie, you have what you wrote?”

When she handed him pages, he cocked back in his chair. “Mm,” Moore repeated during the long moments while he scanned the sheets and she tightened her lips.

Colin slid down to sit on her knee. Like his sister, he watched the man studying her papers.

Moore’s throat, from beneath folds of flesh hiding his neck, emitted small sounds. Finally his pale gray eyes rose. “You came up with this?”

Josie wasn’t sure she should admit it.

The man’s leathery face gave no expression, but once Josie nodded, it creased with a smile. “You have real creativity, young lady.” He leaned forward and his chair groaned. “If you ever need a job, you let me know.”

“Thank you.”

“Y’all come back tomorrow. We’ll be ready to use your copy then.”

Neither Josie nor Colin could believe Josie’s words would soon be on the air. She took him to get a burger and remained long enough for him to mess around in the playground.

At home they told Sylvie their news. She seemed excited but couldn’t join them at the station when Josie’s first piece would air. She needed to work but promised to be listening.

Andrew sounded thrilled.

After Josie hooked Colin to Fred, he phoned one friend after another. “I went to a real radio station,” he told them. “And my sister wrote some stuff that’s gonna be on tomorrow evening at six. Make sure you listen.”

At five thirty-nine the next afternoon Josie drove Colin to the station. She didn’t know why, after she’d finished work, she felt like really dressing up. No one would be seeing her except maybe two or three people working there. But she chose a mauve linen dress from her closet, feeling something special was about to begin.

Songs from the ’90s played while she and Colin waited. Seated beside Cheyenne Moore, Colin glued his gaze to the large rectangular window. Josie enjoyed watching him more than Jason Brown, the young disc jockey who greeted them like they were old friends.

Colin leaned toward the sound room. Jason grinned, gave him thumbs up, and held his paper high. Colin pressed his nose to the glass.

Allowing a second of quiet after a song ended, the disk jockey stretched his neck toward his microphone. “A thirty-year-old father just died. And now, a child.”

Everything went silent.

Jason’s voice came through the speakers. “If only that father had signed behind his driver’s license and offered his organs, the child who needed a heart could have lived.”

The DJ’s gaze rose to meet Colin’s. Unblinking, he said into the mic, “Think about it.”

A swell of emotions rose in Josie from the words she had written.

“Don’t Cry, Daddy” played.

The tears filling Josie’s eyes surprised her. Drying them, she heard a deep whimper.

Cheyenne Moore’s face had turned red. Sniffling, he wiped fat tears off his cheeks.

Dimples folded into Colin’s cheeks and his eyes flashed. “That was good, Josie. Great job.”

She mumbled thanks, and by then Moore had composed himself enough to speak. “Damn right, that was good.” He rose. “We’ll get the others taped this evening. Y’all can stay if you want. It might take awhile.”

Colin wanted to, but Josie didn’t. Her inner voice screamed at him. “Don’t you know that child could be you?”

The drama here made it too real.

After they left, Colin complained. He continued to gripe about leaving all the way home. Then the phone started to ring, and he forgot frustrations. Josie liked his enthusiasm when he spoke to different callers who told him how much they liked what they’d heard.

“Hey Josie, it’s for you,” Colin announced after one ring of the phone on his lap.

She smirked. “I can’t believe it. A call for me?”

“I know, huh?” He took the opportunity to lean back and relax.

“That was terrific, Josie,” LauraLee Allen said. “We were all touched by what you wrote.”

“Thanks. It can only happen because of contributions from your family and others who care.”

“I think a whole lot of people will be touched by what you’re saying.”

“I hope so.”

“I’m going to keep the radio loud to hear your others.”

Josie glanced at her own stereo. She would be sure to keep it silent.

“I’ll let you go, hon. Come over soon, you hear?”

“I will, Mrs. Allen.”
If you don’t have
company.

Once she hung up, the phone rang again. “Oh, Josie” Sylvie sounded different. “That commercial really touched me.”

“I’m glad, Mom.” Josie knew what she’d called her but didn’t correct herself. Their mother was crying. Tears burned her own eyes.

“How’s Colin?” Sylvie asked. “What’s he doing?” For once she didn’t sound like she was hurried. She hadn’t made a call from work and then made it sound as if her children were bothering her.

“Fine. Do you want to talk to him?”

She did. Josie gave Colin the receiver and left the room, allowing them privacy. “Yeah, it was great,” she heard him say. “You should’ve seen all those big speakers.”

Glancing back, Josie saw his eyes sparkling.

For almost two hours Colin remained on the phone. Josie laughed when she would walk through the den and see him jabbering. Twice she heard him telling someone, “Wait a minute. Somebody else is calling.” Then he’d put the person on hold, answer the next caller and say, “Yeah, it was great.”

Josie walked from her room down the hall.

“Hey Josie, a man called for you,” Colin said.

She strode to the den. “Who was it?”

The phone lay on his lap. Looking weary, he shrugged.

“Did he ask to speak to me?”

“No, he just said tell you don’t worry. He’ll be coming to get you real soon.”

The phone on the child’s lap rang. He answered and began relaying what they’d done at the station.

Josie turned cold. Who was coming to get her? And why?

Chapter 15

Andrew reached their house. Soon afterward, Sylvie arrived. They had both heard Josie’s other two advertisements. Raving, they found the words touching. Josie hadn’t allowed herself or Colin to hear them. After the way she felt while listening at the station, she didn’t want to go through that experience again. She knew the need for organs and knew well enough what would happen if someone sitting beside her didn’t get one.

She’d wondered about the man caller but dismissed the message once she asked Colin later and he said the men didn’t mention her name; he just asked to speak to his sister. Someone certainly could have called the wrong number.

Colin bounced with enthusiasm, his hands never stopping while they accentuated his story. “You should see what a real DJ sounds like up close,” he enthused, “especially when he’s looking straight at you. And he did this to me.” Colin raised his thumb.

Andrew slapped palms with him, and Josie thought Colin looked a foot taller. He tossed a football across the den to Andrew, who said, “Bet you can’t get this one.”

Colin scrambled. “Got it.” He tucked the ball to his chest and shifted behind a stuffed chair. “Catch this.”

Andrew scooped up the ball and tossed it back. “A high pass.” The football bounced off the ceiling. “Whoops,” Andrew said as the overhead fan wobbled. A bulb from it shattered.

Colin gave a slight cough. Then bent over with giggles. “I’m glad you did it and not me.”