There's Blood on the Moon Tonight (70 page)

Bud looked genuinely distressed. “Gee, Hoss. I don’t know what to say. I just thought that by putting your nickname on the coat it would take the sting out when other people called you that. You know, assholes who
aren’t
your friends.”

“As opposed to the assholes who
are
your friends,” Rusty quipped.

Tubby swallowed the lump in his throat and gazed adoringly at the greatest friends he would ever know. Sitting across from him in their beach chairs. Smiling at him, as if they’d known him forever. Loving him like family.
God
!
How was such a thing possible?
The three of them: Rusty, Josie, and Bud. Three individuals, one more different than the next. And yet they were
exactly
the same! A miracle is what they were. And Tubby was one of them now! “I know what you were trying to say, Bud. And I wouldn’t change that name for the world. I mean that! Tubby Tolson…that’s who I
am
!”

“Then what is it, tiger?” said Josie.

“I-I was just crying b-because…because…”

The tears returned, stealing the sentiments from his mouth. It didn’t matter. His friends understood all too well. Maybe not as well as Tubby, but they knew.

Yes, they knew.

As evening deepened into the wee small hours, Josie and Tubby realized they were the last two left standing. At some point in the night Bud and Rusty had crawled into their sleeping bags and were battling it out to see who could snore the loudest. Rusty was winning.

“Gee, it’s past three o’clock!” Tubby said, looking at his watch. “I didn’t realize it had gotten so late.” He pushed his bulk up out of the aluminum chair, hoping the flimsy thing wouldn’t collapse under the strain. 

Josie got up as well and grabbed Tubby by the hand.
“Follow me,”
she whispered.

Tubby could only gulp and nod.

They entered the clubhouse and Josie closed the door behind them. She sat on the sofa, patting the seat next to her. “Sit down, Ralphie. I need to ask you a favor.”

Tubby sat beside her, running his hands over his coat. He’d been doing that ever since he’d first put it on. He never realized a garment of clothing could make him feel so complete. So darn
good
inside.
Thin
, even! “Is it too late to help you pack up your stuff?”

“Nah, I’ve got everything I need in my bag,” she said, yawning. “You really like that coat, don’t you, tiger?”

Tubby looked down at his hands, afraid that by talking about it, it might start him blubbering again. “It’s the nicest present anyone’s ever given me.”

Josie was almost as happy for Ralph as he was for himself. In her mind, she saw Charlie Brown kick that football to the Moon, and she, the little red haired girl, leaned over and gave him a kiss. It was a chaste, closed-lips kiss, but Tubby’s eyes lit up all the same. Like fireworks in Disneyland. His hand leapt to his mouth, touching his lips in disbelief. Realizing her mistake, Josie jumped in before Tubby could put his foot in his mouth. “That was your birthday smooch, suge. Hope you liked it, ‘cause I only give out one a year!” She cleared her throat. “So, how does it feel to be an official, honest-to-go
d
Cree
p
?”

Tubby smiled and nodded, letting her know he understood. “It feels good, Joe. Better than I’ve felt in my entire life. And thanks for the birthday smooch. Now I have something to look forward to next year.”

Josie laughed throatily. “Bud wanted me to give you this.” She handed over a small white box.

Tubby rattled the box next to his ear.

“It’s a key to the museum. Sorry it took us so long to get it to you. Bilbo said any time you want to go through the ride by yourself, just go ahead and make yourself at home. Our casa is su casa. That goes double for this tin shack,” she said, gesturing at the roof overhead. “When this rabies mess dies down, we’ll take you to Margaritaville.”

“Margaritaville?”

“What Rusty and I call the Bunker.”

“You guys have been so good to me,” Tubby said, wiping his nose. He looked down at the werewolf-key-ring attached to his key. “I just don’t get it.”

“What’s not to get? You’re one of us, Ralph! Buddy boy, he knew it right from the start. And even though you just moved here, you’ve
always
been one of us.”

“Like Jack Torrance in the Overlook?”

“Spoken like a tru
e
Cree
p
!” Josie laughed. “Now, about that favor…”

Tubby tucked the key away in his breast pocket and carefully re-buttoned it. “Anything, Joe. Whatever it is—”

“Not so fast. You’re not going to like what I have to say. But I want you to know I’ve given it a lot of thought.”

“Come on, Joe. Spill! What’s the favor?”

“That report in Bidwell’s office you saw? I need to get that.
We
need to get that. Tomorrow.”

“Why? I mean, if we’re not likely to come down with the disease, then what’s the point?”

Josie told him about Bud’s reoccurring nightmares; how they all seemed to tie-in with the Research Center. “That place has cast a pall over Bud’s life, his dad’s, too.”

“And you think it has something to do with this Rabies Project?”

“Yes, I do. The shining red eyes Bud witnessed that night in his bedroom. The insanity involved. And now it’s starting all over again! With Bidwell and the Center right smack in the middle of it all.”

“I see your point, Joe—but what good is that report going to do
you
?” The smile on Josie’s face spoke volumes. “Oh! You’re going to give it to Bilbo, aren’t you?”

“Exactamundo, my friend. Bill will know what to do with that info. Then maybe he and his son can finally put this nightmare behind them.”

“I’ll do what I can, Josie. Only, I don’t see how—”

“I’ve already got it planned out. Now here’s what we’re going to do…”

                          *******             

Tubby looked at Josie as if she’d lost her mind; and even though he’d already promised to help, he had no trouble in telling her otherwise. “No way, Joe! Nuh-uh! Not gonna happen. Leave you
alone
with that man? What if—”

Josie’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “You owe it to me, Tolson.”

“Huh? I don’t understand.” The deepening blush on his face said otherwise, though.

             
She paused before playing her ace. A card she was hoping she wouldn’t have to lay down. “I know what you did in my bathroom. I
know
that you watched me through that feckin’ keyhole.”

Tubby’s chin trembled. His mouth opened to object, to protest his innocence, but he couldn’t get the lies past the guilty knot in his throat.

Josie’s green eyes bore into his, ignoring the humiliation burning his round face. She didn’t have time to make this easy on him. “I’m not mad at you, Ralphie…but you
do
owe me. It was a violation of my trust; you peeked at me undressing, and then you—”

“Okay! Okay!”
he blurted. “Please, don’t say it out loud! I’m so,
sooo
sorry! I hate myself for doing that! You have no idea! Jeepers, I’m such a pervert!”

“You’re not a pervert, Ralphie. You’re just a typical, horny, teenage
guy
. Believe me. I know the species all too well. Besides, I already forgave you. Just please help me with this one thing and I’ll never mention it again. You know I can’t ask Bud or Rusty—

“Cause they’d say no!” Tubby’s shoulders sagged in defeat. “I’ll do it, Josie. Because I
do
owe you…and I swore to myself that I’d make it up to you somehow. I think you’re crazy, though. Shoot,
I’m
crazy for helping you! If anything happens to you, I’ll never be able to forgive myself.”

Josie placed her cool hands on Tubby’s flushed face. “Well, then, sweet cheeks, we’ll just have to make sure nothing happens to me.”

                                          *******

             
                           
Tuesday, October 12
th
, 2,004

A fine mist falling from the fast moving clouds overhead woke Bud early that morning. At some point in the night, Josie had crawled into the oversize bag with him. She lay curled up on his side with one toasty leg thrown over his thighs. He hated to wake her, but the mist was already turning into a nagging drizzle. Jack was creeping up the seaboard, softening up the coast for the big blow.

While Josie made frantic tracks for the bathroom downstairs, Bud and Tubby dragged the Zenith back into the clubhouse. All three boys were pissing off the side of the roof, facing the Pines, when Bill made an appearance.

             
Rusty gave him the business. “Was that you down there, Bilbo? I’m sorry for peeing on you, man! I thought you was Lester Noonan!”

             
“It
was
Lester,” Bill intoned darkly. “He’s waiting downstairs for you, Rusty.”

             
“Bill…that’s
so
not funny, man.”

             
Bud zipped up and laughed. “Morning, Pop. What’s on your mind?”

             
“Well, first of all, how’re you guys feeling?” Bill asked, staring into their eyes.

             
Bud smiled. “
Real
subtle. But as you can see, none of us are foaming at the mouth. Now what’s up?”

             
“Just wanted to pass on some good news.”

             
“Oh yeah? The hurricane going to slip by us?”

             
“Not that good, I’m afraid. Still, you might be happy to know that Mr. Frazier cancelled school for the rest of the week. He called me personally. It seems along with half of the island already making plans to evacuate today, the other half are using it as an excuse to stay home. There aren’t enough teachers to go around.”

             
“Hurricane flu,” Rusty said. “Tubby and I were only mentioning it yesterday. A lot of the kids called in sick. We practically had the lunchroom to ourselves.”

             
“I could sure use your help today, Bud. We've got a lot to do, getting the museum storm ready. After we get you checked out at Bidwell’s, let’s get on that right away.”

             
“You bet, Dad.”

“Are you evacuating with us tonight, Mr. Brown?”

              “I don’t know yet, Ralph. I’m still waiting to see how bad it’s gonna get. And what’d I tell you about calling me
Mr
. Brown? It’s Bill or Bilbo. By the way, nice coat.”

             
“Thanks Mr.—um, I mean, thanks, Bilbo.”

             
“Some guys got to learn the hard way. Ain’t that right, Bill?” Rusty said, plopping down into a beach chair.

             
“Don’t get too comfortable, Short Round. Your dad called, too. He wants you home instamatically, if not sooner. They need your help around the house.”

             
“I knew it was too good to be true,” Rusty sighed. He got up and followed Bill to the rooftop door.

             
Bud put his arm around Ralph’s shoulders. “So
,
Cree
p
. What’re your plans for the day?”

“I guess I’ll help my folks out, too,” Tubby replied, only half truthfully. “What time do you think we’ll need to be at the docks?”

              “Ham’ll call us, don’t you worry. I don’t think it’ll be any later than six. Weather’s starting to turn.” Bud lifted his face up into the mist. “If I know Ham Huggins, he’ll want to get ahead of the nasty stuff as soon as possible.”

             
Josie bounded out of the rooftop door, fresh from a shower. Bill had told her the news on her way up from the apartment, reminding her to be on time for her doctor’s appointment. “Peg Leg’s at lunch?” she said to Bud.

             
“You’ll have to hunt me down, Big Red. After I get back from that pain-in-the-ass doctor’s visit, I’ve got to help out around here.”

             
Josie watched Bud head for the stairs, waiting until the door shut behind him. “How long did you say it took for your physicals yesterday?” she asked Tubby.

             
“Less than an hour for the both of us.”

             
“We’ll give it until 8:30 then, just to be sure. Up for some breakfast, Ralphie, me darlin’?”

             
“Sure. Let me call home first. You think we’ll be done by ten?” He looked guiltily over at the rooftop exit. “At the doctor’s office, I mean.”

             
“You’ll be home
way
before then. I sure don’t want to be alone with that man any longer than I have to. As soon as you photograph the folder’s contents, jet on over to the payphone in front of the Town Hall. I’ll give you ten minutes before I get up to leave. Your phone call will make my escape easier. I can’t imagine you’ll need more time than that.” She gave him two quarters and a slip of paper with the doc’s office number written on it. “Don’t hang up until he answers, ‘kay?”