Trust in Me (19 page)

Tell me about it, Ron,
Murphy had said.

I don’t wanna talk about it.

I can help.

I...was scared, being in there all alone.

What else are you scared of, son?

“Hey man, you spacing out again. I swear this Quaid thing’s got you by the balls.”

“Whose got Ronny by the balls?”

Ron turned to see Maze LaMont swagger into the bathroom. Dressed in pure black—a slinky shirt, worn jeans and boots—his bleached-blond hair had been spiked into several points. Beneath it, hostile blue eyes stared out at the world. Though he never let it show, Maze’s eyes made Ron shudder sometimes. The three of them, along with Sammy Shecker—who was more of a gofer and on the outskirts most of the time—had formed their own group of sorts.

Ron, you’ve got to stay squeaky-clean now. Your mom’s worried about the guys you hang out with.
Was Murphy right?

“The Menace’s got Ronny dangling.” Loose laughed. His father had worked at the racetrack since they moved out from the city, and thought Quaid walked on water.

Quaid
, who’d been having a cozy little chat with his mother last Monday night. Christ, Ron couldn’t even think about that.

The bell rang, signaling the end of the day. “Sprung!” Loose exclaimed, jumped off the sink and high-lived it with Maze. “Come on, my man, we outta here.”

Maze swore colorfully and they turned to Ron. “Sorry you can’t come, Ronny boy. We got these chicks lined up at the cottage.” His grin revealed yellowed teeth. “They squeezable as hell. And I’m tryin’ to lure Lily White into coming out.”

Lately, Ron had been relieved when lie couldn’t go with them, but he’d never let on. And he hoped Lily didn’t go, though he wasn’t sure why. “Breaks my heart, Maze.”

“See ya.” The boys bumped into somebody on the way out. “Watch your fuckin’ step,” Maze spat out.

“You watch your filthy mouth, LaMont.”

“Oh, yeah, sorry Mr. Johnson.” Loose grabbed Maze by the arm. A wild card, there was no telling who LaMont might pick a fight with, or what he might do. Rumor had it at his last school, he knifed the principal.

Johnson was shaking his head as he came inside. His brows lifted when he found Ron there. “Hi, Ron.” The teacher scowled. Glanced behind him. “I know this is none of my business, but you shouldn’t be hanging out with those guys. You or Sammy.”

Ron picked up his books. “We’re buddies.”

“They’re on the downslide. I don’t think you are.”

“Mr. Johnson,
I’m
the one who’s going to jail. Not them.”

“Yeah, I heard. Everything.” He checked his watch. “Want to come and work on the computers? My department meeting was canceled.”

Ron smiled before he remembered. “I gotta be at my community service by four.”

“Hmm. Well, I’m heading out to the lake after school. I could drop you off. That way you could get a good half hour in on the CAD program.”

It was too much to resist. And this way his mother didn’t have to take him to Holt’s. Didn’t have to get near Quaid. Maybe Ron could call Uncle Linc to pick him up. “Yeah, sure, if my old lady says it’s okay.”

Johnson gave him a playful punch on the arm. “You can call her from the math office. Come on kid, let’s go see that machine.”

Forgetting all about his mother, and Loose and Maze, Ron followed the teacher out of the lay.

Chapter 10

“THIS was a great idea.” Annie took a bite of her Caesar salad and munched on the lettuce. “And this place is terrific.”

Margo sipped her minestrone. “I love it. I used to eat here all the time with Philip.”

“Used to?” Annie asked. There was something about Margo’s tone.

“Yeah, he’s on my shit list.”

“Why?”

“You don’t want to know. It’ll ruin all our appetites.”

Annie surveyed her best friends. They were dressed in their usual attire, which always gave her a sense of security. She herself wore layers of black leggings, a black Spandex top and a light blue sweater over them. Beth had on a pretty angora sweater in deep pink, which she wore with dark slacks; it set off her coloring. Margo stayed typecast, too, in tight brown jeans, suede boots and an off-white sweater. The three of them were so different now, but it didn’t matter. They were closer than most sisters.

Beth toyed with her quiche and said nothing. She wasn’t even paying attention.

Annie and Margo exchanged glances.

“Bethy, you okay?” Margo asked.

Her head came up quickly. “Yeah, sure.” She looked to Annie. “You?”

 “I guess I just hope the kids’ll be all right.”

Beth asked, “Isn’t Suzie with them?”

“Uh-huh. It’s just that I don’t like leaving them overnight.” She took a taste of her iced tea.

“Hey, we agreed, time for a girls sleepover.” Margo sighed. “I miss you guys.”

Beth’s look was shrewd. “I know this is really all for me, but I don’t need baby-sitting. I’m okay.”

“You cried when we dropped Ron off at Lancaster this morning,” Annie said. “You need distraction.” She studied the decor. Like so many of those in the city, the restaurant was long and narrow and paneled in deep mahogany. There were about twenty tables. The three of them sat in the front, facing Madison Avenue through a huge picture window.

Gently, Beth touched her hand. “You’re spacing out, too.”

Annie nodded. “I’m worried about Joe being around the kids.”

“No need for that,” Margo told her. “Joe’s not in Glen Oaks this weekend.”

“Oh.” She scowled. “How do you know that?”

“I, um, met him for coffee right around the corner from here this morning.” She pointed to a building across the street. “He’s got some business over there today, he said.”

The thought discomfited Annie. “What did he want with you?”

“To assure me that he’s recovered. That he’s not going to hurt you or the kids.” She shrugged. “He thought it might ease your mind if he could convince me, since I’m such a tough nut to crack.” She grinned on the last accurate description.

Beth sighed. “He’s
not
going to hurt them, honey. I believe that in my heart, but in any case, Linc’s always there; he’ll watch out for them.”

“Linc already has too much on his plate.” Annie shook her head. “He doesn’t need this.”

“He thinks he’s responsible for everything.” Glancing away, Margo watched pedestrians cross the busy avenue. “He needs a woman in his life to give him balance. Damn, I hate even saying that.”

Neither Annie nor Beth spoke.

“I’m just sorry it can’t be me.”

“I am, too.” Beth’s gaze was sympathetic. “I think he’s really lonely.”

As always, Margo grasped for any crumbs she could get about Linc’s life. When she heard he had a date, or was serious about somebody, Annie knew it killed her, but she asked anyway. “Did he say that?”

“In so many words.” Beth grasped Margo’s hand. “After the fight you two had on the phone.”

“He told you about that?”

“Not the details. Just that he hates to fight with you. He misses you, Margo.”

“We haven’t talked since then. It’s why I didn’t go to Glen Oaks this weekend.”

“Instead, you stayed in the city, lured us to town, therefore avoiding Linc.”

“Yeah.”

Margo stared out the window at the building she said Joe worked in.

After a moment, Annie tracked her gaze. “I wonder what kind of building that is.”

“I’ve been in there several times. It has offices and studios and stuff.”

“Linc told me Joe has a part-time job.” Beth watched out the window, too. “Maybe it’s in there.”

Annie bit her lip. “From the looks of his clothes and car, it must be lucrative.” Her eyes closed briefly. “God, I hope he’s not into anything illegal.”

“Linc talked to him about that, too,” Beth said. “Joe swears it’s not.”

“Joe puts up a good front, Beth.”

Deliberately, Margo pushed her food away and leaned forward on her elbows. “Do you still think about it?”

“What, how he used to beat me up?”

Beth winced. “Oh, God. I hope you don’t.”

“I
do
. I make myself, so I won’t forget what a puppet I was. And so I’ll never let any man pull those strings again.”

“You don’t let any man near you,” Margo said candidly.

“And that’s not healthy either,” Beth agreed.

Annie snagged Beth’s gaze. “I’m not the only one. You avoid involvement like the plague.”

“I date.”

 “Yeah, you never made it to the sack with Roman Becker, though, did you?”

“Nope.” Beth giggled. “I was afraid I might mess up his hair.” Beth got a faraway look in her eye and squirmed in her seat.

“What?” Margo asked.

“Huh?”

“What are you thinking? You look like you just got caught snitching cigarettes.” She winked at Annie. “You got a guy on the side we don’t know about?”

“Of course not.” She sighed. “I wish I did, though. I’m lonely, too. Like Linc.”

“How’s Quaid doing with Ronny?” Margo asked.

“Um, good.” Beth’s face flushed, always an indicator that something was going on with her.

“Too bad you have to drive the kid out and back to the lake. Damn his hide for losing his license.”

“I don’t mind.” The waitress cleared their plates and brought coffee.

Margo ordered a piece of mocha mud pie to share. “Linc says Quaid and his henchman, Holt, have been great to Ron.”

“Ronny doesn’t realize how much he talks about them.” Beth shot a quick glance at Annie. “And about Joe. In just a couple of weeks, they’ve rivaled Mr. Johnson in his conversations.”

“Linc says Quaid’s quite a hit with the ladies in town, too,” Annie put in.

“Why wouldn’t he be? He’s great-looking. He’s got terrific shoulders...” Beth stopped when Annie and Margo cocked their heads. “What?”

Annie was surprised. “I’ve never heard you say anything like that about a man other than Danny.”

“No big deal.”

Dessert arrived, and they dug into it; they were unable to continue the conversation around mouthfuls of sweet hot fudge and frigid coffee ice cream. As they’d devoured the treat, Annie was bombarded by images of the past. Sometimes they came without warning, and she couldn’t stop them. She tried to concentrate on eating, but her comment to Margo stuck in her mind.

She
had
let Joe pull the strings, treat her like a puppet. He’d demanded it. She remembered one time when she didn’t want to go out...

The slap came quick, and out of the blue, like it always did. Annie reeled back.

Joe was shouting. “You’ll do what I say, you hear? Any time I tell you.”

“But why, Joey? I—”

Another slap. “Don’t
ever
question me.” Then, he fisted his hand and punched her side.

She staggered back into the chair, fell onto it. She could taste blood on her lip. But the pain in her heart was worse—he’d never used his fists on her.

He squatted in front of her. “Learn your lesson, little girl, and I won’t have to do this.”

Hurt, and afraid, she couldn’t look at him. Couldn’t look at the man she’d trusted more than anyone in the world. She just nodded.

He’d stepped back then. “Now, get up and get ready.”

Annie struggled to her feet, feeling dizzy. He grabbed her arm...not to help her. “Remember what I said about obeying me...”

“Annie, what’s wrong? You’re not eating.” This from Beth.

“Oh, um, I—”

Before she could make up an excuse, Margo nodded to the window. “Look, there’s Joe again. He’s with some woman.”

Annie’s head snapped around. Despite her desire to remain distanced, her heart lurched at the sight of him. For a minute, the past and present converged, and she was back in that kitchen, shrinking away from him. To counteract the feeling, she straightened and faced the street corner where he stood.

This was the present. She’d deal with it as it was.

He and a brunette were close, their heads bent almost touching each other. Joe wore a long khaki raincoat belted at the waist. They stopped for a light and Annie watched him throw back his head and laugh. The dark-haired woman grabbed his arm and said something that made him laugh harder. Then they crossed the street and entered the building.

“I wonder what he’s up to.” Annie hated the tremulousness in her voice

Standing, Margo threw some bills on the table and dragged on her suede blazer. “Let’s go find out.”

“
What?” It was the last thing Annie wanted.

“Let’s follow them. See what his second job is.”

 “Maybe it’s a love tryst.” Beth stood and donned her raincoat. “But I’m game.”

Both her friends’ eyes sparkled with challenge. Hell, Annie wasn’t afraid of him. And maybe, just maybe, she would learn something about her ex-husband that she could use against him.

So the three of them hurried out of the restaurant into the mild March afternoon, made the green light and entered the building just enough behind Joe and his girlfriend to see them step into the elevator.

“Come on,” Margo said, dragging them to the elevators. The lighted dial showed the car stopped at ten. Margo scanned the directory. “Hmm. There’s studios up there.”

“Studios?”

“Yeah, like for movies, commercials and catalogs.”

The elevator opened and Margo pulled Annie and Beth in.

“Hey, maybe Joe’s making movies,” Beth said.

“Porno films,” Margo suggested. “You could keep him away from the kids on that one.”

Despite her earlier memories of the bad times, Annie thought about the way Faith hugged Joe before he left Sunday, and how she prayed for her daddy before she went to bed. “Maybe this isn’t such a good idea.”

“I was kidding. The man’s smart, Annie. He wouldn’t do something that stupid.” Margo pushed number ten. As the car rose, they looked at each other. “Come on you guys, smile; this is fun.”

Beth tossed back her hair. “Yeah, Ma Barker, y’all always did like gettin’ us two innocents into trouble.”

“Bonnie Parker’s a wimp,” Margo taunted.

“Nah, I’m the wimp.” Annie fell into the play. “Belle Star was the lady bandit, remember? Quite dainty and fastidious about getting her velvet dress dirty.”