Part 4 (1/2)

Chapter 11.

Eight-ball and House Cats Michael went over the rules for the game of eight-ball. Then he selected two cue sticks from a rack and handed one to Aaron. ”That should be a good weight for you,” he said. ”Go ahead and break.”

Aaron's body hurt him as he stretched out over his opening shot (the cardboard boxes hadn't completely broken his fall), but still he managed to drop the 10 ball on the break.

”Nice shooting,” Michael said. ”You're a natural.” But he could see that Aaron was in his own world.

Michael recalled a story. ”I have to tell you about this old lady I saw, yesterday,” he began. ”She was pus.h.i.+ng a wheelbarrow down the street with a cat riding in it.”

Aaron pocketed the 9 ball.

”And this was the biggest d.a.m.n cat I've ever seen! I mean this dude was big! It was raining hard, and the old lady was trying to hold an umbrella over both herself and the cat; but it wasn't working, and the cat was soaked to the skin.”

Aaron followed with the 15 ball.

”But he didn't care one bit. He just rode along, minding his own business, as though it were his daily routine. It was the weirdest thing I've ever seen.”

Aaron banked the 12 into the corner pocket, and then leaned on his cue stick and looked at Michael.

”I almost got blown away tonight, you know,” he said out of the blue.

Michael was still laughing about the cat. ”Uh ... what?” he said.

”Down at the old cannery near the wharf. Some filthy bank robber b.a.s.t.a.r.d tried to kill me.”

”You've got to be kidding,” Michael said, taking a seat on a nearby stool.

”I told you about my fight with my stepdad,” Aaron said. ”Well, that was true a but he didn't give me this.” He pointed to his split cheek, then proceeded to tell Michael the rest of the story.

Chapter 12.

He's a Psycho Michael ran a hand through his hair. ”My G.o.d, Aaron,” he said, ”I don't know what to say.” He had never even made up a story as wild as the one Aaron had just told him. He stood and walked over to get his phone.

Aaron new immediately what Michael was planning to do. ”You're calling the cops, right?” he said. ”No way. No cops.”

Michael looked at him. ”You do know that this low-life sc.u.m will come looking for you.”

”What, do you think I'm an idiot?” Aaron said. ”I know, okay?” Tears welled in his eyes and he stood and walked over to the wall of windows. His face reflected in the gla.s.s as he looked out at the city lights and calmed himself for a few moments. ”You don't know this man. He's some kind of psycho. If I turn him in, G.o.d only knows what he'd do to my mom.” He paused. ”I can't let that happen.”

Michael foolishly hadn't considered that. He replaced his phone, then walked over and stood with Aaron at the window.

”Aaron, I'm sorry,” he said. ”What's your mother's name?”

Aaron rubbed his nose and spoke softly. ”It's Ashley.”

”Don't worry, Aaron. I'd never do anything that could hurt Ashley.”

Chapter 13.

The Aston Michael cast around for a way to change the subject. After a moment he said, ”Do you like cars?”

Aaron smiled and wiped his eyes with the backs of his fingers. ”I love cars,” he replied.

”Follow me,” Michael said. ”I have something I want to show you.” Then he led Aaron down to the underground parking garage.

The garage floor glistened with moisture, and the sound of dripping water could be heard echoing in the distance. Michael and Aaron walked past two dozen vehicles of every cla.s.s and description parked in neat rows. At the end of the garage, in a s.p.a.ce tucked away from the others, they stopped next to a tungsten silver Aston Martin DBS.

Aaron's jaw dropped. ”Oh my gosh ... This is yours?”

Michael held out his wrist to Aaron. ”Touch your finger here,” he said, indicating the little OPEN zone between eight and nine o'clock on his transponder chronograph wrist.w.a.tch.

Aaron stared at the exquisite marvel of miniaturization.

”A light touch is all it takes,” Michael said.

Aaron touched his fingertip to the face of the t.i.tanium watch, and the Aston unlocked itself and its dazzling electronics sparkled to life.

”Oh my gos.h.!.+” Aaron said. ”That is crazy.”

”Hop in,” Michael said.

Aaron opened the pa.s.senger door then hesitated, knowing he was breaking another cardinal rule; then he slid into the low-slung seat.

He looked around the interior, running his hands over the hand-st.i.tched leather and carbon-fiber accents. ”This car is unbelievable,” he said. ”Aren't these like 300 grand or something?”

”'Sat.u.r.day Night Crash' a Have you seen that?” Michael asked.

”I loved that movie,” Aaron replied.

Michael gave the steering wheel a little pat. ”I can thank that movie for this car.”