Part 3 (1/2)
”I'm going to kill Dixon,” Roy said as they marched back down the hill toward the marina. ”He sent me to her just to get back at me for that ma.s.sive poker loss the last time I went with him to Cabo.”
”How do you know that?” Steven asked. ”Maybe she really is the best. A little eccentric, but then so is Dixon.”
”I'm not going to do it like that,” Roy said. ”I'll trance and do everything else she said, but I'm not doing it naked. She's just making that part up to humiliate me. I won't do it.”
”You have to do it,” Steven said. ”We need to find whatever it is that opened the door. This lantern will collect information, but you've got to find the 'Ouija board,' or she'll not be able to help us figure out a plan. She said she's got to have both for the next step.”
”f.u.c.k her,” Roy said. ”I'm not going to do it. Maybe we should get a second opinion.”
”Why?” Steven asked. ”What she's suggesting makes sense to me. There's no reason not to follow her instructions. You're just p.i.s.sed that she was a little sarcastic with you.”
”And what is it with you?” Roy asked. ”They're scared of you? What's that all about?”
Steven thought Roy might be a little jealous. Up until now, Roy had always been the senior leader, the one with the most knowledge as they worked together. Steven was only his a.s.sistant, or his student. To learn there was something in him that scared these creatures Steven was surprised, but he also knew it bothered Roy.
”I don't know about any of that,” Steven said. ”I'm just taking her word for it.”
”The word of a dingbat,” Roy said, stomping faster as they approached the boat. ”She'll probably get us both killed.”
Chapter Three.
Jason slid into the empty booth seat across from Steven.
”You're late,” Steven said.
”Traffic, sorry,” Jason said, taking his jacket off and setting his phone on the table. Steven noticed that his son's upper body was even more muscular than the last time he'd seen him.
”You working out?” Steven asked.
”Swimming,” Jason said. ”Every day.”
”You hated swimming as a kid,” Steven said, looking back down at the menu.
”Well, things change,” Jason said. ”I eat onions now, too.”
”Shocking,” Steven said. ”How's life going? How's school?”
”Fine,” Jason said. ”Nothing interesting to report.”
”Grades?” Steven asked.
”Fine,” Jason said. ”I'm moving, by the way.”
”Out of student housing?” Steven asked.
”Yes,” Jason said.
”Where?”
”Well,” Jason said, ”I met this girl. She lives in a house with several other roommates. One of the rooms opened up. So I'm taking it.”
”Can you afford it?” Steven asked.
”I definitely thought your first question would be, 'who is she?'” Jason said.
”OK, we'll start there,” Steven said. ”Who is she?”
”Her name is Jennifer,” Jason said. ”She's from Montana.”
”Is it serious?” Steven asked.
”Kinda,” Jason said. ”More me than her.” Jason reached for his phone and flicked his finger across the surface a few times. ”Here's her picture,” he said, turning the phone to Steven.
”She's pretty,” Steven said, proud but not surprised that his son had landed a good-looking girl. Jason had blonde hair, blue eyes, and a dimpled chin. He'd always been popular with girls.
”She rides horses,” Jason said, pulling the phone back. ”Her father is a rancher.”
”What's she studying?” Steven asked.
”Biology,” Jason said. ”Wants to find the cure for cancer.”
”I hope she does,” Steven said, and a waitress showed up at the table to take their orders. She returned quickly with their drinks.
”There's something I wanted to ask you,” Jason said.
”No,” Steven said reflexively. ”No more money. I'm jobless at the moment.”
”I don't need any money,” Jason said. ”Mom gives me plenty.”
Steven felt his irritation rising. Sheryl, his ex-wife, had agreed to keep Jason on a tight budget while he was in school, but he was always a momma's boy, and Steven knew she was a pushover whenever Jason begged.
”How much has she given you?” Steven asked, careful not to let his irritation show.
”Well, she gave me a thousand for my birthday last month.”
Steven gulped his drink and resolved to call Sheryl to discuss the agreement they'd made and find out why she was breaking it. Somehow Jason saw this on Steven's face.
”You always do this,” Jason said.
”Do what?” Steven said.
”Turn everything into an issue with Mom,” Jason said. ”All I wanted to do was talk to you about something which has nothing to do with money or with her, but you've turned the whole thing that direction.”
”Sorry,” Steven said. ”Old habits die hard. What did you want to talk to me about?”