Part 18 (2/2)
”It was a figure of speech to point out your-”
”I think not.” Jason put his hands behind his back and tilted his head back, his eyes staying focused on Taylor. ”Come now, old chum. Talk to me.”
”Even if there was a book, you'd set yourself up as the gatekeeper, the only one who would know its location.”
”It's a role someone has to fill. To keep away the crazies. But I would share what I learned with all.”
”Leave it alone.” Taylor raised his ax to his shoulder. ”There's nothing to tell.”
”Have you told Cameron Vaux what you know?”
Taylor's only response was a deep breath.
”I believe you've known exactly where the book is ever since we were kids and could lead me to it right now if you wanted to. I believe you found the book years ago and used it over and over again as we grew up. To be the football star, the basketball star. Cla.s.s President, mayor of Three Peaks. The editor in chief of The Post The Post where you could manipulate the lives around you and make yourself the most golden boy in the history of this town. You had the Midas glove on when you touched anything. Because you always knew what was coming next and you changed it to fit your dreams. where you could manipulate the lives around you and make yourself the most golden boy in the history of this town. You had the Midas glove on when you touched anything. Because you always knew what was coming next and you changed it to fit your dreams.
”And I believe the book-and you-were intimately involved in a certain mysterious death thirty-three years ago that no one talks about anymore. When I find this book, I will systematically bury you, golden-boy.”
Stone said nothing, but the pallor of his face told Jason he'd hit a nerve.
Taylor smacked the ax handle into his palm. Then again. And again. And again. ”Time for you to leave, Jason.”
Jason glanced at the ax before riveting his eyes on Taylor. ”Are you threatening me?”
”Without question.”
As Jason strode away, the sound of splitting wood seemed to grow faster and louder. Yes, he'd definitely hit a mother-lode nerve. He would track Taylor twenty-five hours a day. Along with Cameron, and Ann just to be thorough.
Cameron flopped back on his bed at the Best Western early Tuesday afternoon. Two hours until he saw Susan. Enough time for a nap. He could use it with how poorly he'd been sleeping. He stared at the small water stain on the wall next to the bed that resembled the undulating curves of the Columbia River, closed his eyes, and imagined himself floating down a river with nothing on his mind. Peace like a river, Jessie used to sing a song about that.
Just a few minutes rest couldn't hurt.
The vibration of his cell phone in his pocket snapped him back from the edge of sleep. He blinked, sat up, and looked at caller ID. Brandon. Brandon.
He should take it. This was his partner's third call. The first one he'd forgotten about till he looked at his phone's recent-calls list. The second one he hadn't listened to yet.
”Hey, Brandon.”
”Why haven't you called me back?”
”Sorry, I've been busy down here.”
”Don't sweat it. I've got great news, bud.”
”Yeah?”
”More than great. We've been invited to submit to Thrill Junkie's Thrill Junkie's Grand Canyon wild-water adventure. And they're doing a celebrity version. We get to bid on the job, so they're asking us to put together a killer demo reel on why we should get to film the Stars on the River Reality Trip. Celebs on the river with you and me. If we get on that river, it will lead all the way to Hollywood.” Grand Canyon wild-water adventure. And they're doing a celebrity version. We get to bid on the job, so they're asking us to put together a killer demo reel on why we should get to film the Stars on the River Reality Trip. Celebs on the river with you and me. If we get on that river, it will lead all the way to Hollywood.”
”Are you serious?” Cameron sat up.
”That's the good news.”
”I don't need the bad.”
”Yin and yang. Gotta take 'em both.”
”The bad?”
”They need the bid a week from this Friday.”
In ten days? ”Wow. They want it that quick?” Cameron clenched his teeth. Wrapping up his search in five days wasn't going to happen. But this is the kind of job that could put their company on rocket sleds. ”I might need more time down here.”
”Sorry, dude, no more time to spare. This gig could be huge. Gigantor huge.”
”I know, we gotta do it. But part of me is thinking this Book of Days thing could be genuine. I'm not kidding. Can you imagine knowing your future?”
”What are you talking about?”
Whoops. He'd forgotten he hadn't told Brandon anything about his dad, Jessie, and the book. ”Sorry, I thought I'd told you.” Cameron rapped his forehead with his fingers. ”Look, when I get back, I'll do my Paul Harvey impersonation and tell you the rest of the story.” He'd forgotten he hadn't told Brandon anything about his dad, Jessie, and the book. ”Sorry, I thought I'd told you.” Cameron rapped his forehead with his fingers. ”Look, when I get back, I'll do my Paul Harvey impersonation and tell you the rest of the story.”
”Who?”
”Paul Harvey, he was a radio legend. Don't tell me you don't know who he is.”
”No clue. You're the ex-broadcaster, not me.”
”Just a little bit longer.”
”Soon, Cam.”
”Don't worry.”
”I am worr-”
”I'll be back the first instant I can.” Great. Gig of a lifetime and he was searching for some fantasy book.
Susan had better be willing to give him some rock-hard answers.
CHAPTER 22.
Two hours later Cameron glanced at his watch, swore, and mashed his gas pedal. Three thirty-five. He should have been at Susan's five minutes ago. She probably wouldn't care, but he hated being late. Probably because it irritated him so much when people made him wait.
Cameron reached over to flick on the radio, but before he could, his cell phone buzzed. He picked it up and looked at the number. Ann. ”Hey, how are you?”
”Great, how was your movie?”
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