Chapter 111

7 p.m. Tuesday

Andy drove around until his gas gauge neared empty. He found himself near his high school and only a few blocks from his old neighborhood. He knew driving a new vehicle through there would paint a target on his back so he pulled into a gas station near the school.

He filled his tank (and goggled at the price) before going into the store to find something to eat. He nodded at the kid at the counter - a junior at Eisenhower. Andy didn't know the guy's name but he recognized the face. He found a pack of chips and a soda before heading to the counter (which was behind a thick pane of Plexiglas).

"Hey, Andy!" the guy said. Andy saw from the nametag that the kid's name was Colton. He recalled that he preferred a nickname for some reason.

"What's up, C.K.," Andy replied. His voice came out as a croak because it had been several hours since he'd uttered a syllable.

"Dude, I saw the story on you last week," the clerk said. "That was some righteous shit. What's it like?"

Andy looked through the scarred glass and considered the question.

"Truthfully?" he replied as he slid money though the drawer. "I think I liked it better this time last year. No one knew a fucking thing about me and no one gave a shit what I did or who I did it with."

The kid's mouth dropped. He hadn't expected an answer like that. He had wanted to be regaled with stories about how great money and hot girls were.

"Uh, look, I know it's not allowed but, man, I really need to use a phone," Andy said. "Can I use the one back there?"

He gestured through the glass to a telephone on the wall.

"Oh, man," C.K. said. "I ... dude, I'd get reamed."

"No problem," Andy said. He could remember how much time he'd spent worrying about the possibility of losing his job. He wasn't going to cause anyone else to take that chance. "I just walked off without my phone and I need to make a call."

"You can use my cell," C.K. said helpfully but Andy shook his head.

"Nah," Andy replied with a frown. "The number I'm going to call isn't one you want to have come back on your phone. I shouldn't have asked. Thanks anyway, C.K. You take care."

"Hey, Andy," C.K. said when Andy turned to leave. "Come on back. I'll tell them it was an emergency or something. If they pull the camera and look at your face, I think they'll understand."

"My face?" Andy wondered. He heard the security buzzer sound and the door to the cashier's station popped open.

"Dude, you look rough," C.K. said. "I'm not trying to be a dick but..."

Andy sighed and nodded.

"It's been a bad day," he said. "Are you sure this is cool?"

"Don't sweat it," C.K. replied. "I'm going to head to the john while you're here. Just push that red button when I get back."

"Yeah, sure," Andy said. He picked up the phone and dialed the number he kept in his wallet. It rang only once before a voice answered.

"Yo!" a male said in greeting.

"Hey, is Rico around?" Andy asked.

"Who wants to know?" the man asked.

"Tell him it's Andy."

It took only five or 10 seconds for Rico to come on the line.

"Andy?" he asked. "Why do you use this number? I told you I have a different one for you."

"It's the only one I have with me," Andy answered. "I don't have my phone."

"What's wrong, my friend?" Rico asked instantly. He could tell from the lack of animation in Andy's tone that something was amiss.

"It's a long story," Andy said. "Uh, look, did you mean it when you said I could ask you for help if I needed it?"

"Of course," Rico replied.

"I ... I need someplace to be for a day or two," Andy said.

Rico was silent. Others had made that request (or demand) from him in the past. He couldn't believe any of the reasons others had needed refuge would apply to Andy Drayton.

"I was hoping I could crash there," Andy continued.

"No," Rico replied. "You are out of here and I never want you back here. Where are you? I'll come to you."

"I'm at a gas station off Emory," Andy told him. He saw C.K. coming back and hit the button to let him in.

"Andy?" Rico said urgently. "What is going on there?"

"Huh?" Andy asked. "Oh, nothing. One of my friends from school works here. He let me use the phone behind the counter while he took a leak."

Rico had many questions but decided he could get answers later.

"I'll be there in 15 minutes," he said.

"I have a new ride so I'll watch for you," Andy told him. "And thanks."

Rico turned to Tomas and gestured for him.

"I need a ride to Emory," he said. Tomas nodded and they headed to the car.

"What's up with Andy now?" Tomas asked when they were on the way.

"I don't know but it's bad," Rico said as he stared out the window.

"Figures," Tomas replied. Rico's gaze left the streets of the neighborhood and turned to the driver.

"Why do you say that?" he asked.

"Look at the shit he's gotten us into," Tomas said.

"I can't think of anything he's gotten us into," Rico countered. "If I recall, the situation with the Kings arose because someone didn't control his cousin."

Tomas frowned. He didn't know how Rico found out but it was obvious he did. He wondered if Andy had said something and dismissed the thought.

"Yeah," he admitted.

"Let me ask you something," Rico continued. "When Jaime got cut up, who sliced himself and went to the doctor to get him medicine?"

"Andy," Tomas replied.

"Did we have to ask him to do it?" Rico asked.

"No," Tomas admitted.

"And when Bonita's baby was ill last winter, who did we go to?" Rico wondered.

"Miss D," Tomas answered. "But she just told us what we already knew."

"The doctor said if we had waited until morning to bring her in, the baby could have died," Rico said. "Half a dozen people had told us to take her to the hospital. But we went because we respected Miss D. Why?"

"Because she's white?" Tomas tried. It was a guess more than an answer.

"Because, in all the time they lived there, Andy and Miss D have given without asking for anything in return," Rico answered. "White, black, brown or purple. It didn't matter. We've seen white people just as stupid as the brown ones we know. They earned my respect by doing everything they could do to make life better for the people near them. And never once has either of them come to us to ask for anything. Can you think of a time?"

"No," Tomas agreed.

"Now, he has," Rico added. "So, it is bad."

"Why would a guy like that come to us?" Tomas asked in confusion. "Man, he has it all."

"Maybe," Rico said. "Maybe he's found having it all isn't as great as we think. Or, maybe, he knows we will help without asking why he needs it. Tomas, you don't see this but I do. Andy and Miss D treat us like they do because they respect us. He knows we - you and me - we're men of our word. If we say it, we will do it if we can. And that's why he is worthy of our respect. He is a man of his word, too. He called us because he needs help and he knew we'd help. Just as I know if we were to call him, he would come to help us."

"Do you really believe that?" Tomas asked.

"Beyond a doubt," Rico replied without hesitation. "He's told me, if you or I need him, find him. He will not forget where he came from, Tomas. He won't forget it anymore than you or I would."

Tomas nodded as he pulled into the parking lot. He saw Andy standing beside a new SUV. He started to shake his head until he saw Andy's face.

"I'll stick around in case he needs me, too," Tomas offered. "He looks like he could use all the help he can get."

Ashlyn stood in the doorway to Regan's room and watched her cousin's fitful sleep.

"I'm sure you're enjoying this," Rita said acidly from behind her.

Ashlyn turned with tears in her eyes. She put her hand to her mouth and shook her head.

The sisters had gotten to watch Regan's world implode. In 15 minutes, she'd lost her boyfriend, all of her friends and the trust and respect her parents had in her. Ashlyn had found it be far less satisfying than she'd always pictured.

"I... ," she stammered. "I've never thought about what came next."

She lowered her eyes to the floor when her sister walked up the stairs.

"I ... everything always ended in my head when she was crushed," Ashlyn said in a small voice. "I ... I didn't stop to think about how it would affect her."

"People like us never do," Rita said. "We take over businesses and tear them down; we buy elections to make sure we control the government; we use our money or our looks or our charm to take away whatever it is we want and we don't care that real people get hurt. Regan is no better than we are. I'm not trying to blame you for anything. This is my fault and her fault - and we know it."

"It's our fault, too," Tori said sadly. Like her sister, the games she'd played over the last few days didn't seem so enjoyable when she'd watched Andy storm out or heard Regan's anguished wails. "I ... I thought it would be fun to screw with her and Andy. I never meant for this to happen!"

"And now, look at her," Ashlyn said. She wiped a fresh tear from her eyes. "I ... I don't want her to hurt."

"And Andy," Tori added. "I heard you on the phone, Aunt Rita. I know that no one can find him. If he's hurt..."

She didn't finish the sentence before bursting into tears. Her sister put a protective arm around her and let her cry.

"I know you want to go out looking for him," Ashlyn said. "We'll ... we'll watch over Regan."

Tori looked up and nodded.

Rita did want to go out looking for Andy - but she also knew Regan couldn't be left alone.

"We could take your car and look for him," Ashlyn offered when she saw Rita wavering.

"We'd wind up looking for the two of you," Rita said with a sigh. Her brother and sister-in-law had headed down the coast and wouldn't be back until later.

"I promise, we'll be here for her," Tori said. "I swear, if there is anything to do, we'll do it. I ... I feel terrible."

"Me, too," Ashlyn admitted. "God, I feel like shit because I was enjoying it."