“Tres bien. Sublime.”
She handed the first man the bag and he inspected the contents, pulling each one out and scrutinizing it like it was a jewel. Calvin couldn’t believe what he was seeing. The two spoke amongst themselves in French, finally offering her fifty dollars.
She could see they glowed violet with interest. She shrugged, shook her head no, and turned to go. The men spoke rapid French again, calling out, “One hundred dollars!”
She stopped in her tracks, flashing Calvin an I-told-you-so smile, “One fifty.”
They hurriedly agreed, and the second man went inside, coming back with a fistful of cash that he counted out into her hand. She folded the money and pocketed it, offering back her hand for a polite shake. Instead, the man took her by the wrist and kissed it, smiling seductively at her.
“It’s a pleasure doing business with such a rare beauty.”
She looked alarmed, pulling her hand back and nodding her thanks.
Watching them from the bike, Calvin felt his amazement turn to irritation. His first impulse was to run over and deck the flirtatious Frenchman, and he was surprised at himself. He felt better when she came back to the bike.
“Unbelievable,” he laughed, shaking his head.
“Do you think it’s enough for a bus ticket to Eureka?”
“Why?” he asked.
“Because I have to get out of this place,” she said desperately.
She put the helmet on and climbed onto the bike, holding onto him a little tighter on the ride back to his house.
They pulled up to see a row of motorcycles parked in front. The high pitched sound of a girl’s laughter cut through the loud music, and the air was filled with the pungent scent of pot smoke.
“Looks like Jarod made bail,” Calvin said, surprised at how disappointed he was. He had been looking forward to spending more time alone with her. “He’ll be happy to hear we saved Rufus. Why don’t you come in and meet him?”
“I don’t think so,” she said, hanging back nervously, “Can I please have my book bag?”
“Sure,” he said, disappointed. When he walked to the house to get it, painted faces smiled up at him from around a keg of beer. His brother jumped up to give him a drunken hug. Jarod’s girlfriend waved him over, “Hey Cal, come and meet my friend Candy!”
“She’s hot, huh?” Jarod asked, pointing out the girl bending over in a short skirt, pumping the keg up. He didn’t even ask about Rufus.
“I gotta go do something,” Cal told him, brushing past the party to the house.
He brought Caledonia her bag, and insisted on dropping her off at home. He watched as she made her way down the path to her aunt’s door, feeling defeated without really knowing why. Maybe a few drinks would make him feel better.
He had to get out of this place too.
~
Caledonia opened the door to her aunt’s house, slipping in and closing it quietly behind her. She started up the stairs in the dark, startled when the lights suddenly flipped on. Phil was waiting on the landing, towering over her with a grin on his red face.
“You’re not so innocent after all, are you Cal?”
~
Chapter Seven – EVADE
~
“I knew it,” Phil said smugly.
She tried to brush past him to get to her room, but he moved to block her. He was drunk, confrontational, and pulsing with an ugly brownish red. It was a dangerous combination.
“Where’s Aunt Angie?” Cal asked, backing up.
He advanced on her, a stinking cloud of sour frustration, “You little tramp! Now I know what you’ve been up to when you sneak out of here at night. I saw you with that punk.”
“Did Angie get home yet?” she asked, her voice higher pitched with fear. He took a step closer, backing her to the door.
He leered at her, “Do you put out for all the boys, or just those bikers down the street?”
She spun around and darted back out the front door.
Cal ran down the walkway and out into the dark night street. She never wanted to go back into that house ever again. Her