Free The Big Splash by Jack D. Ferraiolo

last year, but my voice changed.”
    â€œWhat did he say?”
    â€œâ€˜Yeah … That got her … yeah …’”
    â€œIs that all you heard?”
    â€œNo. There was something after it.”
    â€œWhat?”
    He tried to hold back, but the answer leaked out of him. “It was a giggle … a high-pitched giggle.”
    I didn’t say a word, just carefully exhaled. Steven looked at me, disappointed. “You know who it is.”
    â€œNot really,” I tried to lie. “No.”
    â€œI was kind of hoping it wouldn’t be useful.”
    â€œIt wasn’t.”
    â€œI’ll tell that to the face in the mirror every morning,” he said, “but I don’t think he’ll believe it, either.”

spent the rest of the day looking for Joey “the Hyena” Renoni, but he was harder to find than a hot dog in a health food store. As far as I knew, nobody else had the information I had, but I knew it wouldn’t be long before word got around. News traveled fast, especially to kids like Vinny and Kevin. Finding Joey was priority one; checking in with my clients was the furthest thing from my mind. Unfortunately, Jenny had other plans. At the end of sixth period, she was standing at my locker, that same horsey notebook in her hands.
    â€œHi, Matt.”
    I looked past her. Her friend Mel was a couple of steps away, her hall monitor’s sash glowing an unnatural orange. She was watching us with the same disapproving look that she wore the first time I saw her. “Jenny,” I said, “you should get to class.”
    â€œHave you found anything out yet?”
    â€œNothing I’m prepared to talk about right now.”
    â€œWhy not?”
    â€œI’m just not, Jenny. Look, you’re paying me to do my job, my way.”
    â€œI know,” she said, a big pout on her face. “I just … I can’t concentrate in class. I can’t …” She sniffled and covered her eyes, then took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. She clutched her notebook again. She was trying to keep it together. “I can’t think about anything else.”
    â€œI know, and I’m sorry. But I’ll tell you things when I’m ready to tell them. If you don’t like it, you can hire someone else.”
    â€œNo. Please, I’m sorry. Don’t be like that, Matt.” She touched my arm, more as a reflex than anything else, but once her hand was there, it felt right. She let it linger for a moment, then slowly pulled it away.
    â€œListen,” I said, “take it easy. All I have right now are shadows. As soon as I have something of substance, you’ll be the first to know.”
    â€œOkay. I’ll see you later?” she said while walking backward away from me.
    â€œMaybe. I’ve seen you twice today, and neither time went very well.”
    â€œMaybe the third time’s the charm,” she said, then turned deftly on her heel and glided down the hall toward her waiting friend. Her ponytail flipped playfully behind her. It was an impressive and fluid motion, one that made you want to hang around with her just so you’d have a chance to see it again. I allowed myself a moment to commit it to memory, then continued my search for Joey.
    I finally caught up to him about a half hour later. He was outside behind the building, pitching pennies out of sight of the recess-sanctioned game of kickball. He was taking money from a couple of suckers when I came up behind him.
    â€œI need to talk to you,” I said.
    â€œOh yeah? Hehehe.” His hand moved toward the squirt gun in his pocket. I bull-rushed him, pinned his arms to his chest, and pressed him against the wall.
    â€œLeggo a me! Hehe!”
    â€œI’m doing you a favor,” I replied through gritted teeth, “and I’m not going to get popped because of it.”
    â€œWhatta you want, a kiss—oww!” I moved his arms at an