Chapter 18 #2
Looking over my shoulder at Bing’s face, my blank look says it all. We climb the stairs like prisoners going to the electric chair. Approaching the room, I’m trying to bullshit myself and find any ray of light I can.
“Hey, the door’s still closed, that’s a good sign.”
For a flash, I think of the characters in Dumb and Dumber. Never thought I would identify with them.
“Yeah. You’re right,” Dumber says.
I turn the handle and walk inside.
“Oh no.”
Bing does not add to my on target reaction.
It looks eerie in here. It is unnaturally quiet for such a chaotic scene.
Only the sound of my heartbeat is loud. Now I understand how people say they feel violated when they get robbed.
When some stranger goes through their things.
Strewn across the floor are rejected items that didn’t meet their standards.
Books, a baseball trophy, an old looking Santa hat.
The closet light is on and even from here, I see things have been looked through.
Empty hangers here and there tell the story.
“We don’t know what they took. It could be gold bars. Oh fuck. We are going to get killed for this.”
“My mother’s gonna go batshit crazy on my ass,” Bing says, fingers to each temple.
“Mother? We can’t tell our mothers! You think yours is going to be mad? What about mine?”
“If you don’t think they are gonna find out, you’re crazier than I am. They’ll be planning our executions.”
I grab Bing by the shoulders.
“We need to tell Landon. That’s who needs to know. Maybe he will understand we can’t let the women know anything about this. They will overreact for sure.”
He pushes my hands off.
“Overreact? Your mean to the drugging of their sons and the theft of Landon’s things? Or maybe you’re talking about the fact we didn’t seek medical treatment or call the police to report the crime.”
I hate when he is logical. But I fight it.
“As long as we are okay, the medical treatment is unnecessary. What about reporting the crime though? What good would it do? They’re long gone, and not going to hit the same place twice. They have already taken what they want. I bet they’re from another town. No need to get the police involved.”
My take does little to calm us. We both know no adult is going to think we are geniuses for coming up with the plan. And it stands on the shakiest ground imaginable. Our self-preservation.
“We have to hope Landon will cut us a break and just lecture the shit out of us about what idiots we are.”
“You think there is a chance in hell he will keep the secret?”
“Maybe if we tell him we’re gonna pay back everything. It’ll take time, but we need to do it. I’ll work my ass off to do it if we can keep it on the DL.”
Bing’s shoulders drop.
“We’re never gonna get to use the house again. Shit.”
“Are you fucking nuts? We’ll be lucky if he doesn’t kill us.”
“I hope this doesn’t mess up things for your mom. He could figure you’re just too much trouble.”
Way to twist the blade, dude. That doesn’t help a bit.
“I don’t think so. Listen, he wants me to like him because of my mom. This would be a good way to do it. I mean I like the guy already, but he doesn’t know that. I heard him tell her he loves her.”
“He did?”
“Yeah. So if he does, this won’t end it. I think. God, I hope. He’s a good guy, and she loves him apparently. The crime has already happened, so it’s not like we can undo it. We can only man up and reimburse him for the losses. Remember, he’s a man and understands what we are up against.”
I think that landed with Bing. He’s nodding.
“When are you going to tell him?”
“As soon as I work up the courage. It has to be in the next hour for sure. But we need to think about what we are going to say. It’s not just me who let them in. We need to stick together.”
It feels like we are lifelong criminals planning alibis.
“Wait! We don’t have our cells. Should we go down to the Mighty Mart and see if they’ll let us use their phone?”
“Landon has a landline. I saw the plug-in old phone in the box of cords. If they didn’t take it. Let’s go see.”
We make it down the stairs, but not at our usual pace. We are slow as fuck, coming off the drug.
“Hey, see if he has YouTube on the TV. Maybe you can find shit about roofies.”
Bing drops onto the couch, while I dig through the one box left nearly untouched.
“Here it is. Before I call, let’s take some notes. We have to figure out what he’ll ask and have our answers ready.”
“If we tell him the truth, they will be ready.”
“Good point. Landon is the only one that can know the real story though.”
“You mean the one about how two college men got drugged and robbed by two bitches?”
“Yeah. That one. I’m going to plug this in. See if it works.”
As I move to the kitchen, something down the hall, in my peripheral vision, pulls my attention.
The door to the bathroom is ajar, and the round mirror is partially visible.
As I get closer I see a big red heart with a message inside, written in lipstick.
Only a few letters are visible until I push the door open.
Her name, finally revealed, is the final fuck you.
Maneater.