The Undertaking of Adam Novak

by Sofie Hern

  I’m shaking with fury. “You don’t want to put me through this? Or yourself?”

  “Adam, that’s not fair.” She’s crying.

  “You know what, Rita? It’s fine. It’s all fine.” My blood is boiling and I know if I say more I might regret my words so I end the call and toss the phone on the dashboard.

  Unbelievable. How the fuck is this happening again? Rita is a beautiful person, but she’s afraid of change and petrified of letting people down.

  I head back home with a broken heart. As I drive, I see a nice bar on the side of the road up ahead and decide to pull in.

  The building is small but inviting with an old west theme. There is a beautiful old carriage by the entrance, with a bed of flowers on it. Behind the bar are the beautiful Malibu Mountains, which make a beautiful backdrop. The upscale bar overlooks the Pacific Ocean, which is covered with gray clouds. I grab my phone and step out to the muggy air. “Be right back, buddy. I need a drink.”

  50

  ADAM

  “Double scotch, please.”

  I sit at the bar where the bartender places a glass in front of me and pours the drink.

  “Long day, huh?”

  “Long year,” I tell him. “And it’s only getting started.”

  He laughs and continues with his work.

  The place is small with four tables, three booths and a pool table in the center. It’s softly lit and decorated with sports memorabilia with a heavy presence of Dodger blue. The television is on; showing sports news, but it’s hard to hear over the music from the jukebox. “…It's a sin my darling, how I love you because I know our love can never be…” sings Eddy Arnold, which is appropriate for my mood.

  Two men are on the pool table and two others sitting at a table eating peanuts and laughing loudly. Judging by the sound of their laughter, I’m certain they both suffer from emphysema.

  I take a sip of my drink and my phone rings so I take it out of my pocket. It’s Rita, but I don’t answer. I put my phone down and drink some more scotch. After a moment a text comes through.

  –Adam, I’m so sorry.

  I laugh a little. I’m beyond angry right now, mostly with myself. I should have kept my mouth shut and my feelings to myself, but no. Idiot.

  I take another sip and a woman walks in. She looks confused and walks up to the bar and takes the seat next to me.

  “You look lonely,” she says.

  This must be the worst pickup line I’ve ever heard. I turn to her and the first thing I notice is the red butterfly tattoo on her neck. Her hair is long, brown and looks unwashed. Her pale face is scarred by acne and her teeth are yellow.

  “You, too,” I say to her and finish the drink.

  “This one’s on me,” says the bartender and pours me another.

  “We can fix that,” says the woman.

  I don’t reply.

  “What's your name?”

  “Get lost,” I tell her and drink some more.

  “Fine,” she says and leaves the bar.

  What a fucking weirdo.

  “We get a lot of those in here,” says the bartender.

  I nod and continue to drink. After a few minutes, I stand and from my wallet, I take out a $20 and leave it on the bar. “Good day,” I say and leave.

  –

  I get in the Jeep and notice that the passenger door is ajar and the urn is gone. I look on the floor. Not there. I get out to check the back seat. Nothing there either. I open the tailgate. Nothing. My heart pounds as I go around to the passenger seat, open the door and look under the seat. It’s gone. My head’s spinning. I look under the car. Nothing.

  I rush back into the bar, my legs feel like Jell-O. “What the fuck kind of joke is this?” The five men look at me, but then continue with whatever they were doing.

  “Everything okay?” asks the bartender, but I don’t answer and walk back out.

  –

  I start to hyperventilate and walk down to the highway and look to one side then the other. Cars pass by oblivious to what’s happening.

  “Shit… shit!” I say placing both hands on top of my head.

  I go back to the car and open all the doors then look under each seat. Nothing. I am now in full panic mode. My head starts to hurt and I rub it with my shaky hands.

  “What the fuck?” I whisper and tears well in my eyes. “Fuck… fuck!” I rub at the back of my neck and frantically continue looking around. I kick close all the doors and get in the car.

  As I turn the ignition a call comes in. I look at the number which I don’t recognize and answer in a panic.

  “Hello?” I say, my hands are shaking uncontrollably and I’m out of breath.

  “Hello, my brother.”

  “You son of a bitch,” I say through heavy breathing. “Where the fuck are you?”

  He laughs. “Let's make a deal.”

  “What the fuck do you want?” I ask, hoping to sound angry.

  “I want a getaway car and some cash.”

  My heart wants to come out of my chest. “Where is he?” I get out of the car and go down, check the road again hoping to spot him but see nothing. I stand with a hand on my hip and sweat dripping from my forehead.

  “First off, you know the drill. No cops. Just you, your car and the cash.”

  “You son of a bitch!” I walk back to the car and he laughs again.

  “Don't play games with me, pretty boy. I'm near the ocean and have my boy’s ashes. If you want I can just scatter them for ya.”

  “Don't you fucking dare, you motherfucker!” I’m scared because I know what he’s capable of.

  “I need you to bring me $20,000 in cash. From where you are, you’re gonna go north on Pacific Coast Highway for about twenty miles until you hit Deer Creek Road. You’re gonna turn right and keep going until you hit Pacific view. There’s an abandoned house; it’s pretty deserted so you won’t miss it. You will be alone. If you have company you will not get him back. The exchange will happen at 6:30 p.m., not a minute late, not a minute early, got it?”

  I try hard to memorize everything he’s saying.

  “Yes.”

  The call ends.

  “Fuck!” I get in my car and head to Howards’. I have two hours.

  51

  LEVY

  When Levy saw his photo on the news, he knew he needed to keep a low profile. They left the motel room one night in Rose’s old beat-up Corolla and scouted the area for a place to hide. He rode with Rose, hiding in the back seat.

  They stopped at a Walgreens where Rose picked up a radio, two prepaid phones, two walkie-talkies, flashlights and batteries along with provisions. They drove north on Pacific Coast Highway and then toward the mountains. Rose had money saved up which she withdrew the previous day. It wasn’t much, not enough to leave the country, but enough to sustain them while they figured out what to do about money.

  They drove for thirty minutes up the mountains and came across an abandoned house. It was late at night and they got out of the car to take a look. The windows were boarded up which made it impossible to see the inside. They stood in the dark for over two hours, listening and waiting for any movement. When they heard nothing, they opened the front door which was unlocked.

  The house was in fact deserted and completely trashed. They stood where they figured the living room used to be. Books and broken photo frames were all that was left of what might have once been a beautiful home, overlooking the Pacific Ocean. There were stains on the ceiling which told them there had been a fire at some point. Walls were none existent making the room open and cold.

  They knew they had found their hideout and set up camp. They used the seat covers for sleeping bags and made a fire in an old tin trash can. That was not what Levy had in mind, but knew it was temporary.

  When he found out that the boy was dead, he was not happy because his plans included the boy, alive. Luckily, a few days after that, Irene called and told him that she had money. She was to join him at the hideou
t where they would meet and travel to Mexico together, but she never showed and they proceeded with plan B.

  –

  Rose drove down to the city, parked her car in the same motel where she had picked up Levy after the shooting. From there she took a cab to where pretty boy was staying. Her disguise was a jogging outfit and she’d go by the house every couple of hours.

  She saw a security guard and knew the house was now off-limits for the time being. At night she returned to their hideout and gave Levy details of the day. She did the same the next day and the day after that with the security guard never leaving his post.

  They changed strategies and instead of waiting for the guard to leave, she was to follow pretty boy around to see what he was up to. Levy wants to learn his every move and see who he talks to and what he does in case the cops are closing in. Rose’s job is to become his shadow and Levy’s eyes.

  –

  She sees pretty boy exit the house and drives off and she asks the cab driver to follow the Jeep.

  “Pay more,” says the driver, and she gives him what he asks for.

  They follow the Jeep to a mortuary and Rose texts Levy

  –Nothing major going on. He’s at the funeral place.

  She tells the driver to drive away, but as he’s backing out of the parking space, she sees pretty boy step outside. He’s carrying a box. Must be the boy’s belongings, she thinks and again texts Levy to tell him what she’s seeing. Levy asks her how big the box is and she tells him it’s as big as a shoebox.

  –Baby, that's our ticket, right there! The boy’s belongings ain’t in that box, his remains are.

  Rose smiles.

  –This is our chance baby. We need that box.

  Levy tells her.

  –How the hell am I supposed to do that?

  –Just continue following him. If he goes back to the house with box, then we move tonight and take it.

  –What about the guard?

  –We’ll think of something. For now, keep an eye on the box.

  She pays the driver once again and tells him to continue following the Jeep.

  “Why you follow?” The man is curious.

  “He’s… my husband and I think he’s cheating on me.”

  The man only nods.

  “He also just picked up our son’s ashes without telling me.”

  She’s worried that pretty boy might see that the cab is following him so they keep their distance. The yellow Jeep is easy to spot and the traffic is pretty light.

  Thirty minutes later they see it pull into a parking lot at the beach, but the driver keeps going then makes a U-turn ahead. They pull over about forty yards from the parking lot. Once again, they wait for a long time.

  The Jeep finally pulls out with its windows rolled down and goes back south and the cab driver already knows what to do.

  “I’ll pay you good money, my friend,” Rose promises and he nods.

  About ten minutes later, the Jeep pulls into a parking lot of a bar and again the cab drives past then U-turns ahead. They pull over a few yards away and she sees pretty boy walk inside and informs Levy.

  –Did he take the box with him?

  –No.

  –This is it! Go get them. But make sure he’s not in there just throwing a piss.

  She tells the driver to park next to the Jeep and he does.

  Rose gets out of the car and tells the man to wait for her. She looks in the Jeep and sees the empty box in the back seat and is disappointed. She turns to go, but spots the urn in the front seat secured with the seatbelt.

  She isn’t sure how much time she has so she walks inside to make sure he’s still in there.

  She sees him having a drink at the bar. She makes small talk, trying to figure out how long she’s got. When the bartender pours him another drink, she stands and goes back out.

  –

  She’s much too short to reach the seatbelt release button through the window so she slowly opens the passenger door of the Jeep, unclips the belt and releases the urn. She leaves the door ajar and gets back into the taxi.

  “Ashes,” she says and the driver looks puzzled, but asks no more questions. Rose asks him to take her back to the motel where he picked her up hours before.

  “Pay more, yes?”

  52

  ADAM

  I pull into the driveway, hoping that Jaycob is asleep or somewhere else. I get out to a muggy evening and I can’t stop sweating. My shirt is stained with sweat and I look like shit. I run up the steps and into the house.

  –

  I go straight into the kitchen where Beth is making dinner and Jaycob is in the den, watching television.

  “Where’s Howard?” I ask.

  Beth and Jaycob turn to me.

  “You okay?” asks Beth.

  “Fine. Where’s Howard?”

  “In his office,” she says studying me.

  “What the fuck happened to you?” asks Jaycob as I cross the room to the office.

  “Nothing. I’m… I’m okay,” I say and swallow hard.

  Howard is at his desk and looks up at me. “You okay, man?”

  I approach his desk and crouch down by his side, then I look to the door making sure Jaycob isn’t there.

  “I need your help,” I whisper.

  “Adam, what is it?”

  Once again, I glance at the door, and then back to Howard.

  “I need your gun.” I am out of breath.

  “What? Why?”

  “Please,” I whisper again, looking to the door then back. “Give me the gun.”

  “Adam, please, what… what’s going on?” He stands up.

  I swallow hard, turn to the door, then I face Howard.

  “The ashes. I… I know where Levy is and I'm going to get him.” I continue to whisper.

  He places a hand on my shoulder. “Adam if you know where he is we need to call the police.” He too is whispering and looks concerned.

  I shake my head frantically. “I can't… he… he took the ashes… I need the gun.”

  “This is crazy,” he says, rubbing the back of his neck.

  “Please, I… I’m begging you”

  “What the fuck is going on?”

  I turn to Jaycob who is standing at the door and shake my head.

  “Bullshit,” he says, crossing his arms over his chest. “You look like shit, for one and what the fuck do you need a gun for?”

  I swallow hard, look at Howard then back at Jaycob while my heart hammers in my chest. I approach Jaycob and place my hands on his shoulders.

  “I found him. Levy.”

  He looks shocked and steps away from me.

  “Where?”

  I have my hands on my hips, shaking my head. “I can’t tell you. I… I just have to…. to be at this place… I…” I’m rambling and take a deep breath.

  “Jake, I need to do this alone.”

  “The hell you are!” he says and approaches me. “I need this, Adam,” he says with tears in his eyes. His hands hold my face and I look right at him.

  “Please,” he says. God, he looks so defeated.

  “Fine,” I tell him and pull away. “But you stay in the car… in case we need a fast getaway.”

  He nods and I see the life return to his eyes and then I turn to Howard.

  “You guys are some crazy motherfuckers,” he says and removes a frame from the wall revealing a safe. He always had the gun in the top drawer of his desk, but after the shooting, he installed a safe. He opens it and hands me the gun.

  “If you guys are not back in two hours I'm calling the cops.”

  “Make it three.”

  He nods and I put the gun in my waist. “Let's go, Jake.”

  –

  “Are you sure about this?” I ask Jaycob who nods.

  We pull out of the driveway and as we drive, I instruct Jaycob on what we’ll do once we get there.

  Rush hour is in full force and I’m glad we left early. I should be calm by now but my h
eart still wants out of my chest.

  I look in every mirror ensuring we are not being followed. Pacific Coast Highway is jammed at the pier, but clears up after a few miles as I tell Jaycob about Levy’s demands. I have not seen Jaycob so animated in a long time. He looks back and around us, making sure we’re still alone.

  We drive on for thirty minutes and I’m starting to get nervous thinking that maybe this is a lie.

  “Should we go back?” I ask, but Jaycob shakes his head. He’s looking at a map on his phone.

  “It should be coming up soon.”

  I nod and keep going.

  “There it is!” says Jaycob and I merge right, slowly make the right turn and continue on. There’s lightning in the distance and the clouds darken. The terrain is rough, but my Jeep can handle it. Once again, I start to wonder if I’ve been playing.

  “I lost the signal,” says Jaycob and puts his phone away then looks around. “Maybe you should slow down Adam, so we don’t alert anyone.”

  I do.

  Under different circumstances, I would have stopped to admire the beautiful scenery. I look in the rearview mirror and see the clouds ablaze behind us as the sun goes down. It looks like an old painting of a sunset somewhere in Italy.

  “Right here!” Jaycob points to the right. Pacific View reads the sign and I stop the Jeep. We look around and I see a house in the distance, about half a mile away and we continue on. The house comes into full view and I stop about fifty yards away. I turn the Jeep around so that it faces the way we came, for a quick getaway.

  Jaycob and I quietly open our doors and swap seats. My body aches and I’m exhausted.

  I tell Jaycob to leave the engine running then I walk away.

  I turn back to the Jeep and I’m glad that Jaycob turned off the headlights.

  I walk on a small trail off to the right of the road, using the shrubs for cover.

  The sweat on my forehead drips profusely. I stop every ten steps and listen for any movement around me. Nothing but the sound of the wind. The sun has disappeared beyond the horizon and the clouds, which moments ago were orange and pink have turned gray and black. Thunder sounds somewhere in the distance and I finally reach the house.