Chasing Those Devil Bones

by W E DeVore

  Q continued, “You may as well come back in. I thank you for trying, with the social media stuff and all, but let’s face it, the Cove will be shutting its doors at the end of the week. It’s a historic night. What’s say, you and me, we get epically drunk and play until the sun comes up.”

  He smiled slightly. “Alright. You win.”

  Derek pulled her to standing and retrieved his rig from the back seat. He looked away for a minute and straightened his spine before slamming both car doors and throwing his arm over her shoulder, walking back towards the front door of the Cove like nothing had happened.

  “You really think I should recut the guitar?” he asked.

  “If I could play guitar like that, I’d never play a power chord as long as I lived,” she replied.

  “Was that a compliment, angel?” He smiled over at her. Any trace of vulnerability had been replaced with his usual shock and awe personality.

  “Don’t let it go to your head, Cincinnati. I don’t know if that skinny body of yours can handle any more weight from up top.”

  “Since when have you been checking out my body?” he asked. He looped his arm around her neck to move her closer to him, forcing her to put her arm around his waist to keep from falling. “Speaking of bodies, how did you like my little addition to your t-shirt collection? I was hoping you’d be wearing it this evening.”

  “An antique like that? I thought the Museum of Ancient History might want it.” She winked at him.

  He spoke like an old Midwestern woman, “Over here we have a specimen from the mid-nineties, back before it was socially acceptable to say ‘Fuck.’” He flipped back to his own voice. “Now what kind of naughty favor shall I call in, so you can check out my body in more detail?”

  “Keep it up, Derek. My husband could snap you like a twig, and you know it.”

  “Husbands don’t scare me, angel.” He smelled her hair for emphasis and she shoved him away.

  He staggered slightly and flashed his shark tooth grin at her.

  Two cars pulled into the parking lot. The passenger in the second vehicle pointed to Derek and he waved at him.

  “Looks like my Tweet finally found its way to the right ears. You might get a crowd after all.”

  “Well, I hope they’re not expecting us to play ‘Fiend,’” she joked, referring to the most famous Dark Harm hit; most famous for its impressive usage of the word ‘fuck’ than for any other reason. It was also the inspiration for the t-shirt he’d given her.

  “But hey,” she said. “If they pay the cover, I don’t care how bad their musical taste is.”

  “Fuck you, angel.” He leered at her.

  “In your dreams, Cincinnati.”

  ◆◆◆

  Within the hour, word had spread that Derek Sharp really was jamming at the Cove with Stanley Gerard and the bar had filled beyond capacity, with a sizable crowd in the parking lot trying to get in. Ben had to set up a temporary cash bar outside to keep up with the demand.

  To her delight and amazement, Derek was one hell of a guitar player and Stanley was having a blast. He sat down at the piano for one last song.

  “Last one for me, young blood, let me take this solo,” he said into the microphone.

  The audience booed and Q stood center stage. “Teach us all a thing or two, old man.”

  Tom hit the snare with a quick ratta-tat-ratta-tat-ratta-ratta-tat and launched into a slow funk groove. The crowd moved as a single body, writhing like an orgy as Stanley and JJ laid down a rhythm that sounded the way really good sex felt. Derek played a heavy guitar lead, putting way more sludge into the song than Q had ever intended, but it felt good and the audience was eating it up. She moved her body to the music, undulating her curves and touching the microphone as if it were her favorite part of her husband’s body.

  Stanley started to sing:

  All you pretty women got me down on my knees

  You wag your little fanny

  And you can do just what you please

  Let me see you dancing

  Moving to the rhythm

  It’s Saturday night in New Orleans

  And it’s always a good time

  He backed off the mic and nodded to Derek as they settled back into the pocket. Derek strode to the front of the stage and started his guitar solo, leaning his back against Q. She rested against him, letting her body go where he moved it, watching the crowd lose themselves to the grinding beat. In the center of heaving bodies, she found Sanger dancing with Yvie. Her arms were wrapped around his neck and his hands were low on her hips, his mouth inches from hers.

  As Derek finished his solo, Q threw her arm over his shoulders to keep him center stage, as she took the mic to sing:

  I know you’ve been running around town on me

  But still I come crawling back to you down on my knees

  You’re crazy and you’re wild

  You drive me out of my mind

  But it’s Saturday night in New Orleans

  Let’s have a good time

  She let go of Derek’s neck and moved closer to the piano to give Charlie some space for his trumpet solo. Searching the crowd for Ben, she found Tori Gerard instead. Her eyes were focused on Sanger swaying with Yvie. They were dancing even closer than before, lost in each other and the steady rhythm the Beasts were laying down. She noticed Stanley look at his wife and follow her gaze to the dance floor and quickly decided to distract him, sitting beside him to double his rhythm on the piano until she was certain that whatever concern may have crossed his mind had been washed away.

  She straddled the piano bench and took the mic off the clip in front of Stanley, leaning back against him and grinding her hips against the bench.

  The way your body moves drives me out of my head

  Every time I’m with you, touching you in my bed

  I want you so bad I can’t fight it

  Let’s make love until the sun rises

  It’s Saturday night in New Orleans

  Let’s have a good time

  As the song came to a close, Stanley stood up and thanked the audience, making his way to the bar to sign autographs and take pictures.

  Derek spoke into the microphone, “We’re going to take a break for a few minutes and cool off.” He leered at Q. “Damn, angel. These pants are getting a little tight.”

  Q flipped him off as she stepped down from the stage and a few people in the front row laughed. While she was threading through the crowd to find Ben, Tori caught her arm and pulled her aside.

  “I suppose this was your idea, Q,” she said.

  Not wanting to relitigate the pros and cons of Stanley playing a late-night gig, Q said, “I already told you, Tori, this was Stanley’s idea. He’s a grown man. Leave him be. He had a blast and it’s just one night. I mean, seriously, what harm is it gonna do?”

  “I’m not talking about that.”

  She gestured towards the middle of the dance floor and Q grinned, despite herself. Sanger held Yvie’s face in both hands and he was kissing her. Q involuntarily bit her lower lip and felt her face flush, having never seen her best friend engage in any kind of romantic activity before.

  “I’m pretty sure Aaron and Yvie have ideas all their own, Tori. They don’t need any of mine.” Q smiled at her, trying to diffuse the situation.

  It didn’t work.

  “He said he wouldn’t rub my nose in it.”

  “Look, that’s between you and Sanger, but I very much doubt that little show out there is for anyone’s benefit but the two people performing. Not everything is about you. Tonight’s a big night for Ben. Yvie is his sister. Sanger is one of his best friends. Where do you think they’d be? They’re both single and they’re both into each other. Get over it, will you?”

  Tori hung her head and said quietly, “I can’t. I don’t think I want to. I’m going to be alone soon. I don’t want to let go of him.”

  “I don’t think you have much of a choice right now,” Q replied. “You may as well
know that my sweet husband wants Aaron for a brother-in-law, so I’d brace yourself, if I were you. Ben usually gets his way.”

  “What am I going to do? I can’t stop thinking about him.”

  Q knew what it felt like to have an unhealthy obsession for a lover. Fortunately for her, her unhealthy obsession had been for the one person who turned out to be the healthiest thing for her. She unconsciously scanned the crowd for Ben and found him standing near the office, talking to a slight, blonde woman, looking increasingly uncomfortable.

  “You can and you will. Leave Aaron be. It’s what he wants and it’s the right thing to do.” She glanced at Ben and he caught her eye to plead with her to come to his rescue. “Look, I’ve got to go give my husband a lifeline. Some Sharpie’s got him pinned down.” She turned to walk away and bumped into Stanley.

  He looked at his wife, not Q, and said, “Young blood, give me a minute with my wife, will you?”

  Q cursed and walked towards Sanger to tell him to cool it. Before she could reach him, he stopped kissing Yvie and took her hand, leading her through the crowd towards the door with forceful purpose. Q glanced over her shoulder to see her husband still trapped by his new companion. He gave her an annoyed look and she pushed her way through the crowd, smiling good-naturedly at the compliments and awkward hugs halting her progress. As Ben watched her approach, relief washed over his face.

  “Bordelon!” she called with her arms spread wide. “This a big enough crowd for you?”

  He smiled and side-stepped the woman, excusing himself.

  “Almost, darlin’.”

  When the woman didn’t leave, he sighed and introduced her, “Q Toledano, this is Adrian Anderson. This is her first time at the Cove.”

  Adrian’s eyes widened.

  “You’re the Archangel!” she exclaimed. “I was just telling Ben how romantic I think it is that you and Derek are recording an album together.”

  Q looked at Ben for guidance and he mouthed, “Do something.”

  “It is, isn’t it?” Q asked rhetorically. “And what else were you and Ben discussing?”

  The woman blushed and looked shyly at Ben. Q threw her arm over the woman’s shoulders and moved her towards the bar and away from her husband.

  “Look, sister, normally, we’d play this fun little game where I’d try to out-play you for that handsome man over there, but I’m two sets in and too tired to bother. So, would you please do me a favor and stop hitting on my husband? You’re making him uncomfortable.”

  “Oh!” she cried. “I don’t think I could ever talk to Derek.”

  “Yeah, that’s not who I’m talking about.” Q let go of her and turned to Ben. “You want to show her whose wife I am?”

  Ben grinned. “I thought you’d never ask.”

  He pulled her to him and picked her up, kissing her for several long minutes. When he finally stopped, she asked, “Is she still watching?”

  He glanced past her. “Yes.”

  “Persistent little lady, isn’t she?”

  He smiled at her. “You jealous?”

  “I don’t do jealous. That’s you.” She winked at him and sighed. “Tori and Stanley, too. That little Aaron and Yvie show is causing a world of trouble. Down please.”

  Ben set her back on the floor. “Stay out of it. Come on and walk with me to check on Josh. I don’t think I’m out of the woods yet.”

  She took his hand and let Ben pull her through the people in their path as politely as they could. As they got to the door, they found Josh apologizing to another group of people trying to get in, telling them that the Cove was over capacity, but they were welcome to get some drinks at the outdoor bar and wait for some people to leave.

  Ben smiled broadly at the crowd and asked, “What’s the take?”

  Josh shook his head and said, “I don’t know if I can count that high, brother.”

  He handed Ben an envelope and Ben put it into the inside pocket of his suit coat. “That’s number three. Gonna be a fun night counting it all.”

  Q smiled and rested back against him as she scanned the crowd for Sanger. “Did you see Aaron or Yvie, Josh?”

  Josh raised an eyebrow and pointed to the neutral ground. Sanger had Yvie pinned against a live oak and his hand was obviously heading its way towards second base.

  He leaned down to Q and said, “Looks like Yvie’s breaking her first date rule. Better not let Ben find out.”

  Josh had known Yvie almost as long as he’d worked for her brother and knew how over-protective Ben could be when it came to his sisters.

  “It was Ben’s idea,” she said, nudging her husband with her elbow.

  He looked at his sister and shook his head. “Looks like Aaron’s apologies worked out ok.”

  Josh frowned. “Hey, how come Aaron gets a pass?”

  “Because Aaron is not a part of the girl-of-the-night club, philanderer,” Q said. “How many phone numbers were given to you this evening?”

  He laughed. “Just four. It’s been a slow night.”

  She glanced back into the bar and saw Stanley and Tori arguing at the side of the stage.

  Josh followed her gaze and said, “And that’s why I’m a confirmed bachelor. Marriage is nothing but trouble.”

  “Only if you don’t hold up your end of the deal,” Q said.

  “Which one is fucking around?” Josh asked.

  They both gave him an annoyed look.

  “What?” he asked. “It’s Stanley Gerard. I’d think it was him, but he looks way more pissed than that pretty little wife of his. Did I ever tell you he’s the reason my aunt got divorced?”

  “No,” Q said.

  “She and her ex went to see him play at some club back in the early eighties. It was a couple years after he split with Loretta and he was tearing his way through New Orleans pussy like he was on a mission.”

  She shoved him back. “Nice language, Josh.”

  “Well, he was,” Josh said defensively. “Ask Walter, he’ll tell you the same thing. Anyway, Stanley took one look at my aunt and decided he was taking her home that night.”

  Ben said, “You’re kidding me.”

  He held up his hand. “Hand to god, it’s what happened. Her first husband caught her backstage.”

  “Doing what?” Q asked.

  “Doing something that nice married ladies aren’t supposed to be doing with their mouths, Q.”

  Q shot him a skeptical scowl. “Josh Mason, you are making that up.”

  “Nope. Ask me my aunt’s name.”

  Ben looked at her sideways. “I don’t think you want to do that.”

  She already knew she was going to regret it. “What’s your aunt’s name?”

  “Holly.”

  She felt her face turn bright red as the name popped out of the lyrics she’d already guessed:

  Holly’s honey lips, make me lose my grip

  Your man won’t take you back,

  And you don’t mind a bit

  She looked down. “I am never covering ‘Honey Lips’ ever again.”

  “Karma’s a bitch, ain’t it?” Josh said.

  She shrugged, inclined to agree. Knowing how much of a womanizer Stanley had been most of his life, it seemed cosmically balanced that at least a couple of women would return the favor. Even though he probably did deserve to have a wife take a lover thirty years younger than him, for once, she still felt the need to protect him from it, given how little time he had left.

  Sanger and Yvie appeared in the crowd around them and Yvie excused herself to go back into the Cove to freshen up. She smiled broadly at Q and Ben when she passed them, and her brother affectionately kissed her temple. When Sanger saw Q, he quickly looked down at the ground and rubbed the back of his neck, shuffling his feet slightly. She walked over to him and nudged him with her hip.

  “I see you’re not thinking too much, cowboy.”

  He gave her a bashful grin. “Turns out whiskey and your kind of music have a way of doing that.”

/>   Q laughed. “See what happens when you stop listening to sad cowboys?”

  “Everything ok in there?” he asked.

  She nodded, deciding that whatever discomfort Tori Gerard was feeling was her own making and she wasn’t going to bring any of it up, seeing how much Sanger was enjoying himself. “I just wanted some fresh air. It’s packed.”

  Before he could reply, Tori stormed through the front door. As soon as she saw him, she walked up to Sanger and pushed Q aside.

  “You’re an asshole, you know that, Aaron?” she said.

  He gave her a bemused smile and shoved his hands into his front pockets. “That may be. Anything else?”

  “I want to know what the fuck it is you think you’re doing?”

  “I’m a single man doing what single men do. Where’s your husband?”

  Tori pulled Sanger closer and said in a low voice, “Stanley might have just put two and two together.”

  He didn’t react. “And how is that my problem?”

  “Don’t you even care a little bit about me?” Tori’s voice caught. “Do you know what will happen to me if Stanley finds out?”

  “As far as I’m concerned, there’s nothing to find out. Do you understand? Nothing. We’re done, you and me.” He stared at her until she finally broke eye contact.

  “So, you’re with Yvonne Bordelon now, is that it?” she asked, her voice breaking.

  “Yes, I’m with Yvie. And when I’m with someone, I’m with them all the way. Thought you’d have figured that out by now.” He looked beyond her shoulder at Yvie approaching them and waved at her before continuing in an angry whisper, “Pull it together. We’re finished. You’re married. Go back to your husband. Don’t fucking call me ever again. You and me? We don’t know each other anymore.”

  Q instinctively winced in sisterly empathy for Tori even as Sanger abruptly caught her elbow in his hand and moved them into the bar and towards Yvie without looking back. She peered over her shoulder at Tori and saw her making a beeline for the cash bar outside.

  This can’t be good.

  “You ok, cowboy?” she asked as she watched a flash of cold rage travel through his eyes.

  “Of course, I am,” he said, smiling broadly at Yvie coming towards them. He pointed to her and said loudly enough for Yvie to hear him, “You see that pretty woman? She’s been teaching me how to dance.”