Gold Hill

by Christian, Claudia Hall

  “Yeah, LaTonya’s pretty great,” Seth said.

  Bumpy laughed and hung up the phone.

  “Any word?” Ava asked.

  Seth shook his head.

  “You really think it’s okay to just go on with our day?” Ava asked.

  “I think we should,” Seth said. “There’s no way to know what’s going to be needed from us in the future. We need to use the time we have to gather our strength. People we love are going to need us.”

  Before he could say another word, Ava hopped up, shucked her clothing, and ran out the sliding door to the beach. Chuckling to himself, he followed her.

  ~~~~~~~~

  Wednesday afternoon — 6:47 p.m. MT

  “Thanks for helping, Pete,” Tanesha said. “Sandy, you’re sure . . . ”

  Standing on the sidewalk outside Sandy’s studio, they were getting ready to start searching on foot. Unable to be with them, Jill was running the search operation from her bed. Heather held her phone out so they could hear her over the speaker phone.

  “I’m sure,” Sandy said. “Plus, Charlie and his friend Tink think they know of a few places. I’m going with them. Mike and Pete are going downtown to check the waterways. They’re on bikes so they should be able to cover a lot of ground. Blane’s running the parks?”

  “With Mack,” Heather said. “He’s running City Park and Cheesman. He checked the rest on the way home today.”

  “Good,” Sandy said.

  “You called the police?” Heather had asked Sandy to use her connections to find out what they knew.

  “I called a friend of my Dad’s,” Sandy said. “He said they haven’t found Yvonne, but they’re looking for her and the pimp. Thanks to Heather, they found them on the store video. They were together just a few minutes before the building blew up. The weird thing is that she met Delphie there. The clerk remembers Delphie and Yvonne chatting like old friends.”

  “Mom and Delphie are friends from way back,” Tanesha said. “Where’s Delphie? Maybe she knows something.”

  “That’s another weird thing,” Jill said over the cell phone. “No one can find her. Sam thinks she’s teaching one of those psychic immersion things, at least that’s what’s on the house schedule. He’s going to the store now.”

  “Aden’s heading out with Nash, Teddy, and Jake,” Sandy said. “They’re meeting Rodney and a few guys. They’re going to split up to check Sand Creek, in case . . . ”

  “In case, she’s out there . . . all alone . . . dead.” Tanesha’s face was so grim that Sandy instinctively hugged her.

  “Sandy, call me every half hour. We’ll leave the line open with Tanesha,” Jill said. “I have a map. Sissy and Noelle are going to help keep track. I’ll let everyone know what’s going happening.”

  “Thanks everybody,” Tanesha said.

  “You’d do it for us,” Sandy said.

  “You’ve done it for me,” Pete hugged Tanesha. “Thanks.”

  “Don’t give up,” Jill said. “She’s out there. I know it!”

  With that, they split up and walked to their cars.

  “You okay?” Heather asked.

  “No,” Tanesha said. “I just keep seeing her . . . cold . . . alone . . . dead.”

  “Do you think it’s a memory?” Heather asked.

  “Oh, I never thought of that,” Tanesha pulled her seat belt on.

  “You’re not a psychic.”

  “That I am not,” Tanesha said. “I hope you’re right.”

  Tanesha nodded.

  “Let’s go find my mom,” Tanesha said.

  “That’s the spirit.” Forgotten on the phone, Jill’s voice made them laugh.

  Heather started the Subaru and they went to South Broadway.

  ~~~~~~~~

  Wednesday afternoon — 6:47 p.m. M.T.

  “You’re sure?” Bumpy asked as he pulled into his garage.

  “Yeah, Miss T’s dad’s letting us borrow one of his trucks until we’re done with the house,” Jeraine said. “I can pick it up there.”

  “You don’t want me to drop you off?” Bumpy asked.

  “It’s only a few blocks,” Jeraine said. “Plus, Mom sounded really upset. You should take care of your woman.”

  Bumpy laughed. Jeraine got out of the truck and went around to hug his father. They stood together for a moment. Embarrassed by his own strong emotions, Bumpy let go of Jeraine, pat him on the shoulder, and walked off toward the house.

  Smiling to himself, Jeraine took off jogging toward his new home. His mind drifted to what he would make his tired, med student wife for dinner. Since the movie people were gone, he contemplated ordering in so they could eat in bed. He’d almost made up his mind when he reached the almost yellow house. Slowing, he saw an odd sight.

  There was a woman standing in his front yard picking, and eating, plums.

  A big man stood on the sidewalk pacing back and forth like a toy soldier guarding the broken front gate. As he approached, the man snarled at him like a junk yard Doberman. Jeraine came to a halt.

  “Whatcha you all doin’?” Jeraine asked. He wiped his hands on his filthy jeans then scowled at how much dirtier they were than before.

  “He says.” The man spoke as if he was talking to himself. “He says, Get rid of her. I say, What? He says, You heard me, get rid of her. And then boom.”

  Chapter Two Hundred and Eight

  Plums

  The man made a big explosion with his hands. Jeraine nodded. The man picked Jeraine up by the shirt lapel and pulled him close to his mouth.

  “After twenty-four years. He says, get rid of her. Just like that. You know what that means?”

  The man set him down. He gave Jeraine a hard look as his head moved up and down.

  “He’s gonna get rid of you?” Jeraine gave the man a bruised mouth, broken toothed smile.

  “Exactly,” the man said. “We drove around most of the day before I realized my cell phone’s broke. And why do you think?”

  “He cancelled it?” Jeraine asked.

  “Sure as shit,” the man said. “Fucker.”

  The man nodded to himself and started pacing back and forth again.

  “You a pimp, right?” the man asked Jeraine and held out his fist.

  “Pimp.” Jeraine tapped fists with the pimp.

  The words and movement were automatic. He and his friends used the words to feel powerful, in charge, and on top of the whores of the world. But tonight, the words made him feel ashamed and a little sick to his stomach.

  He’d been so sure he was a pimp, but he’d been a cog in someone else’s wheel, a slave to the music machine, just as this woman lived as a slave to this man, and this man a slave to the man who’d cancelled his cellphone. The whole thing made him feel small and stupid. Jeraine glanced at the street to make sure Rodney’s truck was nearby in case he needed to jump in to get away from this feeling and the man who’d brought it up.

  “Yeah, I thought you looked familiar,” the man said as he walked back and forth. He stopped right in front of Jeraine.

  “So I brought her here,” the man said. “She loves dis house, loves dis plum tree. Every year, we come here and she eats plums. And look, the tree is full o’ dem. I figure if Ima gonna have to get rid of her, then she may as well be happy.”

  The man nodded as if Jeraine should see what a nice guy he was. Jeraine gave him another ugly broken toothed smile. The man paced back and forth again. He stopped right in front of Jeraine.

  “Ima ‘sposed to get five thousand dollars but my cellphone broke and . . . ” When the man leaned in, Jeraine was overwhelmed with the smell of his stress soaked clothing and tobacco. The man whispered, “Now what? Do I take care of it myself? If I kill her, I still don’t have the green. Plus, I can’t kill her myself.”

  “No sir,” Jeraine said. “You can’t kill her.”

  “Not that I ain’t done plenty of killing in my time,” the man said. ”I ain’t afraid to do no killing.”

  “You ai
n’t afraid,” Jeraine’s heart pounded in his chest. What the hell had he walked into?

  “But . . . Ima ‘sposed to be in Saint Louis by dawn,” the man said. “I don’t have no time to do no killing and get to Saint Louis.”

  Jeraine glanced at the woman and she smiled at him. As his head turned back to look at the man, he recognized her smile.

  “What am I gonna do?” The man started pacing again. “What am I gonna to do?”

  “How ‘bout I give you some money?” Jeraine asked. “You sell your problem to me.”

  “She’s a good woman,” the man said. “She works hard and the mens? They really like her. You make good money offa her and she ain’t too shy to give a sample or two, if you know what I mean. She’s clean. Gets checked by the doc every month like clockwork. You have five thousand dollars?”

  “I have this,” Jeraine pulled the wad of money from his pocket and extended it to the man. The man reached out for it and Jeraine pulled his hand back. “We have a deal?”

  The man held his hand out and Jeraine shook it.

  “What about this guy who wants you to get rid of her?” Jeraine asked. “I don’t want no problems.”

  “There ain’t no problems,” the man sniffed at Jeraine. “He asked me, not you. But between you and me . . . ”

  The man leaned into Jeraine again.

  “If it’s Saturday morning at eight o’clock and some mens named Aaron Alvin shows up, you’re not home.”

  “I’m not home,” Jeraine said.

  “Ok,” the man said. “I’m gonna take off.”

  He went to the woman and hugged her. She was so surprised she dropped her plums. When he turned, she kneeled down to pick up her fruit. The man walked down the path of the house, out the broken gate, and got into an old sedan. The street lights came on with a buzz and the car drove off. The man honked once and was gone.

  “Are you my keeper now?” the woman asked.

  “Do you need a keeper?” Jeraine asked.

  “Not really,” she said.

  “What do you need?”

  “I could really use a friend.” Her voice was so sad that he turned to look at her.

  “How ‘bout we agree that I’ll be your friend?” Jeraine asked. “I’ll help you get where you need to go next.”

  “Will you help me find my Tanni?” she asked. “Tanni’s really smart. She’ll know what’s next for me. I’ve got a few more years until my husband comes home. If I don’t work, things might get really hard for him, you know? Tanni, she’ll know what’s next.”

  “I help you,” Jeraine said.

  “Then I’d like to be your friend,” the woman gave him a sincere nod.

  “Why don’t we pick as many plums as we can and I’ll take you home,” Jeraine said. “You look like you’ve had a long hard day. I bet you’d like to take a bath. I have some nice tea I bet you’d like too.”

  “Can we come back tomorrow?” the woman asked.

  Her sweet voice and big smile melted Jeraine’s heart.

  “Of course,” Jeraine said.

  “Then I could use a bath right now,” the woman said. “I got up really early because I was going to see my Tanni today but . . . You’re right, it’s been a long day. Do friends help friends get something to eat?”

  “What would you like?” Jeraine asked.

  “My favorite is chicken and I do love chocolate cake,” the woman said. “Is that too much to ask?”

  “How ‘bout we stop off at CoraFaye’s and get what we need?”

  “CoraFaye’s?” the woman took Jeraine’s elbow. “Why that’s my favorite! But Cora doesn’t make cake.”

  “I’ll bake you one myself,” Jeraine said.

  “You will?” the woman beamed a smile at him then she stopped walking. Her eyes became huge dark beams of coal. “But you gave him all your money.”

  “Nah,” Jeraine said. “He only thinks that.”

  She laughed. He opened the passenger door and helped her in the big truck. He went around to the driver’s seat and got in.

  “This truck smells like safety,” the woman said. “It smells like home.”

  Jeraine smiled at her and started the truck.

  “What happened to your mouth?” she asked.

  “Got kicked by a donkey.”

  “Were you trying to have sex with it?” she asked.

  “No,” Jeraine laughed. “Why does everyone say that? Do I look that desperate?”

  The woman laughed and they drove over to Colorado Boulevard to find the best soul food restaurant in town.

  ~~~~~~~~

  Wednesday afternoon — 8:17 p.m. MT

  “Where is she?” said Rodney as he pushed past Bumpy to get into Jeraine’s penthouse. His eyes were wild with worry brought on by a frantic search along Sand Creek. His clothing was dirty and he smelled of sweat.

  “Shh,” Bumpy said. “I gave her a sedative.”

  “How . . . ?” Rodney shook his head with confusion.

  “Jeraine found her at the old house,” Bumpy said. “He took her to CoraFaye’s, fed her chicken, chocolate cake, and that tea they like . . . ”

  Rodney smiled in spite of himself.

  “Jer called me when she was in the bath,” Bumpy said. “She’s physically fine, but emotionally and mentally exhausted. She doesn’t remember what happened this morning. She just knows that it was horrible. She needs peace, quiet, and sleep.”

  “Where is she?” Rodney repeated.

  “In their guest bedroom,” Bumpy pointed down the hall.

  Rodney ran forward then stopped cold. He spun in place to look at Bumpy.

  “Do you think she wants to see me?” Rodney’s face was a mask of panic.

  “I know she does,” Bumpy said. “Come on. We’ll go together.”

  Bumpy led Rodney down the hallway to the guest bedroom. He opened the door and Rodney stepped in. Seeing Yvonne safe and peacefully asleep, Rodney fell to his knees.

  “She won’t wake for at least five hours,” Bumpy said. “You can clean up in there. Jer left a few clean T-shirts and some sweats on the table.”

  He pointed to the guest bathroom.

  “I’m going home,” Bumpy put his hand on Rodney’s shoulder. “Call me if you need me. Any time.”

  When his friend looked up, Rodney’s face was covered with tears. Bumpy patted his shoulder and left the room.

  “How did it go?” Jeraine whispered.

  “They’re going to be just fine,” Bumpy smiled. “You did a really good thing tonight, son. I’m proud of you.”

  Jeraine nodded.

  “And Tanesha?” Bumpy asked.

  “I keep calling her, but it clicks over to voicemail,” Jeraine said.

  Bumpy nodded.

  “Keep trying,” Bumpy said. “It’s time for this family to come back together.”

  Bumpy gave Jeraine a bear hug and left the apartment. Jeraine looked at the front door for a moment then went to call Tanesha again.

  ~~~~~~~~

  Wednesday afternoon — 9:17 p.m. MT

  Heather and Tanesha held the door for five talking women as they came out of the shop on Colfax. They rushed in before anyone else hogged up the entrance. The shop was full of relaxed, middle aged women.

  “Where is your classroom?” Tanesha yelled to the busy clerk behind the front counter.

  “In the far back,” she said. “But the class just got out.”

  “We’re looking for Delphie,” Heather yelled. “We’re friends.”

  “Straight back,” the clerk pointed then continued ringing up the order.

  Heather had to jog to catch up with Tanesha. Over the last two hours of looking for Yvonne, Tanesha had become increasingly desperate. If Yvonne was still out, she had to be dead. But there was no word from anyone. No one had seen her. The police came up with nothing.

  Delphie was their last hope. She was standing at the front of the room talking with a few women. When she saw them come in, she smiled at the women and excuse
d herself.

  “Where’s my mom?” Tanesha grabbed Delphie by the arms. “Please. Is she dead?”

  “Go home,” Delphie said.

  “I can’t go home,” Tanesha let go of Delphie. She shook her head. “I have to find her. I won’t let her sit out all night all alone. She doesn’t deserve that. Please, please tell me where she is.”

  Heather grabbed her best friend and hugged her to her.

  “She’s waiting for you,” Delphie said.

  “I’m sorry, Ms. Bell,” Heather said. “But we don’t really understand . . . all of this. Tanesha won’t rest until she finds her mother.”

  Delphie rubbed Tanesha’s back with her hand.

  “Is Tanesha’s mother alive?” Heather asked.

  “Yes, thank God,” Delphie said. “It was touch and go for a long time, but she . . . Yvonne did really good.”

  “Ma’am, please forgive us but we don’t . . . You know, we aren’t . . . ” Heather leaned in to whisper. “Psychics. We don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  Delphie smiled.

  “Can you make it really simple for us . . . um . . . simpletons?” Heather asked.

  “Yvonne is at Tanesha’s apartment,” Delphie said.

  As if time stopped, Heather and Tanesha gawked at Delphie.

  “Alive?” Tanesha asked.

  “Very much alive,” Delphie said. “Rodney is with her now.”

  “What?” Tanesha asked.

  “Go home,” Delphie said. “She’s with Rodney and Jeraine in that apartment in the sky.”

  Tanesha turned and ran out of the room. Overwhelmed, Heather hugged Delphie in thanks and jogged after Tanesha.

  “Did you hear that?” Heather asked Jill on the speaker of Tanesha’s phone.

  “Got it,” Jill said. “I’ll let everyone know. Go!”

  Heather and Tanesha jumped into Heather’s car. Heather drove as fast as she could down Colfax. When Heather stopped at the light, Tanesha jumped out of the car at Fillmore Street and ran across Colfax. Heather watched her friend go. She said a silent prayer for her friend and drove home.

  “How did it go?” Blane asked.