Jerome looked up from the book he was reading. ‘She and Charlie going together?’
James shrugged. ‘I don’t know. I can’t just sit here and wait for tomorrow. I need to go outside and do something.’
‘Granny…’ Jerome said, fighting to blur the image of Charlie and Edwina together in the same room.
‘She sleeping. Besides now Dad is here she’s not watching us that close.’
Jerome nodded. ‘And we need to tell Charlie about what we going to do tomorrow. He is part of our team now.’
‘Yes,’ James said. ‘We have to go and find him and tell him.’
They crept out of the house and into the yard. It was a full moon and the sky was dotted with stars. They could hear the incomprehensible jazz music Cider listened to coming from the front window of the house. Charlie was sitting outside on the front steps reading under a flashlight. ‘Did you know this island gets so much rain each year that it might be the only place left in the world where the water supply will pretty much never run out?’
Jerome spoke up. ‘You going to Summer Splash?’
Charlie shrugged. ‘I might. I might not. I was personally invited by a fetching young lady so I probably should go to save her honour.’
Jerome clenched his fist. ‘Who? Who invited you?’
‘Jerome, Jerome,’ Charlie stood and shone the flashlight in Jerome’s face. ‘Don’t concern yourself with such things, my boy. Some day, when you’re my age you’ll know that it’s not wise to ask a man about such matters.’
‘Was it Edwina?’ Jerome asked. Charlie laughed and turned to James. ‘So what are you guys up to?’
‘We going up to the village tomorrow. I think we’ll find it tomorrow.’ James said. ‘Our father’s coming with us.’
‘Wish I was coming,’ Charlie mused. ‘Your dad’s so laid-back. Nothing like my father…’ He stopped, as if remembering his promise to Cider not to talk about his father.
‘Anyway, boys. I’m headed into town. Don’t wait up for me.’ He winked at Jerome and climbed onto his bicycle.
‘I’m going with him,’ James declared. ‘Yo Charlie! Wait for me!’
Jerome dug into the ground with the heel of his sneakers. He wasn’t ready to go home yet. ‘I’m gonna go get a drink at the store.’
James shrugged and jogged toward the road. Jerome wandered the neighbourhood thinking. What was going at Summer Splash? He didn’t particularly care. Well, he did. If he could just know for sure that Edwina wasn’t with Charlie or any other boy then he could go back home and sleep peacefully. Until then…he would wander the streets. He heard a commotion approaching and looked down the road. ‘Cousin!’ It was Eustace and his boys. ‘Hey, man,’ Jerome answered. Eustace and the Machetes approached, horsing around as always. ‘So I hear your father come down from America?’
Jerome nodded and steeled himself as Eustace slapped him hard on the back. ‘So what your father bring for you?’ Eustace slurred, eyeing Jerome’s new Nikes. Jerome could smell the alcohol on Eustace’s breath.
‘Nothing special. Shirts, food. You know?’ Jerome was being careful; he could see Eustace greedily eyeing his sneakers. One of Eustace’s friends laughed and took a swig of his Heineken. ‘We should go by your house and see if you telling de truth.’
Jerome’s heartbeat jumped. ‘My grandmother at home. And my father too.’
Eustace shrugged. ‘We just gonna go and look in your room. Tha’s all.’
‘I don’t have nothing else,’ Jerome almost pleaded. ‘I’m not lying, man.’ He tried to rehabilitate himself by sounding as firm as possible.
‘I don’t have nothing else,’ Eustace mocked. ‘Man, you something.’ He took a long swig of his beer. ‘You owe me anyway.’
‘Owe you? For what?’ Jerome was shocked.
‘That time you was supposed to come by my house for de party. You didn’t come and I wait for you a long time; you make me look stupid in front of my friends, cousin.’
Eustace’s two friends shook their heads. ‘Payback time,’ one said.
‘But I was busy…with school and working at the church.’ Jerome realised how weak he sounded but he was telling the truth.
Eustace sneered. ‘I don’t care. All I know is I had drinks for you, smokes, food…you didn’t come.’
Jerome looked up the street for James; he couldn’t see him. ‘Man, I’m going home,’ he told Eustace. ‘I’ll see you later.’ Eustace narrowed his eyes and said. ‘You walking home, cousin?’ Jerome shrugged and walked away from the Machetes.
He was so angry he wanted to hit something. All he wanted was to make sure that Edwina was OK. That Charlie wasn’t all over her with his funny stories and American accent. Those stupid Machetes had just made the night even worse.
He was so consumed by anger he didn’t hear the two boys come up behind him. Before he could cry out for help, he felt the cold tip of a machete at his neck. ‘Give up de shoes, church boy!’ He began to protest but the boy pushed the machete deeper into his skin, enough that Jerome was afraid it would penetrate.
‘OK, OK,’ Jerome said. He sat down, his back still to his robbers, unlaced his brand new sneakers and handed them over. He heard them laughing and their footsteps running away.
He wanted to cry but instead he walked home quickly in his socks, hoping no one would see him. He opened the gate quickly and went to his room. Out of all the rage he felt at losing his shoes the image that kept popping up in his mind was that of Charlie Westminster at the Summer Splash with Edwina. He knew he’d never be able to sleep with that image in his head. He had to do something. Something to make that image go away.
He could barely see through his rage as he walked down the street wearing slippers, his path lit only by moonlight. The Machetes were gone, probably searching for another target even more stupid than he. He tapped on Ms Cider’s door and she answered quickly. ‘Jerome? I thought you were at the party? Is everything OK?’
‘Yes, Ms Cider. I left early. But Charlie said I could use his computer to look something up.’
‘Oh, sure, come on in,’ she said. Jerome walked into the small, but very comfortable home. There were paintings on the wall – all Ms Cider’s handiwork. Jerome didn’t understand her work because all the images were blurred together but the colours she used were very bright, giving the house a very happy atmosphere.
‘You must be so happy to have your father home after all this time,’ she said.
‘Yes, ma’am,’ Jerome said, wanting her to leave him alone so he could carry out his task.
‘I know Charlie’s told you guys that his father and I are…are at loggerheads right now. But in two years, when Charlie’s an adult, he’ll be able to make the choice, you know?’ She smiled uncomfortably. ‘Right now, emotionally, Charlie can’t take the kind of emotional abuse his father gives him.’
‘Abuse?’ Jerome stopped in his tracks.
Ms Cider nodded. ‘His father has a new family and he’s always putting them ahead of poor Charlie. It was one disappointment after another until finally I had enough. I just told him enough. He couldn’t see Charlie anymore, couldn’t hurt him anymore.’
‘So that’s why you took Charlie away?’ Jerome asked.
‘I know it sounds harsh, but if you knew what we went through.’ Cider didn’t finish her sentence. ‘OK, go ahead and do what you need to do.’
He felt bad about what he was about to do. He couldn’t do it though. He couldn’t find Charlie’s father and hurt Ms Cider that way. He got up and turned off the computer and went home.
***
The party was heating up at Summer Splash. The air was tense with excitement; it was a magical feeling. Petra was standing with Edwina and a few other girls. She was on edge. She could feel that something was about to happen and instead of feeling excited that her
well-planned revenge was about to take place she was concerned. Afraid even. She could see Diane Jefferson with her boyfriend Rocco and a couple of his friends off in a corner. She looked around nervously.
‘Let’s go close to the stage so we can hear the music really loud,’ said Edwina, who hadn’t stopped dancing all night.
‘You all can go,’ Petra said. ‘I’ll find you in a while.’ She watched her friends dance off into the crowd. She had to stay here to keep an eye on things. Then out of the corner of her eyes she saw Charlie and James. Oh, no! They were laughing and talking and nodding their heads to the music.
Charlie and James stood surveying the crowd for a few moments and then she saw James’s eyes light on Diane Jefferson. Her heart fell. All of a sudden she didn’t want revenge anymore. She was afraid for James. The things she’d written… He must think that Diane is in love with him! She saw the gleam in his eyes and then she saw him leave Charlie’s side and head in Diane and Rocco’s direction. How stupid could he be? James walked confidently up to Diane, and Petra, without thinking, ran toward them, hoping to save James from a sure beating. But she was too late. By the time she approached, she could see James’s lips moving and Rocco’s eyes narrowing. Diane was smiling politely as James said whatever he said to her. Rocco, not missing a beat, moved quickly between them.
‘James! James!’ Petra yelled, trying to get his attention so he could turn away from Rocco and maybe run away. James looked at her and waved briefly. Rocco was getting angry at James’s nonchalance and pointed jerkily at James’s chest.
‘Don’t touch me, man!’ James said angrily.
‘James!’ Petra yelled again. ‘James!’
James ignored her and glared at Rocco. ‘You can’t tell me who to talk to. You understand?’
This was too much for Rocco. With a loud snarl he shoved James with all his might and James fell back onto the grass. A crowd gathered around him. Some were beginning to yell: ‘Hegas!’ Petra, terrified, ran to James and sat next to him on the grass. ‘James, it’s my fault. I’m sorry.’
James opened his eyes and looked up into Petra’s face. ‘What you talking about?’
‘All those things you read in the diary about Diane being in love with you were a lie. I wrote a fake diary and stole mine back from you. I’m sorry. I just wanted to get back at you for taking it from me.’
James sighed and closed his eyes again. The crowd began to dissipate when they saw that there wouldn’t be a big fight. Diane was pulling an angry Rocco away. Petra sat on the grass helpless and ashamed. ‘I’m really, really sorry.’
Then Charlie pushed his way through and grabbed James’s arm. ‘Get up. We gotta get out of here before the police come.’
James groaned and rubbed the back of his head as he stood slowly.
‘Come on,’ Charlie said. ‘We gotta go quick.’ He grabbed James’s arm and pulled him away from the crowd. As James was pulled away he looked back and his eyes met Petra’s. She almost cried at the way he looked at her. This revenge was not sweet at all.
Chapter 21
The villages atop Mt Ararat were cool and idyllic. Everything was lush greenery and a damp, clean and pleasant air hung over the mountains. The people who lived there looked like their ancestors: a mix of African and Middle Eastern.
‘What are we supposed to be looking for?’ James asked as they sat down to rest near the top. His head still hurt from last night but he didn’t want to talk about it. He hadn’t even told Jerome what happened. After he’d got over the shock of what Petra had said, he’d been able to laugh at himself for falling for Petra’s trick. It was a good one he had to admit. The thing that bothered him the most about it was that he’d never even really liked Diane Jefferson. She was pretty, yeah, but he’d never liked her that way. If Petra hadn’t written that Diane was so in love with him then he probably wouldn’t have noticed Diane.
John-Boy took a swig of water and leaned against a tree. They were all very tired. They’d left the last village about a half hour ago and had climbed a steep path to this spot.
Jerome looked around. They’d checked every tree for more markings but they’d found nothing. No signs. No poems. What in the world were they supposed to be looking for? He sat next to his brother and opened his notebook and read the poem again. Well, they were at the place where Hagar dwells, weren’t they?
‘Aren’t you supposed to be looking for a well?’ John-Boy leaned back on his arms and stretched out his long legs.
‘How are we going to find a well around here?’
‘We could ask,’ James said. ‘Jerome, you could go back to the village and ask someone. We’ll stay here and rest.’
Jerome cut his brother a look. ‘Why don’t you go?’
‘You’re the smart one. What if I go and I ask the wrong question and I mess up everything?’
‘Yeah. Now you’re conveniently stupid.’
‘Wait. Shhh!’The boys looked at their father, who was holding a finger to his lips. ‘You hear something?’
It was the sound of a car’s motor. They stood and sure enough a black Range Rover slowly edged its way up the narrow, dirt path, crushing weeds and shrubs under its wheels. James and Jerome exchanged glances. They could see Julius Mackey in the passenger seat. Another jeep followed closely behind.
‘It’s Julius Mackey and his men,’ Jerome said. John-Boy stood in the path of the oncoming vehicles. ‘Don’t say or do anything,’ he said to his sons.
The trucks stopped and Julius Mackey and his men filed out. ‘Fancy seeing you boys here,’ he said to Jerome and James, ignoring John-Boy. ‘Can’t say I’m surprised though.’ The men were carrying camping equipment. They walked past the boys and John-Boy and began to set up tents.
‘You paid Mr Hagar to lie to us so we wouldn’t find those clues, didn’t you?’ Jerome said.
‘Jerome, be quiet,’ John-Boy said. Julius Mackey held out his hand to John-Boy in the most gentlemanly manner. ‘How are you, sir? I suppose you’re the father of these smart young men.’
John-Boy ignored Mackey’s hand. ‘You got a lot of nerve trying to shake my hand, after the way you threatened my sons.’
Julius Mackey stepped back. ‘No, sir. I never threatened them.’ He laughed uneasily. ‘I warned them…this is dangerous, dangerous business. Especially for young boys who don’t know what they’re doing. They could hurt themselves.’
Jerome and James shook their heads. They felt safe with their father around so no need to call Mackey on his lies.
‘We still figured it out,’ James mocked.
Mackey laughed, keeping a watchful eye on John-Boy. ‘No need for taunting, young man. You know the rule of treasure hunting: finders keepers.’
‘We were here before you!
‘Where? Here?’ Mackey looked around and spread his hands. ‘I don’t see any treasure around here. Do you? What’s here to find or keep?’
Jerome sighed. There was still a piece missing; he could feel it in his gut. A piece that Mackey obviously had and they didn’t. Mackey was just too confident. And why was he setting up camp here? Something was off. They could either sit wait and see what happened or find out what they were missing.
‘Let’s go back to the village,’ Jerome said. James looked at the men setting up the tents. ‘No way. We’re not leaving them here.’
‘Did you hear him? Anything he finds here belongs to him. We need to find out what he knows. Why he’s camping here.’
‘Let’s just wait and see.’
John-Boy shook his head. ‘Wait? For how long? They could be here for days. It’s gonna take a long time to dig up all this ground. I’m with Jerome on this. Let’s go back to the village. There’s gotta be somebody there who knows something about this.’
‘Cheerio,’ Mackey called out as they walked down the dirt path. ‘Pleased to
make your acquaintance.’ They did not look back.
***
They walked down the steep hill in silence. Jerome couldn’t get that nagging feeling to stop. How could it be that easy? Mr Hagar knew all along that a message was written on those trees. Obviously, he himself had tried to follow the lead to the treasure but didn’t succeed. So he sold out to Mackey and burned down the trees. Hmm… Who was Mr Hagar anyway and could they even believe a word he said?
‘Look at this,’ James pointed to a signpost. Attached to the top were two arrows. One pointed to Hethite the other to Narylis.
‘Who wants to make the choice,’ John-Boy said. ‘Hethite or Narylis.’
‘Hethite!’ Jerome heard himself yell. John-Boy and James stared at him.
‘What’s the big fuss about Hethite?’ John-Boy asked.
Jerome shrugged and tried to calm himself. ‘Just an idea I got. Let’s just go and check it out.’
‘What’s your hunch, Jerome? It better be good. We’ve been walking for a long time now.’
‘I know, Dad,’ Jerome said. ‘It’s just something I read in the history book.’
They came upon a small, wooden sign that read:‘Welcome to the village of Hethite. Est. 1835.’
The town was spare, dotted with small wooden houses along a winding, steep road. Jerome stopped several times to catch his breath and regretted he’d even teased James about his legs because his brother was making sure to show him just how fast he could walk up the hill without breaking a sweat.
John-Boy and James reached the top of the hill and stopped looking down at Jerome, their leader.
‘You all right?’ John-Boy’s sweaty brows furrowed.
‘I’m fine.’
James smirked and sat down on the grassy side of the road. When Jerome finally reached them he was covered in sweat and his breath still would not come easy. But all the activity did get the blood flowing to his brain and he could barely contain himself.
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