by Andy Rane
“James.”
“What?” he said, jerking awake in the car seat, half annoyed, half frightened.
“James, wake up.”
He shivered, squinting to focus on the glimmer of light that was coming through the window. The car was stopped, that much he knew. He blinked several times before looking at Nicole. She smiled weakly at him from between the front seats. He sat up straight.
“What’s wrong?” he said.
“Nothing,” she said, looking frightened at his response, “you were having a bad dream.”
“Why have we stopped,” James said, looking around the street as if expecting to see flashing blue and red lights.
“We’re here,” she said.
“Here. Where’s here?”
“Chicago, can’t you tell? Windy city? That is where you pointed to on the map, wasn’t it? I told her she was probably wrong, but nooo,” Kevin interrupted.
For a moment James was ready to believe him. He sat back in the chair and breathed out heavily, glancing out the windows suspiciously.
“We’re here?”
“There seems to be an echo in here,” Kevin said.
“Nice little Ohio town by the looks of it,” Nicole said.
James looked around the street. Other than being blanketed in nearly two feet of snow, the block could have passed for his own, back in Jersey, though maybe a little flatter. The yards and houses were still that pristine, clean, untouched white snow.
“What were you dreaming about,” Nicole said.
“I don’t…remember,” James lied, the false feeling of loss for Nicole still uncomfortably fresh in his mind.
He ran a hand through his mop of hair and had a strong desire for a mirror. He looked into the window for a reflection of any kind. Even in the dim glare of morning light, his eyes looked tired and he felt like he could curl up and sleep the rest of the day. He was so tired it hurt. He saw Nicole watching him and he reached for her hand. They leaned toward one another and their foreheads met.
“What next?” she said.
“Now we find Doug,” James said.
“Doug?” Kevin asked.
“Doug Peterson. That’s the name that Paynter gave me,” James said.
“And he lives here?”
“That’s what the envelope said,” James said.
“Of course, that was twenty-four years ago,” Kevin said.
“Well, if he’s not here, we can at least get a bead on him,” James said.
“Hopefully, he hasn’t moved to Idaho or something like that,” Nicole said.
“This whole thing is a joke,” James said.
“Jokes are supposed to be funny,” Kevin said.
“Right,” James said, glancing up and down the street they were on, “did you pass a gas station or anything on the way here.”
“There was a 7-11 back on the main road,” Nicole said.
“Let’s go back that way. Maybe we can find a phone book,” James said.
“Let’s hope they still have the endangered North American pay phone,” Kevin said.
The lot to the 7-11 had already been plowed hours ago, and the mid-morning traffic was fairly heavy considering the weather. Hanging just outside the front door was the blue and white sign indicating a pay phone. Nicole carefully backed into the spot, something they might have questioned on a different day. Not today. They were going to wait for James in the car with the engine running.
“You going to be ok?” Nicole asked as he slid out from the back seat.
“Sure, so long as they all haven’t been watching news out of New Jersey,” James said.
“Here,” Kevin said, and handed him a baseball cap. It was an uncomfortable blue color with the words ‘Ted’s Towing’ emblazoned in gaudy red lettering.
“Uhh…thanks. That’s totally random,” he said, curling the brim, placing the cap on his head, and pulling it low over his eyes.
“No, man. Push it up. Otherwise, you look shady. We’re going for average guy here. Faithful, hard-working employee of Ted’s towing. Not creepy outsider who pulls his cap over his eyes,” Kevin said, the hint of a smile on his face.
“This would’ve been a lot easier if you hadn’t shaved,” James said.
“You’re right, but I’m not going to grow a full beard in the next ten minutes…go,” Kevin said.
James jogged nonchalantly across the parking lot and went inside. The pay phone was just inside the door of the store. James glanced at the three people in line and the tired looking clerk behind the counter. He wondered if it was the beginning of his shift or the end, and if it would ever matter to either of them. No one even looked at James when he walked in. Just another tired looking kid who didn’t have to worry about the typical nine-to-five. Out partying the night before probably. Just another kid going nowhere. He wanted to shout at them, wake them up to the potential danger. But, it was he who was facing danger. It was he who had been tossed over the protective fence. He was on the outside, on the wrong side, looking in jealously at the ones who were still safe. The ones who could go about their daily lives without being chased and shot at. He pretended to become interested in the phone book.
It was in pristine condition. Hot off the presses, or perhaps Ohioans just didn’t have the urge that Jerseyans had of destroying phone books. Not that anyone but drug dealers used pay phones anymore. James flipped through to the P’s. He blinked at the first page he found. ‘Pederson,’ followed by the ‘Peterson’ page. Paynter had told him the name, not spelled it out to him. There was almost a half-page dedicated to each, but luckily it was restricted to a small area; just the town and one or two nearby townships. James stared at the page, a growing fear creeping into his already tense shoulders.
He needed two pages from the book. The first page tore out neatly with little effort. James glanced over his shoulder, knowing that it was a sign of guilt, but not being able to resist the urge. He was still invisible as far as anyone was concerned. The second page ripped as he tried to pull it out slowly. He began to sweat as his fingers struggled with the paper. Finally, feeling like he was becoming more and more obvious, he tugged the page from the book with a jerk of his hand, creating a loud ripping sound. He turned to leave. The two people still waiting in line and the guy at the counter were looking at him.
“What?” he said in a louder voice than he had intended, and walked out.
In the car, Nicole quickly scanned the pilfered sheets of white pages.
“We can’t sit here. Drive,” James said.
“Popular name. There’s gotta be over fifty choices here,” Kevin said.
“At least it isn’t a hundred,” James said.
“Do you think we can risk using a cell phone?” Nicole asked.
“I don’t think so, but it’s not like we have a ton of change for a pay phone to call a hundred numbers,” James said.
“Better start dialing,” Kevin said.
James reached into his coat pocket. There was nothing. A sinking sensation ran through him. He rummaged through his other pockets. Nothing.
“Where’s my cell?” he asked.
“When did you have it last?” Nicole asked.
“I had it last night…I think,” James said.
“Before or after all hell broke loose?” Kevin asked.
“I don’t remember…I think I had it in the hotel room, but…”
“Maybe it fell out in the snow,” Kevin said.
“Maybe…I think I took it out of my pocket though. Jesus…I hope I didn’t leave it on the table in that room,” James said.
“Here, borrow mine…I hate making phone calls,” Kevin said and smiled as he handed the phone back to James.
Chapter 25
James stared out the window, the cell phone held up in front of his face. A slip of paper was half-crushed in his other hand, a dozen of the likeliest numbers scrawled haphazardly on it. He listened to Nicole calling the numbers on her list so nonchalantly it made him embarrassed for her. He ha
ted having to do this. He loathed calling strangers, let alone strangers who he needed to lie to. He had managed to call two numbers on his list. The phone just kept ringing on the first one. With each ring, he prayed that no one would pick up. He hung up, and then tried the second number reluctantly. This time, the owner answered before the first ring was complete, startling James. The man explained to him that his name was Darryl Peterson, and that he was tired of receiving calls for other people and that James needed to do something about his database. James began stuttering through a ridiculous made up excuse when Kevin turned in his seat and motioned for him to just hang up. Now, as he hesitated to dial the third number, he was acutely aware of how much be had begun to sweat.
They had found an empty spot in a nearby public parking lot. There, they tried to analyze the pages of phonebook James had pilfered. They had eliminated several that were outside of town, but it still left more than a couple dozen. They split it up as evenly as possible between the two phones. Now he watched as the occasional car passed by on the road. A cold-looking lady walked her cold-looking dog about a block away. She was stopping at every tree to give the dog a chance to go. The dog would make to lift his leg, then change his mind. The dog was right. Sometimes it was just too cold to even piss. James looked back down at the paper. I can’t do this. He suddenly realized Nicole and Kevin were both watching him.
“Just dial the numbers…the rest is easy,” Nicole said.
“Yeah…after they answer, you just move your mouth and make some words come out,” Kevin said.
“Thanks,” James said.
“Listen, I could--,” Kevin started.
“No. No thank you. I can do this. I’m just…I don’t know. Mental block or something,” James said.
He tried to smile, but judging by the looks on their faces, it wasn’t convincing.
“Right, just dial,” James said, and did so.
Of the next four numbers, one was a business, and three politely told him there was no Doug Pederson/Peterson at that residence. He tried the fifth number and it was four rings before James heard anything. His first assumption was that the answering machine had picked up, but there was a faint cough, and the voice of an older woman spoke.
“Good morning,” she said.
“Oh,” James said, already expecting to hang up, “I’m sorry. Is Doug there?”
“Doug?” said the woman, “Might I ask who’s calling?”
James’ stomach fluttered. Another brother. Who am I again? He pushed back at the feeling in his stomach and exhaled away from the phone.
“My name is…Jim. I’m an old friend,” James said.
“An old friend,” the woman echoed, a sound of humor in her voice.
“Yes,” James said, blurting out something generic before he could take the words back, “I’m in town for a couple of days, and I thought I’d give him a call.”
“At 10 am on a Thursday morning?” she asked.
“Oh, well, I know it’s…early? But…” James stammered.
“Oh, sweetie, you should remember that’s midday for Douglas. He’s been up and out for over six hours,” she said.
James’ face flushed and the phone itself felt extremely hot. He tried in vain to clear his dry throat and tugged at his collar. He avoided looking at Nicole and Kevin, who had both turned in their seats to watch. Frowning at them, James turned to look back out the window. He needed a sign, any sign. The cross street nearest to them was Michigan Boulevard.
“So, then he still works at that place on…Michigan?”
He could almost hear her thinking it through. James was ready to hang up when she spoke.
“You’ve been out of town a while,” she said.
Something had changed in her voice. He had passed the test.
“Yes, Ma’am, I have.”
“Well, it’s a block over from Michigan, over on Wisconsin. Would you believe they built a Dunkin Donuts across the street?”
“You’re kidding,” James said.
“Like they need two places selling bagels and coffee on that block!”
“It’s a commercial world, Mrs. Pederson.”
“Say hello to my boy for me when you see him,” she said.
“I will,” James said.
He hung up and leaned back against the car seat, a forced smile coming across his face. Nicole and Kevin looked at him expectantly. He shivered, suddenly feeling the dampness from his sweat meeting the cool air of the parked car. He could see his breath rising in rhythmic bursts.
“Well?” Kevin said.
“He’s a block away. Bagel shop by the sounds of it. His mother calls him Douglas,” James said.
Chapter 26
“My name is James Masterson. My name is James. Doug, right? My name is James Masterson. I don’t know how to tell you this. Dammit. James, my names is James. Jesus Christ. I know you don’t know me from Adam, but guess what? Look at me. I look like you. We must be brothers. This is fucking ridiculous!”
He pounded his hands against the back of the seat. They were parked no more than a block away from where Doug Pederson’s mother had told them her son worked. They had been there for over twenty minutes. The sight of a police car had made Nicole nervous.
“James,” she said, crouching down in her seat, “we haven’t exactly got all the time in the world.”
“I know, I know! I just…” he mouthed wordlessly.
“You could always do it the way I did it,” Kevin said. James didn’t even respond.
“We came all this way, and now you’re going to have cold feet?” Nicole said.
“I could use a little support here,” James said.
“What do you want me to do, introduce you to him? He’s not going to need an introduction, James. You’re identical twin…uh…triplets.”
“Thanks,” he said after a moment, and opened the door, “C’mon, Kevin, back me up on this one.”
Nicole grabbed his arm.
“What are you going to do?” she asked.
“No clue. Maybe I’ll just order a couple of bagels and walk back out,” James said. She frowned.
“You can’t just do that,” she said, and he turned back to the car.
“Why not?” James said, his hands falling slackly to his sides.
“Do you really want to broadcast this to a bunch of strangers in a small town bagel shop? Might as well put an ad out in the paper,” she said.
“Now you’re full of bright ideas?” James asked.
“I thought you had a plan!”
“My plan was to sleep in this morning and go to work on Monday. Ever since that plan got shot down…no pun intended…I haven’t had a plan!”
“I’ll go in. You two look for a back entrance. I’ll send him out,” she said.
“Good Lord! You can’t do that! He’ll think we’re there to jump him,” James said.
“Yeah,” Kevin said, “How the hell are you going to convince him?”
“I don’t know…I’ll use my girlish charms,” she said.
She winked at them, and James was too tired to keep arguing.
“C’mon,” Kevin said. “It’s probably our best shot.”
The walk to the bagel shop seemed too short for James. He walked methodically, aware of everything and nothing at the same time. He pulled the collar of his coat up. His legs felt stiff as he walked. Too many hours spent in the car. They walked along the street; nearly no other people were visible. A car passed and they crossed the street behind it.
The bagel shop was now one building away. It was hard to miss; a huge fake bagel hung above the doorway with the word ‘Bagels’ in large cartoonish letters. James and Kevin slowed their pace, spotting an alley on the nearest side of the shop. James felt a burning inside, somewhere above his gut and below his neck. If he didn’t already know how nervous he was, he might have thought he was having some sort of seizure.
They were now standing on the sidewalk, paces from the front window of the small store. James wanted to
just look in. Just to sneak a peek. He looked at Nicole and for the first time she looked hesitant.
“We could figure something else out,” James said.
“No,” she said. “I got it. Go round the side. There must be a rear delivery door or something.”
James walked to the edge of the front window and peered in. There were shelves blocking most of the all-glass window, but between the bins of fresh rolls, and stacks of wrapped bread, he could see the front counter. The smell of fresh baked bagels was overpowering and his stomach suddenly reminded him that he hadn’t eaten much more than a Slim Jim in the last twelve hours. The window was fogged with the heat from inside. He wanted nothing more than to walk in and get a tea and a fresh bagel. His mouth watered.
At first, James saw no one, but his stomach dropped with the sight of a man that he almost immediately determined could not be related. He squinted through the hazy glass. This man was probably in his early forties, maybe even late forties. His face was round and squat with what looked like several days beard growth. The apron that used to be white looked like a tight fit on a body that had seen too many of his own product. He walked behind the counter carrying a large tray of what looked to be onion bagels. The tightness in James’ chest was followed by a growl from his stomach.
Footsteps to his right forced James to turn away. A bell announced the customer as he pulled open the door to the shop. This was followed by muffled hellos and a back-and-forth conversation that made everyone in the shop laugh.
His chest was pounding hard now. He was close enough to the window to make out some of the banter going on between the man behind the counter and the customer. Then he heard it. The fat man called out to someone in the back to bring out a fresh something-or-other. The name he had used was Doug. James pressed close to the glass, eyeing the counter between a loaf of rye and a loaf of wheat. Someone came out of the back, but ducked beneath the counter before James could see him.