“That was nice, but my visit to Angelo’s cave was the vacation from hell!” Jason continued in a negative vein.
“What made you think of that?” Daniel asked, irritated at the topic. “I still get the creeps and nightmares when I even think about that week. The thought that I could have lost both you and Nick at the same time and there was nothing I could to help….” Daniel paused for a few seconds and shook his head. “Jason, don’t ever do anything like that again!”
“I don’t ever plan to, but you know the drill. If I hadn’t acted, Nick would have been killed. Those events still flash through my head on a regular basis — not enough to make me lose my self-confidence, but a reminder that I was challenging fate and dancing with death!”
“All that went down just about a year ago,” Daniel said. “Now it seems so distant and in the past. And every time I see Nick or work with him in rehearsal, I am forever grateful for what you did, Jason. I just hope that one day, those visions and flashbacks will go away, especially for you. You seldom talk about it, because you always seem so strong, but is that whole thing with Nick still bothering you?”
“It will always be with me, as long as I live, Daniel. The experience of being strung up and helpless in that cave, trying to be as polite and supplicating as I could to that moron, Angelo, and having to patiently wait through the pain until I could persuade him to untie me. The violence and brutality of my attack on Angelo with the pepper spray and rebar piece I found made me realize that I was capable of great violence against another person. I can never forget seeing the torture and terror that Angelo had put Nick through, or that box of shoes from all of his victims, or that incredible moment of fear when Sal kicked me back down into the cave. Luckily I was able to break the fall.”
“There’s no question in my mind that you are the bravest person I know, Jason. Don’t keep bottling up these images inside of you. If it helps you to talk about it with me, I am willing to listen. I don’t know if I have any good advice for you. Maybe you should talk about this with Dr. Agoura.”
“I have, Daniel, I have. But to be fully capable of overcoming these fears and flashbacks, I have to be able to talk about it with anyone I choose. Thanks to you I have been able to do that about the experiences I had when I was kidnapped. I wish I was capable of doing something creative about these feelings, like Nick did when he wrote his Requiem for the Lost Children.”
“You know, you say that you aren’t creative, but it isn’t true! I’ve seen your so-called doodles, and some of them are pretty good. Maybe you need to take some time to draw out what is bothering you. Sometimes just looking at a picture will give you a new perspective on things.”
Jason mulled over what Daniel had just told him. Then he looked directly at Daniel and replied, “That is really good advice, Daniel. I never thought about art being a therapy for me even though I tout it for others. I think I’ll give it a try.”
“That’s the spirit, Jason! Never give up trying new things, especially if there is a chance that doing so will help you.”
“This is why you are my best friend — no more than a best friend — you are my brother! I know I have told you this before, but I don’t know anyone else who I can talk to like I can with you, Daniel. Well maybe Laura, but the subject matter of our conversations is usually quite different!”
“Anytime I can help, just let me know,” Daniel said giving Jason some knuckles. “That’s what best friends are for. Now let’s get back to the cabin. I don’t know about you, but all of that swimming and walking around has made me quite hungry. And I know Dad is planning a great barbecue for tonight.”
Jason and Daniel walked back to their cabin at a quick pace. When they arrived, their parents were sitting out on the deck, enjoying drinks and hors d’oeuvres. Gary Holmes had started up the outdoor grill and was just about to start barbequing chicken pieces and vegetables.
“Jason and Daniel!” Edith exclaimed as the boys were approaching the deck. “Come and join us here on the deck. Wash your hands and get yourselves drinks from the refrigerator. There are chips, vegetable pieces, and dips to munch on.”
Jason and Daniel didn’t need any more encouragement. Soon all six family members were together on the deck. “What have you two guys been up to?” Bill Hunter asked Jason and Daniel.
“We played some pool in the rec room and then explored the resort,” Jason replied. “We found some basketball hoops and short hiking trails, which we plan to take advantage of tomorrow.”
“There are a lot of things to do at the main resort building, also,” Daniel added. “They have more spa facilities there, and a nice restaurant.”
“Yeah, we are planning to go out to dinner at the restaurant tomorrow night,” Bill said. “But tonight we will relax here and have our own barbecue.”
“It sure smells good,” Daniel said enthusiastically, as he went over to where his father was putting chicken pieces on the grill. “Is this one of your special marinades, Dad?”
“Nothing particularly special,” Gary Holmes replied. “I put a spice rub on all of the chicken pieces before packing them up in a large plastic container. When we got back from the pool, I brushed the pieces with a mixture of olive oil, lemon juice, sherry, and rice vinegar. Then just before the pieces are done cooking, I will brush them with barbecue sauce.”
Gary was also grilling some leeks and bell peppers. Melinda Holmes had prepared a potato salad, while Edith had made Cole slaw and a platter of sliced fresh fruit pieces. When everything was ready, they decided to eat inside, where there was a dining table and seating for six.
Everyone filled up their plates and sat down at the table. Bill Hunter held up his glass for a toast. “Here’s to Edith, Melinda, and Gary for preparing a fine dinner.”
After everyone raised their glasses, Melinda proposed a second toast. “Here’s to Bill and Edith Hunter for putting this nice weekend together and including us!”
“We are happy to have a family vacation again,” Bill went on. “It’s been a while for us. And we wanted to include you, Gary and Melinda, for all of the times you have looked out for Jason. And Daniel too!”
“Yeah, it’s nice having two sets of parents,” Jason chimed in.
“I feel the same way,” Daniel added. “You guys are great!”
Everyone concentrated on eating for a few minutes. Then the conversation worked itself around to the tour with Daniel’s band coming up at the end of June. Daniel talked about how hard the band members were working to come up with a good set of music for the tour. “It’s a tough task to prepare quality music that will also appeal to the tween crowd who will make up the bulk of our audiences. We want to have enough material for a CD which can be promoted on the tour.”
“I am curious about how the security and chaperoning of the band members will work,” Edith said. “Do you have any information about that?”
“They have pretty tight security at the concert venues,” Daniel replied. “They don’t want crazed fans backstage and after the band members. As far as chaperones go, I believe that each band member is entitled to bring along one adult family member for that purpose. The tour management also provides at least one person to stay with our band throughout the tour. And when I say the band, that also includes our support team. Jason, who has been running our website, is part of that team. I sure hope that it is okay for us to bring Jason along on the tour, Mr. and Mrs. Hunter.”
“I don’t see any problem regarding that,” Edith said, “although I don’t think that either Bill or I can get away for an extended period of time. Gary and Melinda, are you planning to go with Daniel?”
“I know that at least one of us will go,” Gary answered. “And both of us will be at the concerts in the Bay Area. Right now the plan is to drive to the tour locations and haul the band’s equipment in our vehicles. We will be meeting with the tour managers in early June to finalize everything and discuss what is expected from the band in the way of behavior and delivery of their equipmen
t.”
“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity,” Melinda stated. “It may be that we just shut down our business during the time of the tour. I know that we both want to experience it and see how Daniel and the other band members deal with the ‘big time’, so to speak. And we would be happy to fill in as chaperones for any of the other band members or for Jason if Bill and Edith cannot go.”
“I’m not completely sure about everyone in the band,” Daniel declared, “but I believe that most of their parents want to go for the same reasons that Mom and Dad do. Tim’s dad is definitely in. After all he built that recording studio for Tim where we basically started the band. And Nick’s mom said that for an important event like this, she would schedule vacation time from her real estate business to be with Nick. Jonathan’s mother said the same thing. She is saving up her vacation days at the store where she works. I’m not sure about Eric’s aunt and uncle. Marilyn doesn’t work, but both she and Jorge don’t travel much. Eric mentioned that one of his cousins might go in their place if necessary.”
“We definitely will be attending the performance in San Jose,” Bill said. “I wouldn’t miss seeing Daniel and the other band members for anything!”
“Don’t worry about tickets or back stage passes,” Daniel said. “I am sure we will get a block of those for each concert, although the ones for San Jose will be at a premium.”
“I hope you won’t mind having a bunch of adult groupies at your concerts, Daniel,” Edith said with a smile.
“I couldn’t think of any other groupies I would rather have around!” Daniel said with a laugh. “After all, we wouldn’t be where we are today without your help and encouragement.”
Chapter 8
Jamie and Olivia
(Sunday)
The next morning, Jason and Daniel were up around nine. They had bowls of cereal for breakfast along with large glasses of orange juice. Their plan for the morning was to go off to the basketball courts they found yesterday and spend an hour or two playing hoops together. Their parents had decided to go over to the main building and have a leisurely Sunday brunch, something that was touted in the resort brochures. In the afternoon, they were planning to drive around to some scenic locations near the resort and have the boys join them for the tour.
Around nine thirty, Jason and Daniel took off for the basketball courts. Although it was cool in the morning, it was clear outside, and was expected to warm up substantially later in the day. When they arrived at the courts, they quickly got into playing. Getting together for one-on-one games had always been an important part of Jason and Daniel’s friendship, and was a way for them to work off tension, and clear their heads when they were concentrating on solving a problem, especially one associated with one of their cases.
Now that Jason was a member of the varsity basketball team at Merriam High School, and a regular member of star athlete Chauncey Jackson’s “A-list” players, it was harder for Daniel to keep up with Jason, whose skills on the court had really developed over the past year. Daniel did his best to keep up with his friend, and to his credit never gave up, even when Jason would get on a scoring run of multiple baskets. They also liked to play set shot games, where Daniel could be just as accurate a shooter as Jason when he concentrated.
After ninety minutes of play, the two friends decided to take a break and drink the bottles of water that they had brought along. “That was great, Daniel,” Jason said enthusiastically as he wiped the sweat off his forehead and face with a towel. “You still give me a good game every time we play together.”
“You are definitely more of a challenge to play against than you used to be,” Daniel said after taking a long drink out of his water bottle. “I always feel good after putting in the effort. The good news this time is there isn’t a problem to be brainstormed. None that I am aware of anyway.”
Jason and Daniel continued their small talk together, when they noticed a young boy walking over to them. As the boy approached, Jason looked up at him and smiled.
“You guys are really good!” the boy said, coming up to them and putting his hand out for a high five. “You must play on a team together.”
Jason and Daniel returned the high fives. Daniel said, “Jason here plays on the champion Merriam High School Team. I just try to keep up with him! What’s your name?”
“My name is Jamie,” the boy replied. Jamie was eleven years old. He was about five feet four inches tall, had curly brown hair, a freckled face with a pug nose. He was wearing an Oakland A’s baseball cap, a little league team tee shirt, shorts, and a pair of well worn, white Nike basketball shoes. “We are staying in the cabin right next to yours. I saw you guys dribbling the ball on your way here, so I thought I would check you out. I hope you don’t mind.”
“Not a problem, Jamie,” Jason said. “Did you come to get some basketball tips or something?”
Jamie looked down at his sneakers for a few moments. He shook his head ever so slightly back and forth. “No, not exactly.” He paused for a moment more and then said, “What I really wanted to do was ask you guys if you would be willing to play catch or throw a baseball around for a while. There is no one else around for me to play sports with, other than my little sister. And she’s no good at baseball!”
Jason laughed at Jamie’s response. “Well, Jamie, maybe we can help you out. I don’t know about Daniel, but I believe my mitt is in the trunk of our car. Do you have a bat and ball, Jamie?”
“Oh yes!” Jamie said excitedly. “I always try to bring my baseball stuff with me when we go on trips. It would just take a few minutes to go get it. And there actually is a baseball diamond with a batting cage area off to the side. We could go there and play if you want.”
Daniel got up from the bench where he was seated. “That sounds like a good idea for the two of you. I am going back to the cabin and work on my guitar for a while.”
The three boys walked back to the cabin area together. Daniel went inside the Hunter’s cabin to play his guitar, while Jason and Jamie got their baseball equipment. Jason retrieved his baseball glove from the trunk of his father’s car and went over to the front porch of the cabin where Jamie was staying. Playing on the porch was a nine-year-old girl wearing a light blue sundress and print canvas sneakers with flowers, hearts, and other shapes in bright neon colors.
A minute later, Jamie came back outside along with his mother. “This is my mom,” Jamie said in the way of introductions, “and that is my little sister, Olivia.”
“Pleased to meet you,” Jason said with a smile. “My name is Jason Hunter.”
“Hello, Jason,” Jamie’s mother replied. “My name is Abigail Newton. Jamie says that you are willing to play some baseball with him.”
“Oh yeah,” Jason answered. “We are going to walk over to the baseball diamond. Jamie says that there is a batting cage there also.”
“I hope that Jamie didn’t pester you into doing something you didn’t want to do!” Abigail went on. “He really loves to play ball whenever he can.”
“No problem and no inconvenience whatsoever, Mrs. Newton. Jamie isn’t the only one around here who likes to play ball. We’ll be back in an hour or so. Don’t worry about us!”
“All right. Have a good time,” Mrs. Newton said as the boys started to walk away.
Despite their age difference, Jason and Jamie had a good time together. Jamie was fairly skilled for his age, and once they determined a good distance to throw to each other, they started playing catch in earnest. Then they went over to the batting cage and worked on their batting. Whoever wasn’t batting would retrieve the ball, so even though they only had one baseball, they each got a lot of turns batting the ball. Next they went out onto the baseball diamond and worked on hitting and fielding.
* * * * *
Back at the cabin area, Daniel played his guitar for a while, and since no one else was around, decided to sing some of his songs. Across the road on her porch, Olivia heard Daniel playing the guitar and singing. Enthr
alled with the music, she went over and sat on the steps of the cabin where Daniel and Jason were staying. Olivia held her doll and swayed to the music Daniel was performing.
Finally, unable to resist any more, Olivia knocked on the cabin front door. When Daniel answered, she said, “That was the most beautiful music I have ever heard. Could I listen to some more? I hope I am not bothering you or anything.”
Daniel was a little surprised and flattered by this unexpected attention. “Hello, little girl. What is your name?” he said to Olivia.
“My name is Olivia, and my doll’s name is Annie,” Olivia said a little shyly.
“Okay, Olivia and Annie. I guess it is okay for you to come inside.” Olivia followed Daniel inside the cabin, and then over to his room where he had been practicing. Daniel then sat down on the bed with his guitar and sang several songs that he had been working on with his band. Then he put his guitar on the bed and talked to Olivia.
Daniel asked her about where she went to school, and whether she was involved in performing music at all.
“Not really, other than some singing that we do at school. I don’t take any music lessons.”
“Well, Olivia, music is something everyone should get involved with if they can. Are you interested in doing something with music in the future?”
Olivia looked away, as if she was preoccupied with something. Then she turned toward Daniel and gave him this enigmatic answer: “Oh yes, I am very interested. I will remember what I have heard today when I go through hard times in the future!”
Jason and Jamie put in a good half hour workout at the baseball diamond, and then decided to take a break. They sat down on one of the benches and talked for a while. Jason asked Jamie about what school he attended and what else he liked to do for fun.
“I go to Lanceford Middle School, which is okay. I get along okay and no one picks on me, so I am happy about that. My favorite thing outside of school is when I get to play baseball or other fun games like going on a scavenger hunt.”
Jason's Network Page 5