A Can of Coke

The Lucky Compass part 2

"I feel for you, kid. I really do. I know since they never found your dad, a part of you thinks he might walk through that door someday. I don't blame you. But goin' on fandangos ain't gonna bring him back. He's been missin' at sea for nine months. Your father's dead." Peterkin stared deep into my eyes as she lectured me. 

"You don't know that." I leaned back in my chair and stared at the ceiling. 

"Yeah, I do. And as hard as it is, it'd be best for you to accept it and move on. You've been runnin' around gettin' caught up in things that do not involve you. And now you in a heap of trouble. It's not just foster care we're talkin' about. It's assault, battery, JD time. I can still help you out, but we gotta do a little tit for tat. And this time, you gotta tat a whole lot better. I know you've gotten hold of a compass." 

My heart jumped into my throat as I shakily lied through my teeth.

"I don't know what you're talkin' about."

"I know you took it off the wreck. There ain't much that happens in the OBX that I don't hear about eventually."

Trying to gather information, I asked, "Okay, what do you want with this compass?"

"It's evidence in an investigation. I'm gonna need it, son. Otherwise, I'm charging you." She folded her arms sternly. 

"I don't know what you're talkin' about. I don't have a compass." I concluded, not trusting her and not wanting to let go of this mystery. 

~~~

"Mija! You know better than this!"

"I know, Abuela, I'm sorry." Crickett sighed as she ran her hand through her silky hair. 

"Thank you, Mrs. De Leon." I looked down at Crickett's grandmother, equally grateful and terrified.

Mrs. De Leon was a fiery old woman with a temper to challenge Satan, but she dearly loved Crickett, so my interactions with her tended to feel like whiplash. 

"Don't thank me. It's only cuz my Crickett's sweet on you, and I'm sweet on her, that I helped you out." She said very gruffly, barely making any eye contact. 

A small smile formed on my lips--Crickett still didn't tell Mrs. De Leon. 

"John B, stop being a bad example for my nieta, or I won't have you over for dinner ever again." 

"Yes, ma'am."

Crickett gently waved a shy goodbye as her and Mrs. De Leon walked down the street back to the smoke shop.

~~~

"Hey, employee of the month, where the hell you been? You takin' some me time? Ward C's lookin' all over for you. You know he don't like to wait." One of Ward Cameron workers called out to me. He gestured toward and awning and said, "He's over there."

Sagging my head, I made my way to Mr. Cameron.

"Have a seat, John." Ward said, pointing to a chair. 

"Yes, sir." I responded with my heart beating a thousand beats a second. 

"Who dotted your eye?"

"Surf... surfing accident." With the way Mr. Cameron was staring at me, I could tell he wasn't buying it. 

"You've had a hard year, John. A very hard year. I feel like I've done what I could to help you. Would you agree with that?" 

"Yeah. Yeah. Yes, sir." I gulped. 

"I told you you could always come to me if you ever need anything. Is that true?"

Shakily, I responded, "Yeah. I mean, you said you'd help me with my DCS case."