Elle Jones

Chapter 32: Movie Production

After inviting her inside, Austin found a chair for Erykah to sit in while I dialed Lisa's phone number.

"Hello?" said a trembling voice.

Hearing the sounds of wailing police sirens and someone sniffing in the background made my heart to twist into a series of complicated knots. I suspect that Lisa was in the Christian orphanage, probably talking to the cops about their new recruit going AWOL.

Clearing my throat, I responded: "Hi Lisa, it's me, Jack Cassidy. How are you?"

Slowly, I turn to Erykah, whose doe brown eyes were big as marbles.

Her arms were crossed in a nervous manner; Erykah's front teeth sank into her bottom lip as the color drained from her face. Sitting beside her in Austin, who leaned his back against the wooden desk. 

His white blonde hair draped over his eyes like spaghetti, prompting the artist to tuck it behind his ears. But the more Austin moved it, the more his natural locks popped out from his neck. Sighing, Austin wandered over to his backpack--which sat on his bed--rummage for a gray woolen hat and put it on his head.

In the meantime, I try to reassure Lisa through the phone. Patient and friendly, convincing her that Erykah is fine will be a breeze. However, since Joseph is hunting me down, I have decided to spend at least five minutes on Austin's cell talking to Lisa.

That way, the authorities couldn't track our location and throw us in prison--or, at least that is what people do in procedural cop shows.

"Hi, Lisa," I say kindly. "How are you?"

"I don't know," she wept. "I was going to the kitchen to make some lunch when I notice Erykah's bunk bed didn't have any of her belongings."

"Oh my God," I gasped, pretending to be shocked. "She ran away?"

"Yes." Lisa sobbed. "I have called the police, but they said they were preoccupied with some director's missing ashes."

"Calm down," I advise. "Don't worry about it, I will find Erykah and bring her home."

"Are you sure?" she inquired. "But--"

"It will be fine," I say in a reassuring manner. "As soon as I locate Erykah, I will let you know."

"Thank you, Jack." Lisa beamed. "You are such a good friend."

I smile. "No problem. Goodbye now."

Immediately, I hang up the phone, hand it back to Austin, and scowled menacingly in Erykah's direction.

"Are you fucking crazy?" I screeched. "Do you know how worried Lisa is?"

Erykah frowned.

"I don't like it there," she replied simply.

I angrily cross my arms.

"I don't care," I shot back. "you are going back to Brooklyn, and you are going to tell Lisa that you are sorry."

"Or what?" she challenged. "You're gonna call the police?"

I glared at Erykah with intense eyes but didn't say anything.

'"Oh, wait." she says in a mocking tone. "You can't, can you?"

"Leave her alone, " Austin growls, tightening his jaw. "You know, Jack is right: you should be heading back to New York."  

Immediately, Erykah's taunting grin vanished as she held up her hands in self-defense.

"Relax," she said calmly. "I am not going to narc on you, Austin."