Finder

Chapter 9

Over the next week Chelsea and Aaron got the Aster into the water and used it has our runner boat to get it ready for our journey.

Everyone else got the plan down while I could get my schoolwork done for the week. If we heard nothing in the next few days we were headed to Florida, while Pope and Kie stayed back. We'd head down so once they got the information we needed we could jump immediately.

It was late Friday great for night fishing. Pope and Kie were out on a date. Chelsea was mindlessly running around so I went to grab my rod and found Mr. Wright.

"You want to go fishing?" I asked him.

"I don't see why not. Cole watch your brother."

Mr. Wright and I sat down on the dock and casted a line each. Without speaking we sat for a long time. Long enough to see a car pull into the driveway and quickly leave.

"I'm gonna go check to see if Cole left. I will be right back JJ."

"Ok sir." I took his poll as he ran up the walkway.

A few minutes later Aaron came out with a blunt. "Wanna smoke?"

"Sure. Was that Cole leaving?"

"Nah, that was Chels. Her best friend Dorian came down from Durham. She said something about a date or something. Girl really needs to relax once and a while."

"Chelsea takes care of everyone doesn't she?"

"For sure. Her mama was the glue that held us together when she died, Chels took that role over. Mama Aster didn't even bat an eye when my mom dumped me at my dad's and took off for forever. She just scooped me up and went about her day as if I was always there. Chelsea is the same way. It was never your different from who I am, it was just we're siblings now."

"My friends and I do that for each other. We've relied on each other more in the last month than ever. Your grandfather, sorry step-grandfather did that with me. I hope he knows I appreciate it."

"Ken is the embodiment of a gentle giant."

We laughed and brought in a couple crappie. They were too small so we released them back into the water. After probably an hour we headed back inside to kill a large pizza.

Aaron was pretty cool, a guy of my own temperament and chill. We had some things in common but really that we were dock workers and had worked on similar boats. Mr. Wright even got us to play black jack with him.

The front door swung open revealing Chelsea and a kid with a bloody face.

"Help please." Chelsea calls out.

Aaron sprang to his feet and grabbed the kid. "Who did this?" Aaron questions.

"Don't worry." Chelsea reveals her bloody hand. "I got em back."

"Chelsea go wash up. There's blood on your clothes. Dorian, son do you think your nose is broken?"

"Maybe Mr. Wright. I have no clue to be honest. It's just painful as hell."

"JJ grab me a few kitchen towels, Aaron bring him to the bathroom and I'll go get Mr. Eberhardt across the street."

I grabbed the towels and helped Aaron bring Dorian to the bathroom where I previously helped Chelsea's cut stomach.

"What happened dude?"

"Some guy came over and sucker punched me. Just as I got my salad too. Chelsea just got up, kneed the guy in the balls and punched him out. I don't know who it was. I'm Dorian by the way. You must be JJ."

"Yeah, hey." I awkwardly waved at him but he couldn't see me.

Mr. Wright and Mr. Eberhardt came running in and took over from us. Chelsea came downstairs in new clothes. She had a giant textbook in hand that Aaron questioned her about. "Now?"

"Yeah."

Aaron tapped me to follow him as we were lead outside by Chelsea.

All of us climbed into the boat. Chelsea cracked open a hallowed out textbook that had weed and papers.

"I think I broke my hand." Aaron went to town rolling completely ignoring his sister.

"Who'd you punch?" Chelsea shook her head at me.

Aaron's phone started to ring. "Granddad, what's up? You want me to babysit right now. Okay I'll be back in five minutes. Mr. Eberhardt thinks he broke his nose." Aaron handed me the joint he was trying to roll and hopped out of the boat.

Chelsea stared down at her feet.

"Did you not want to say in front of Aaron?" Chelsea lifted her head.

"Yeah. If I say who its going to piss off more people than I want or need to."

"I'll pinky promise I won't tell." I extended my finger towards her.

"Okay."

Who do you think it is?