Her voice trailed off, and I thought she might start crying.
“Hey,” I said. “It’s okay.” I felt pretty proud of myself for finally getting to something that resembled the truth. “Whatever you’re mixed up in, you can tell me about it. I’m just here to help you and Beto.”
“I wish you could.” Her voice was almost a whisper.
I started to tell her what I could do, but someone from behind interrupted me. “She doesn’t have to tell you a single thing, Nitro.”
It was Tres. He stood in the doorway wearing a black button-up shirt with a black-leather sport jacket. Like he thought he really was some kind of gang kingpin.
“Look, it’s Casper the Friendly Ghost,” said Randy.
And Ashton goes, “Tres, what are you doing here?”
“I’m just worried about my big sister.” He sauntered into the room. “You know, Ash, you shouldn’t really leave the house. The parents wouldn’t condone that. Especially when it comes to meeting with these two dregs.”
“Why’s that?” I said. “Oh, wait. Let me tell you. It’s because you’re afraid your whole story’s going to come unraveled, aren’t you? Sure, maybe your sister was with Beto, but not because he kidnapped her. No, she stayed with him because she was afraid of you. You couldn’t stand that she fell for this guy you saw as some kind of low-class loser, so you overdosed him with something. I don’t know how, but you did. And she was afraid to tell Beto. After all, you’re still her little brother. How am I doing so far?”
Tres scratched his cheek. He couldn’t look me square in the eye, so he stared over my head. “To me, it sounds like something no one’s going to believe. I wouldn’t have to kill a kid like Hector to keep him from seeing my sister. I’d just pay him off.”
“But Hector wouldn’t take your money, would he?” I said. “He wasn’t that kind of guy.”
“Everybody’s that kind of guy.” Tres leaned against the wall. “In fact, I’ll bet you’re that kind of guy. Ordinarily, I wouldn’t even bother with you and your little guesses about what happened, but I can’t have you start throwing around Hector Maldonado’s name in connection with this. Not that I had anything to do with him. You think I’d ever believe my sister would fall for a nobody like that? But at the same time I can’t have his name out there. It just won’t do.”
He took out his wallet and started thumbing through the bills. “So let me tell you what kind of bargain I’m prepared to make. I have five hundred dollars here. I was going to let you have it all, but it looks like you’ll have to split it with your friend with the pubic mustache.”
Randy leaned forward in his seat. “Hey, buddy, don’t dis the ’stache.”
Tres disregarded that. “Two hundred and fifty apiece—that’s still a lot of money for guys like you. All you have to do is keep your mouths shut about this Hector business, and you can walk out of here a couple of wealthy individuals, and everything will be all right.”
“You have to be kidding,” I said. “You think I’d sell Beto out?”
But Randy’s like, “Wait a minute, Dylan. I could use two hundred and fifty dollars.”
I glared at him. “No, Randy, we’re not taking the money.”
“Think about it,” Tres urged. “You could buy all the stupid retro T-shirts you want. And your buddy—maybe he could get a date for a change.”
“I bet I get more tail than you,” Randy said.
And I’m like, “Forget it. As far as I’m concerned, your money’s no good.”
Tres snapped his wallet shut. “Too bad.”
Then Ashton jumped into the discussion, pleading, “Dylan, you should really think about taking the money. I know how you feel about Beto. Believe me, I do. And I wish there was another way, but this is bigger than you.”
Her blue eyes went watery, and I started to feel a little dizzy looking into them. But I couldn’t do what she wanted. “I’m sorry, Ashton. Maybe a few weeks ago I would’ve just taken the money, but not now.”
“That’s okay,” Tres said. “I have an alternative plan.” He walked to the open doorway, leaned out, and called, “Hey, Dickie, get in here, will you?”
Dickie? The name sounded familiar, but with the way my mind was racing, I couldn’t slow my thoughts down enough to grab hold of where I’d heard it before.
Then in through the doorway walked Sideburns himself, grinning maliciously. I bolted to my feet so fast my head went light. Randy stood up too. I didn’t know if he was scared, but he was sweating so much you would’ve thought he just took a hot shower.
“You have your switchblade with you, Dickie?” Tres asked, and Dickie’s like, “Sure do.” He pulled the knife from his pocket and flicked out the blade.
Ashton got up and walked to the side of the desk. “No, Tres, you can’t be serious.” Then to me, “Dylan, you have to take the money. Please, take it.”
“I can’t,” I said, but the words sounded weird coming out, like someone else was saying them.
Then Randy looked at Dickie and goes, “Are you one of those Wiccans? I heard they had a coven here. Is it true they know magic and stuff? I don’t believe in the whole broomstick deal, but I figured maybe they made potions and charms, that kind of thing.”
It was Randy’s dumb-ass routine all over again.