'Could be. Assuming we are dealing with a curse. We can't be completely certain in any case. Who the hell knows? None of us are exactly experts on. '
In spite of the finger plugging his ear, he couldn't hear Scott's words. The din of the helicopter was too great. 'I can't hear you,' Flash said. 'It's no use. Thanks for calling. And the invitation. See you tomorrow, huh? So long.' He hung up.
The air around him, the house itself, seemed to be shaking. What's that asshole up to? Trying to land on the goddamn roof? He took a step away from the wall, and kicked over his beer can. 'Shit!'
'You behind the tree,' a voice boomed. 'THROW YOUR WEAPON TO THE GROUND AND STEP INTO THE LIGHT WITH YOUR HANDS ABOVE YOUR HEAD.'
Flash charged into the living room. Alice was pushing herself off the couch, her good arm stretched toward Rose, who was rushing for the front door. 'Stop!' he shouted at the girl.
'I REPEAT, THROW YOUR WEAPON TO THE GROUND AND. '
Flash caught Rose by the shoulder as she reached for the doorknob. He yanked her back. 'When I tell you to stop — '
The boom of a gunshot broke through the noise.
Flash threw open the door.
'No!' Alice cried.
He lunged outside and stopped on the lawn. As he'd thought, the copter was hovering low over the house. The white beam of its searchlight was fixed on the trunk of an elm near the street. Behind the elm crouched a man with a revolver. The gun was aimed high. It jumped, blasting another shot at the chopper.
A patrol car, siren blaring, lights spinning red and blue, hurled around the corner at the end of the block.
The man fired again. Flash heard the slug smack into metal.
'You bastard!' he cried out as he raced at the man. The rotor blades threw a hot wind down on him.
In 'Nam, he'd felt the same hot wind as an army gunship descended to pick him up. It meant safety. Survival. In seconds, if a VC bullet didn't chop him down, he'd be airborne after six days of hiding, dodging enemy patrols. No bullets found him, that morning, but a rocket found the gunship as it hovered closer, and it tumbled in flames, shaking the jungle floor as it hit.
If that fucker falls on the house.
But the gun wasn't aimed at the chopper anymore. It was lowering toward Flash as he ran at the man, as the patrol car skidded to a stop, as the chopper soared over him, no longer threatening the house. It's all right now, he thought. And heard a gunshot.
Nick, pacing the theater lobby, looked jumpy. He seemed to sag, as if worn out, when Julie approached him. His eyes stayed on her face, and she didn't think he'd noticed, yet, what she'd done.
'What's wrong?' she asked.
'I was just. You were in there so long.'
'Sorry about that.' She took his hand. 'Did I worry you?'
'I was starting to wonder if…' He shrugged.
'Nothing happened,' she said. They crossed the lobby and left the theater. 'I'm sorry if you were worried. There was only one stall with a door on it. Seemed like everybody was waiting for that one. Me included.'
'Oh. Well. I'm just glad nothing went wrong.'
In spite of the night's warmth, Julie was trembling as they strolled along the sidewalk. She felt excited and daring.
'Where do you want to go?' Nick asked when they reached the car. He sounded very nervous. 'Do you want a sundae or something?'
'Why don't we just drive around for a while?'
'Sure. Okay.'
He started the car and drove out of the parking lot. Julie wished she could scoot over and snuggle against him, but the bucket seats would make it awkward. Deciding to wait, she fastened her safety belt. The pressure of the harness across her breast sent a pleasant tingle through her.
'Anyplace special?' Nick asked.
'No. I'll know it when I see it. Why don't you make a left up here?'
He turned, leaving behind the traffic of Ventura Boulevard. Except for occasional streetlamps, the road was dark. Lights shone in the windows of houses, but Julie saw nobody wandering about. Dark, empty cars sat in driveways and lined the curbs. At a Y in the road, Julie suggested they go left. The road narrowed as it climbed into the hills. There were fewer streetlights, fewer houses. As headlights appeared on the curve ahead, Nick swung in behind a parked Toyota to make room. A Mercedes eased by, and he pulled out again. He drove forward, slowing at each bend.
Julie spotted a steep lane to the left. 'Why don't we try that one?'
'It's not a through street,' Nick told her.
She nodded as she read the sign. 'That's okay.'
'Hope you don't get us lost.'
'All we've gotta do is point the car downhill.'
'You're the navigator.' He turned, and started up the grade. There were no streetlights. They passed a few driveways on the right, apparently leading to houses nestled unseen on the wooded slopes above the road. To the left, beyond the guardrails, the hillside dropped away. The lights of scattered houses were visible across the ravine.
'This is nice,' Julie said. 'Why don't you park along here someplace so we can enjoy the view?'
'Okay,' he said in a whisper she could barely hear. A few moments later, he eased the car to the right. The right-side tires crunched over the ground. The branches of a bush on the slope scratched against Julie's window. Nick killed the headlights. He turned off the engine, and a heavy silence filled the car. He stared out the window. 'Not much of a view from here,' he whispered.
'This is fine,' Julie said. Her mouth was dry.
Nick took off his safety harness. He glanced at the side mirror, the rearview mirror.
'Anyone coming?'
He shook his head. 'I wonder if we're off the road far enough.'
'I think it's all right.' She opened her seat belt and pushed it out of the way. 'Besides, there's not a whole lot of traffic.'
'Pretty isolated up here, isn't it?'
'Yeah. Dark, too.' With a smile, she asked, 'You scared?'
'Nah. Are you? We can go someplace else if you want.'
'This is just fine,' Julie said.
Nick turned in his seat. Though light from the half-moon spilled in through the windshield, shadows hid his face. His eyes were patches of darkness, but Julie felt his gaze like a warm caress. She saw him lick his lips. He wiped his hands on his slacks. Then he reached out with one hand and gently stroked her cheek. Turning her head, she kissed his palm. The hand lingered for a moment, then curled around the back of her neck and urged her closer.
She wrapped her arms around Nick. She kissed him. He caressed her face, her hair, her shoulders.
He was too far away from her. They were both turned sideways on the bucket seats, twisted awkwardly and leaning in across the gap. She was uncomfortable and frustrated. Finally, she whispered, 'I wasn't made to bend this way.'
'Oh.' Nick let go of her. 'I'm sorry. Did I hurt you?'
'Don't be silly.' She brushed her lower lip against his mouth. 'Let's get in the backseat.'
'You want to?' Straightening up, he looked up and down the road, as if to make sure the coast was clear.
