“Look, man. You’ve got on enough Old Spice to suffocate a small child, but I’d rather hitch a ride with you than ride withmy dad, and I’m not sure which car he’s in. I’m sure someone saw me get in your truck, so they’ll know I’m not left behind.But oh, how nice it would be to avoid this whole charade and not go at all.”
Gus stared at him long and hard. “Your pop seems like a fine fellow to me. And you strike me as an ungrateful brat.”
“Whatever. You don’t know him.” Jayce got in and leaned his head back against the seat, wishing the conversation with thisman would just end.
Gus finally started the truck, grinding the gears as he shifted, and followed the limos. Jayce did his best to breathe aslittle as possible. Luckily both windows were down.
“So what’s your dad done that makes you hate him so much?” They both bounced on the bench seat as the old truck caught a fewruts along the driveway.
“I don’t hate him.” Jayce slid on his sunglasses, hoping to avoid a conversation about the many reasons he despised his father. Hate was too strong a word.
They were quiet. Gus continued grinding each gear until they were on the highway at a steady, bouncy speed. By the looks andsounds of it, Jayce was surprised the truck even ran.
“I got a daughter who hates me too.” Gus’s mouth was set in annoyance when Jayce glanced over at him.
Jayce chuckled. “Gee, how could that be? You’re so friendly and likeable.”
“Kid, I’ll drop you on the side of the highway if you don’t lose the attitude.” He tossed a seething look in Jayce’s direction,and Jayce was pretty sure the man was serious.
“Okay, I’ll bite. Why does your daughter hate you?”
“None of your business.” Gus coughed so hard that the buttons on his red-and-white plaid shirt separated slightly. He waswearing suspenders that draped over his big belly to hold up his black trousers. Jayce couldn’t imagine what his father musthave promised him. A speaking role? Just someone in the background? Most likely he’d lied, since there wasn’t a place in thismovie for a big fat guy with a long ponytail sitting in the background.
“So, I’ve got another question for you.” Jayce turned to him. “Aside from your likeable personality and polite demeanor, whydo you rent a cottage from two Amish women? You’re clearly not Amish and the place doesn’t appear to have electricity. Whylive like that if you’re not one of them?” Then he snapped a finger. “Ah, they must let you live there for free.” He laughed.“Although, I can’t imagine why.”
Gus’s face turned as red as the barn back at the inn. “I pay those widows rent every month. And while your kind needs electricity and television and all those fancy things, I’m content to just get up and exist each day.”
“Well, you could be nicer to them. They’re sweet ladies.” Jayce yawned, knowing it was going to be a long day.
Gus roared with laughter. “The words Lizzie and sweet don’t go together. Esther is okay.” He turned to Jayce, sneering. “That wicked and crazy sister of hers is another story.She’s actually kicked me, more than once.”
Jayce tried to picture the tiny woman popping Gus with one of her black loafers, or maybe her bare feet since these peopledidn’t wear shoes all the time. “Hmm . . . I can’t imagine why she would do something like that.”
“Are you always this sarcastic? You’re on my last nerve, and we still have a ways to go before we get there. Maybe zip itup, sonny.” Gus coughed again, a deep, throaty wheezing that sounded like asthma or whooping cough, if that still existed.Jayce’s dad was a germophobe. If old Gus started coughing like that on set, good ol’ Dad would probably shove him in the water.
He thought again about Veronica having to make the dive.
He decided to stay quiet. No decent conversation was going to ensue with this miserable man.
When they arrived at Bluespring Caverns, they were greeted by three enthusiastic kids, clearly excited to have the film crewback. The boats were lined up and ready. Jayce went through the same drill as on Friday, trekking up and down into the cavernwith most of the equipment, staying at water level, the sunshine against his back.
Gus strutted around like he was the star of the show. Jayce’s father barked orders like he always did. When Jayce carried the last of the scuba gear to the dock and handed it to Hal, he heard his father talking softly to Veronica.
“Listen, the equipment has been checked and double-checked. We won’t have the problems we had Friday, okay?” His voice soundedcomforting, reassuring. Kind. “If you have any problem at all, we’ll pull you up right away. You okay?”
Jayce watched as Veronica nodded.
His father pushed back a strand of her hair, then kissed her tenderly on the cheek. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”
Jayce blinked a few times. Wow, he still loves her. He thought briefly how much it would hurt his dad to know Veronica was seeing someone else. It was a rare emotion for Jayce,sympathy toward his father.
But within seconds the man was back to firing off orders. He never spoke to or looked at his son standing on the dock as theboats pulled away. The only person looking at Jayce was Veronica, and she was white as a ghost, her eyes almost pleading withhim to go with them.
Never before in his life had he wanted to conquer his fear of enclosed places as much as he did right now. But every musclein his body trembled at the thought.
* * *
Esther relocated Lizzie’s personal items from her sister’s bedroom to her own, remembering to snag the books between the mattresses. Lizzie had at least fifty items on her nightstand—a dozen pill bottles, many of them herbal remedies for various aches and pains. There were also bottles
