“It was up north here. He was coming down from the UP…”
“That was a tough couple of days, when we were filming that scene. He doesn’t like to talk about it much, so you can imagine. I mean, it was really hard to relive it. I could tell it took a lot out of him.”
“He played the part himself?”
“We had another actor playing the young CC, but the later years… yeah, a little makeup and he can still pass for sixty.”
“Okay, so this scene with his daughter…”
“They let us use a holding cell over at the county jail. He had to take himself back to that day, when he found out. I swear he just about broke his hand on the wall all over again. And it wasn’t even real this time.”
“Maybe it’s always real,” I said. “No matter how many years have gone by.”
“I was just a kid back then.” He looked down at his hands. He was taking deep breaths now. Still scared, and now with this other family business… he was really starting to sweat.
“Don’t bring it up with my grandfather,” he said. “Okay? That’s the one thing I have to ask you. He’s relived it enough.”
“Okay, I got it. Just tell me, where is he right now?”
“I don’t know. He’s probably at his house. Like I said before, just resting.”
“Can you take me there?”
“My father would kill me if I did that.”
“Can you just tell me where the house is?”
“My father would find out I told you. And he’d still kill me.”
“Your father’s a little crazy, too, I take it?”
“He’s one-quarter crazy. That’s the official amount, he says. Just ask him.”
“So that means you’re what, one-eighth crazy?”
“That sounds about right.”
I couldn’t help smiling at that. “Okay, well, I don’t want to get you into any more trouble. Maybe I’ll just go talk to your father. Conrad, you said his name is?”
“Yeah, but he goes by Connie. He hates it when anybody calls him Conrad.”
“He’s gonna hate a lot more than that today, I got a feeling.”
“Just do me a favor,” the kid said. “If you talk to my grandfather today-”
“Don’t mention his daughter. I got it.”
“No, besides that. Just take it easy on him, okay? He’s really not in good shape these days.”
“What’s the matter with him?”
“Well, come on. He’s seventy-two years old.”
“There’s young seventy-two and there’s old seventy-two,” I said. “I thought he was a real tough guy back in his day.”
“He was, but after everything he’s been through? Drugs and prison and whatever else? He’s still getting his strength back, he says. But it might be too late.”
“How’s that?”
“Why do you think he’s doing all this? Coming back here, making up with my father. You know, those two haven’t exactly been close for a long time. My grandmother, she sorta took him away when things started getting too crazy. He was like seven years old then, so he didn’t see much of his father for a long time. Once in a while, maybe, when CC was trying to get things together again. But now that CC’s on his last lap, like he says, he’s trying to make things right. Just these last couple of years, after he got out of prison. Getting back with whatever family he has left, buying the theater, making this movie. Telling his story, how he came through all the madness and the drugs and everything. It all makes sense, right?”
“It does. It’s making more sense every minute.”
“It’s just like he told me,” the kid said, summing it all up and sending an icy chill right down my back. “He doesn’t have much time left, so he’s finally doing all the things he should have done long ago.”
That was all I needed to hear. It was time to go find Clyde C. Wiley.
And we’re rolling…
… Let’s get a nice buildup on this one, okay?
… Yes, that’s it. Nice and slow.
… Where is he? He’s in here somewhere! We’ll get some really great music here.
… You can’t hide, Sergeant Steele.
… There you are.
… Oh, and who’s this?
… I don’t believe your husband would approve of this, ma’am.
… Nice walk-on, by the way. We can use that. You’re a natural.
And cut.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
The man behind the counter had the two sandwiches ready for Sean to take back to the studio. I told him to keep his money in his pocket, paid for both of the sandwiches myself, and gave him his.
“It sounds like you’ve been working pretty hard,” I said. “You must really love this film business.”
“Are you kidding? If you’re a Wiley kid, CC gives you a camera as soon as you’re old enough to hold one.”
“I bet you really know how to use it. But as for right now, why don’t you go on home. I think you just got the rest of the day off.”
“That’s not gonna go over very well. I should really talk to my father first.”
“Trust me on this one, okay? You go home. I’ll tell him I gave you no choice.”
He still didn’t look convinced, but eventually he agreed. I thanked him for sitting down and talking with me, then I sent him on his way. I took his father’s sandwich with me and I headed down the street to the Grindstone building. When I got to the front door, I rang the buzzer. I heard the door unlock. I pushed the door open and went inside.
“What the hell took you so long?” the man said. Just like the first time I’d been here, he was inside the little cubicle in the back of the big room, staring at the video screen, and he did not turn around to see me. He was wearing a different shirt today, but over it he still had the same leather vest.
“Sorry for the delay,” I said. “Your son and I were having a little talk.”
He spun around in his seat. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“It’s time for you and me to talk now.”
“Where’s Sean? What did you do to him?”
“Nothing. I told him to take the rest of the day off.”
“You can’t just walk in here like that. I’m calling the police.” He picked up the phone and started hitting the numbers.
“I’ll tell you the same thing I told your son,” I said. “It’s a felony to lie to a federal agent. While you’re calling your local police, I’ll be calling the FBI.”
He stopped dialing. “What are you talking about?”
“You know what I’m talking about,” I said, taking out my cell phone. “Go ahead, make the call. How’s your cell service here, anyway?”
I started hitting numbers on my phone at random. I could have looked up Agent Long’s number if I really wanted to, but I was hoping I wouldn’t have to.
“Not bad,” I said. “Better than the UP. This call should go right through, no problem.”
“Just hold on,” he said. “Before we both go stirring up trouble.”
“I want to see your father,” I said, putting my phone away. “Right now.”
“Why?”
