“Funny how often alcohol’s involved when you do things you wouldn’t normally ever consider.”
Annalisa laughed again. “I’m such a fucking cliché. Getting wasted and getting it on with a chick on spring break. Only thing missing was the Girls Gone Wild camera crew.”
Zoe chuckled. “Yeah. I’m sorry, but you’re right.”
Annalisa groaned. “I know, I know.” She shook the glass. “I need a refill.” She started to rise. “Can I get you something?”
“No thanks.”
Annalisa paused with her hand on the door’s handle. “You don’t seem to be partying very much. Something wrong?”
“No. I just don’t feel like getting wasted. Maybe tomorrow night.”
“Suit yourself, party pooper.”
Annalisa opened the door and stepped back inside.
Zoe was happy to be alone again. The only person she wouldn’t mind spending some time with was Chuck, but he was too busy slamming the drinks back with the guys. And there was a nasty edge in the ongoing banter between Chuck and Joe. She kept expecting them to come to blows. It hadn’t happened yet, but it seemed like a real possibility. And it wasn’t just those two. Something had happened to poison the atmosphere between all of them. No. Not something. Someone. She knew who was to blame. She wasn’t completely blind. But it wasn’t something she wanted to deal with right now. It raised too many hard questions.
A strong and sudden impulse to be away from it all got her up and moving. A staircase at the left side of the balcony led down to the swimming pool. She hurried down the stairs and padded across the cement deck to the gate at the back of the pool. She opened the gate and glanced back at the house. The second and third floor balconies were both empty.
Good.
No one to see. No one to know where I’ve gone.
She closed the gate and crossed the short bridge to the barrier dune. She paused at the far side of the bridge to remove her sandals. Then she was moving down the beach, relishing the gritty feel of the sand beneath her bare feet. The gritty texture gave way to a spongy feel as she neared the water. The tide was louder down here. More primal. It was like the roar of some great and ancient beast. She waded into the dark depths, kept going until the water was nearly over her shoulders. She took a deep breath and dove.
Darkness enveloped her.
It was like floating in an endless, sightless void.
She wished she could stay there forever.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
March 27
The twenty-four-hour Walgreens on South Kings Highway in Myrtle Beach wasn’t exactly jumping at two in the morning. The three fugitives arguing in the hair-products aisle became the only customers in the store after an old lady with rollers in her pink hair hobbled out with her Geritol purchase.
“You’re going blond and that’s final.”
“You know, you keep saying ‘that’s final’ about things. You sound like a fucking dictator, Roxie.”
“That’s what I am.”
“I just don’t think blond is the way to go. It’s too obvious.”
Roxie snorted and rolled her eyes.
“I’m totally serious. My hair is very dark, almost black. A lighter shade of brown would be more subtle, less likely to draw a second look. You could even put in a bit of gel, I guess. How’s that for a compromise?”
Roxie smacked his chest with a box of Clairol Born Blonde. “Fuck your compromise.”
Rob stared aghast at the package pressed against his chest. “Come on, Roxie. This is for chicks. I’ll look ridiculous.”
Roxie seethed. “Rob. Pay attention. I’m starting to get pissed. Now think about that a minute. You really want me to lose it right here in the middle of this store?”
Rob groaned.
“AHHHHHHH!”
Julie couldn’t take it anymore. The scream just came out. It was a full-volume blast of rage and exasperation. Probably not the brightest thing she’d ever done, given that they were supposedly trying to avoid attention. But the nearly identical shocked expressions on her companions’ faces were totally worth it.
A lean black man in spectacles and a Walgreens vest poked his head in the aisle and said, “There a problem?”
Roxie summoned a high-wattage smile and batted her eyes at him. “No, sir. Just having a little disagreement. We’ll keep the volume down, I promise.”
His expression conveyed doubt, but after a pause he gave a terse nod. “If you need any help, let me know. My name’s Tod and I’m the manager.”
Roxie kept smiling. “Thanks so much.”
Tod turned and left them without another word.
Roxie sneered. “Gay.”
Rob shook his head. “Let me guess. Any guy who doesn’t fall down drooling at your feet is queer, right?”
“Obviously.”
“What about the frat boy you’re planning to-”
Roxie slapped a hand over his mouth. “Shut up. Fuck’s sake, Rob, you know not to talk about that shit where people might hear.”
Rob pushed her hand away. “And why should I care? Like it matters. Like there’s any way this thing ends in anything other than total disaster.”
Their voices had been rising again and Julie was unsurprised to see Tod the manager reappear at the end of the aisle. “Ladies. Sir. Please keep it down. You’re disturbing the other customers. If it continues, I’ll have to ask you to leave.”
Roxie’s brow creased. “What? Seriously? There aren’t any other customers.”
Tod’s expression remained stern. “Nonetheless. This is my store. So, respectfully, please be quiet. I won’t ask again.”
He retreated again.
Roxie scowled. “That miserable little-”
“Fuck this shit.”
Julie started walking away from them.
Roxie called after her. “Hey! Where are you going?”
Julie stalked quickly down the aisle and soon saw the automatic doors at the front of the store come into view. “Outside for some fresh fucking air. Problem with that?”
The door opened and she stepped out into the cool night air. The door whisked shut behind her, mercifully blocking the sounds of the ongoing feud. She moved a few yards down the sidewalk and dug into her purse for a pack of Marlboro menthols. The cop car pulled into the parking lot just as she was lighting up. The headlights hit her and she felt frozen to the spot.
Aw, shit. This just fucking figures.
She lit the cigarette and inhaled as the cruiser pulled smoothly into the spot directly facing her.
Well, this is it. Game over. Time to go home.
Or to jail.
Whatever.
The car idled there for more than a minute. Julie squinted against the headlight glare and was able to make out the shape of a big man behind the wheel. He didn’t appear to be doing anything other than just staring at her. She smoked the cigarette down to the butt and thought about lighting another. But she was too spooked to reach into her purse again. Too afraid to move at all. Finally, after several minutes, the driver-side door opened and a big man in a uniform stepped out. He was really buff, filling out his striped trousers and crisply pressed shirt in interesting ways. He saw her looking and smiled, an expression that lit up a face that was just shy of handsome. His eyes were a little too close together and his lips were too thin, but he had a strong jawline. Given the rest of the package, the face was more than passable.
The cop slammed the cruiser’s door shut and stepped up onto the sidewalk. The car’s engine was still running, the key still in the ignition. How arrogant was that? Fucking cops.
“Evenin’.”
Julie smiled. “Hey.”
The cop stroked his chin with a thumb and forefinger as he walked in a slow circle around her, looking her up and down. “Mmm…”
Julie swiveled her head but didn’t turn as he circled her again. “See anything you like?”