Killer Swell

14

“Did you use your Jew Kung Fu?”

Carter was stretched out on one of the deck chairs on my patio, a pair of sunglasses and blue board shorts the only things on his body impeding the rays of the sun. I sat in the chair next to him, recounting my morning, as we watched the sunbathers and tourists stroll by on the boardwalk.

“It’s called Krav Maga, moron,” I replied, irritated by his political incorrectness.

A half-eaten apple rested in his right hand. He waved it in my direction. “Whatever. Did you use it?”

I’d learned Krav Maga from a guy in college in exchange for a six pack and help with a lit paper. I asked him to teach me because I thought it was cool. I didn’t know that it would end up being a highlight on my resume.

“Yeah, I used it. The one guy wasn’t there to fight and the other dude wasn’t a problem,” I told him. “That said, there actually is a big problem.”

Carter sat up in his chair, lifted his sunglasses above his eyes, and let loose an earsplitting whistle that brought the pedestrian traffic on the walk to a halt. He pointed at a woman in a red bikini on rollerblades. “You are hot.”

When her look of alarm disappeared, she gave him a shy grin and continued on her way.

Carter turned to me, dropping the glasses back into place. “Big problem?”

I shaded my eyes against the sunlight. “Alejandro Costilla.”

Carter stopped in mid-bite and lowered the piece of fruit. “Come again?”

“The guys that were waiting on me,” I explained. “Costilla sent them.”

He stared at me for a moment, looked at the apple like it contained poison, then back at me. “Tell me you’re screwing with me, Noah.”

“Can’t. Wish I could, but I can’t.”

Carter fell onto his back and dropped the apple onto his bare stomach. “And you dropped one of his dudes?”

“Uh, yep.”

He adjusted the mirrored Oakleys that covered his eyes. “Well. Fuck me.”

“I know.”

I watched two teenagers at the shoreline strap on their leashes, pick up their boards, and run into the water, gliding the noses of their boards into the waves as they made their way out to the lineup.

I wanted to chase after them and forget about the new complications in my life. But I knew it wasn’t gonna happen at that moment.

Carter propped himself up on his elbows. “What the hell do they want with you?”

“Don’t know,” I answered. “They were waiting for me when I left the ME’s. Said that was where Mr. Costilla’s interest was.”

“With Kate?”

I nodded. “I guess.”

He picked up the apple and finished it methodically. He wiped his mouth with the palm of his hand, then looked at me. “What the hell was she into?”

It was the same question that had been dancing in my mind since I’d left them. They clearly knew why I went to see Minton. “They know about Kate’s death. Why does it matter to them?”

“I don’t remember Kate doing drugs,” Carter said.

“I don’t remember anyone we knew doing the kind of drugs it would take to draw Costilla’s attention,” I said.

Carter sat all the way up. He faced straight ahead at the tourists, the beach, and the water, but the sunglasses made it impossible for me to tell where his focus was.

“I don’t like this, Noah,” he said, finally, shaking his head slowly. “Costilla…we don’t want to get near him.”

I agreed with him, but didn’t know how to get out of it. “Unfortunately, that’s gonna be impossible to avoid now.”

He nodded slowly. “Yeah.”

“And I think the longer we wait, the worse it might get.”

Carter nodded again.

“Can you set up a meeting?” I asked, knowing that, with his connections, he could.

Carter lifted the sunglasses up and rested them on top of his head, the black of the frames contrasting with his white hair and bronze face. He cocked his head to the side, one eye open, the other closed. “Yeah. If you really want me to, I will.” He paused. “But you better be sure on this.”

Reluctance wasn’t something I was used to hearing in his voice, and that bothered me. Normally, he carried enough confidence for the both of us. And most of the rest of the human population, too.

“I think we have to,” I said.

He kept the one open eye on me. “Noah, if they’re interested in Kate, there’s a reason. Costilla doesn’t fuck around. And most likely, whatever the reason, you’re not gonna like it. Neither are her asshole parents.” He paused. “That gonna be something you can deal with?”

Two seagulls buzzed over the patio and out toward the water, chirping like angry lovers. Sitting on the patio, watching the waves, almost always felt cathartic, relaxing. Now, that feeling had turned to fear.

“We’ll see,” I told him. “We’ll see.”