Page 138 of Joey

He says, “You know, you’ve always been a weird dude.”

“Me?” I laugh. Pointing to my chest. “You. You’re the weird one.”

“Yeah, but I’m called Waldo,” Wald says, standing up and straightening his pants. “Weird is just part of my image. You’re Joey Boston, you know? And all this time I’ve known you I’ve been waiting for that dude to show up. But he never did.”

I look at Huck, confused. He shakes his head and says, “Don’t look at me. I’m not bailing you out of this one.”

“Bailing me out of what?”

“You want to disappear,” Wald says. “You’ve always wanted to disappear. And OK. Maybe that’s because Johnny planted that little seed in your head after we graduated college. I’ll accept that. But you’re one of the most powerful men in the entire world, Joe. Do something with it.”

“It’s not mine,” I say. “None of that power belongs to me.”

Wald comes at me, puts his hand behind my neck, leans in, and just as I think he’s going to kiss me, he stops short and says, “Then make it yours, Joe. And then,” He and I lock eyes. “Give it back.”

He holds me like that. Locked into this eye-to-eye position, and stares at me.

“I don’t even know what that means,” I say.

“I don’t either,” he says. “But we’ll figure it out. So to answer your question one more time. No. We’re not done, dude. We’re just getting started.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT - BROOKE

The trip to see Johnny Boston involves a lot of things. First of all, a private car. And a ride over to a place called the Bossy Building. Which I kinda knew about. Then a trip through a pretty elaborate security set-up, then an elevator ride, then off on some floor that involves a hallway, and a stairwell, and some security codes, and then finally—fucking finally—I am led into his office.

I tell myself this whole way over, this whole way up—that I am not afraid of this man. I am his brother’s fiancée. Or, at the very least, his friend.

I tell myself that there is almost no possible way I get hurt by doing this. He’s not going to attack me, or throw me out a window, or whatever the fuck he does to people who piss him off.

The very worst that can happen is that he doesn’t respond to my request.

That’s what I tell myself.

But the reality is, when I finally walk through that last door into his office, when I’m at the top of that building and everything down below seems so very, very far away, when there’s no one left and it’s just him and me… I become afraid.

He’s sitting in a chair facing the window when I enter. Knees bent and booted feet pressed flat against the glass. Hands behind his head, kinda leaning back.

There is no view. We’re so high up there’s nothing to see but sky. So he’s looking at clouds.

I get the impression he fancies himself a god.

“Johnny Boston?” I say, forcing my voice to project strength and confidence. “I have business with you.”

He doesn’t say anything. Doesn’t even move. Just stares out at the clouds slowly moving past the window.

I wait. Trying to be patient. But I’m suddenly weary. All this feigned courage and the long way up just to get to this final spot have weakened my resolve to make him help me.

“Hello?” I say.

“You lied to me,” he says. And suddenly his feet are on the ground, the chair has swiveled around, and he’s standing.

Glaring at me.

“I’m… not lying now,” I say.

“No?”

I shake my head. “I really am Joey’s girlfriend.”