Part 6: Felix Plans a Photo Shoot.
Jess had not slept well during the night. The courage that had come with the adrenalin rush when he faced Kyler last night had worn off and his fear returned. Every creak or noise of the building during the night would make him sit bolt upright in bed and shiver at the thought that Kyler and his thugs had returned to torment him. He couldn’t believe they had given up on him so easily.
He was wide awake when dawn broke and decided to get himself through the bathroom before the rest of the dormitory rose. He would keep a low profile during the day to stay away from Kyler; anxious to avoid any repercussions from last night.
He rubbed his leg. It was sore and stiff and pained him when he walked. He dragged it behind him as he limped down to the cafeteria for breakfast. The attendant stood wide-eyed with surprise as Jess walked in.
‘We don’t get to see you down here at this time.’ She said with a good natured smirk.
Jess shrugged and mumbled, ‘Need to get an early start today.’
He ate alone at a corner table in the large room and was nearly finished when a bunch of joking students crowded into the room. He glanced up anxiously to see if Kyler was with them and exhaled in relief when he saw it was a bunch of Freshmen. Jess dumped his garbage in the trash can, stacked his plates and left to hide away and wait for the bell to start the day’s lessons.
At break time he went to his dormitory instead of going outside in the yard with his class mates, just to stay away from Kyler. Jess didn’t want to give him a chance to come back at him and worried that they might come for him again that night?
He looked out of the window and his heart missed a beat. He saw Felix Gleitner’s old blue Buick draw up to the school gate and Kyler sauntering across the yard towards it.
Jess pulled back from the window so he couldn’t be seen and stood and watched them with his heart in his mouth. Felix very rarely came to the school to avoid drawing attention to himself. It had to be something very important to make him do so today, and Jess guessed he was that reason.
* * *
Felix shifted across to the passenger side, wound down the window and scowled. He knew from the expression on Kyler’s face, his stance with his arms opened ready to deliver an excuse that the operation had not gone well last night.
‘What happened,’ he bawled at Kyler?
‘It ain’t no good Felix. We went to do it like you said and got him stripped down and ... Hell you should see the state of his leg. It’s got more colours than a goddam rainbow.’
‘What leg? What colours? What you talking about? Tell me what happened? Quickly. You know I can’t hang around here all day.’
Felix looked nervously around him to see if they were being watched. Kyler bent down to Felix’s face to whisper.
‘He’s been in an accident. A Limey ran him down off Charmain and he’s hurt- bad. The Limey’s paying his doctor bills, but that leg’s got more colours than Joseph’s coat so help me. It’ll be no good for you in pictures for a couple of weeks at least’
‘Shit and double shit.’ Felix nibbled his knuckle while he thought.’
‘You and the others, you did the business or not?’
‘No Felix! Not when we saw that leg. He told us to go ahead when he knew he had no choice, but he said he didn’t want to do it and the Limey’s fixing him up with paid work to cover his bills. Do you want us to do anything. To the Brit I mean?’
‘Nothing. I’ll tell you what and when. You say this Brit's giving him money?’
‘S’right Felix. Everybody’s talking about it.’
‘How much money?’
Kyler shook his head and grimaced. ‘Dunno, enough for him to stay at school.’
‘Is that so?’ Felix stroked his chin while he considered that implication. He came to a decision and looked sharply at Kyler.
‘That’s not good news, but we got another problem now. Charlie Vaughn from In- between Films is coming over at the weekend. He’s setting up a studio in Omaha for a session. They’ve got Duggie Bishop coming down for a beauty and the beast filming this weekend. I promised him Jess White. Now we ain’t got no beauty!’
Kyler whistled softly.
‘Wow! Duggie Bishop is that the ex-con and truck driver that’s 300 lbs of tattoos and mean muscle?’
‘That’s the beast, but like I said, I’m stuck now for a beauty. You got any ideas if Jess can’t do it’
Kyler looked doubtful and asked while Felix pondered.
‘That’s a bit tall for a first time out ain’t it Felix? How you gonna get Jess to do all that stuff with someone like the Beast? You should see how timid he is in the showers. It’ll be as much as you can do to get him to undress down to the buff- with folks watching, I mean.’
‘You leave that to me. There’s ways and means. You absolutely sure this Limey’s funding him through 12th grade?’
‘S’right. Want us to do anything?’
‘Maybe, Maybe I will at that. I heard Jess’s got a school bill he can’t pay. That right?’
‘’Bout 300 or more. The guy that used to pay his bills went and died.’
The worry lines left Felix’s forehead for the first time and a thin, sinister smile came to his lips.
‘Okay, I’ll call Charlie Vaughn. Some of you better stand by for action this weekend.’
Kyler reeled backwards.
‘Not me, not with Duggie Bishop, the Beast of Babel. No Way! That guy’s so big and mean and he’s rigged like a donkey. Not for me!’
‘You’ll do as you’re told.’ Felix snapped. ‘Just be ready. Leave Jess alone. In fact be nice to him. Just tell him I want to see him tonight after school. I’ll be waiting just down the road. Tell him to come and get in the car. It’ll be all right. He can get out anytime he wants. Now get going. I’ve got some calls to make.’
Felix drove off and Jess stepped back further into the room when Kyler turned his eyes scanning the windows of Jess’s dormitory. Jess felt a hand clutch at his heart. Kyler’s brief search confirmed to him that he had been the subject of their conversation; it seemed to him that thousands of butterflies took off at once in his stomach. Jess felt physically sick and rushed to the bathroom.
That’s where Kyler found him.
‘Hi, I’ve been looking for you,’ Kyler’s friendliness didn’t fool Jess who shrank back against the white tiled wall.
‘Why What’d you want?’
‘I just wanted to say sorry for last night. I just talked to Felix. Seems we got the wrong idea. He wants to talk to you, to put things right.’
Jess shook his head with vigour.
‘Not necessary.’
‘But Felix insists. He says he’ll wait for you tonight after school, just down from the gates. Just get in the car; Felix said it’ll be OK.’
Jess shook his head from left to right and back again to give emphasis. ‘I’ve nothing to say to Felix, besides I got an appointment tonight.’
‘It’ll only take a minute, no more. He just wants to talk to you and maybe apologise too for the misunderstanding. He says you got him all wrong. Tonight, after school, outside the gates. Be there. So long sodbuster.’
Kyler left with a cheery wave and Jess rushed back into the booth to be sick again.
* * *
Felix parked outside Harry’s Place and walked directly into the bar area. The four rednecks were already sat with butts overlapping the stools, unshaven and wearing yesterday’s clothes, sucking the first beers of the day.
They dropped the bottles from their mouths to greet Felix.
‘You guys live in here?’ He asked.
‘Just about Felix. Gotta have something to do all day, no work and all.’
It was the largest, longest haired redneck called Dwight that spoke. His lips tightened and his eyes glinted while the other three watched with vacant expressions and mostly empty bottles in their hands.
‘Now you wouldn’t have a little something on you to make the day pass a bit more agreeable now would you. Felix?’
Merv had come over and Felix ordered an ice and slice. The rednecks mouths turned down in disgust at his order, but they said nothing and waited until Merv had gone to fetch the soft drink.
Felix dropped two twists of white paper on the bar. Dean’s huge, hairy backed hand closed over them and he nodded agreeably.
‘That’s mighty kind of you Felix, much appreciated.’ The other’s nodded their appreciation ‘If there’s anything we can do for you anytime. Just say so.’
Merv had returned with his soft drink and Felix raised it to the rednecks.
‘That’s mighty comforting to know. I can count on your help if ever I have a problem. Here’s to you all.’