Page 66 of It Happened on the Lake

“You can! And you will!” Chase was insistent as a breath of cold wind swooped through the hills. “You’re leaving soon, right? This week? So, as far as we’re both concerned, this conversation never happened. Got it?”

“Got it,” Rand said as Chase dug into his pocket again and came up with a pack of Camel straights.

“Good.” Chase plucked out a cigarette and offered Rand the pack.

Rand held up a hand and shook his head.

Chase lit up and drew deep as he pocketed the pack and his lighter. “So, just to be clear,” he said, in a cloud of smoke. “What’re you going to do if I vanish?”

“Jesus, Chase, you’re not serious.”

“I am.” Chase’s voice was low.

“Then, nothing.” This wasn’t happening. The conversation had just gotten way too weird.

“And what’re you gonna say?” Chase prompted as the owl hooted again.

“Nothin’. Nada.”

“Swear?” Chase persisted.

“I swear,” Rand said, knowing Chase wasn’t going to go through with his nutso, drug-induced plan.

“Good.” He picked a bit of tobacco from his tongue. “But you have to do something for me, okay?” Chase’s voice was low. Somber.

“What?” Rand was wary.

“You have to take care of Harper.”

What was this? No. “What the hell are you talking about? You’re all over the place, dude. First you want her to get pregnant so you can marry her, then you’re going to break up with her, then you love her, then . . .”

“I don’t know, man!” Chase said and closed his eyes as if he were in pain. “I don’t fuckin’ know!” He took a long drag on his smoke, then flicked the butt into the river, the red tip arcing in the night before disappearing far below. “You’ll do it, right?”

Rand didn’t answer, and suddenly Chase snagged Rand by the neck of his jacket, strong fingers twisting the fabric as he pressed his face nose-to-nose with Rand. “Just say you’ll fuckin’ take care of her!” he hissed, smoky breath seeping from his suddenly tight lips. From deep in their sockets, his eyes reflected the thin moonlight.

Rand’s fists balled. This was crazy. “You’re what? Leaving? Disappearing, and you want me to take care of Harper? What about Levi? Can’t he do it?”

“Not Levi!” Chase spat out.

“He’s your brother—”

“NotLevi!” Chase repeated, his lips pulled back in anger, his teeth flashing. “Goddamn it, not Levi. He’s a prick!” he said vehemently. Rand knew there was a fierce rivalry between the brothers but hadn’t realized how deep it ran.

“Levi can’t be trusted,” Chase insisted. “It’s got to be you!” He jerked on Rand’s collar, almost pulling Rand off his feet.

Just like that, the scent of a fight crackled through the air.

Chase glared at Rand for a second. He was so close Rand smelled Chase’s sweat, mingling with the cigarette smoke. In the moonlight, Rand saw the sheen of perspiration on his friend’s face and noticed that his eyes were almost black, his pupils dilated to the point of obscuring most of the blue. On this near-freezing night when his own breath was fogging, Chase was sweating.

“You son of a bitch, you take care of her!” Chase ordered. Then, almost dismissively, “Shit, you’re half in love with her already!”

Rand was stunned at how Chase had read his emotions. He’d thought he’d been so good at hiding how he felt about Harper.

Apparently not. And now Chase sounded desperate. His fingers clenched more tightly over Rand’s jacket, and every muscle in Rand’s body tensed. His own hands curled into fists. He was ready for a fight.

“Do it! Swear it, man!” Chase shook the bunched jacket, yanking Rand even closer. The air crackled between them. “Swear to me that you’ll take care of her!”

“I’m leaving! Goin’ to fuckin’ ’Nam.” Rand’s own temper seethed, barely in check.

---