Page 25 of See No Evil

“How much they want for it again?” Axel shoved his hands in his jeans pockets, his dark brown cowboy boots sinking into the softer parts of the earth, still moist from the early evening downpour.

“Seventy-two.”

“And you said it’s five acres?”

“Mmm hmm. Five point three to be exact.”

Axel paced about, checking the place out, while the dogs played all around them.

“How much are the annual property taxes, Legend?”

“Range ’tween $450 and $470 for the past three years. I imagine it’ll stay that way, at least for the first couple of years or so.”

“That’s a little high for this area, Bearcamp Road ’nd all, but not unreasonable.” He drew quiet again, pausing in his walking. “We used to play over here in the summertime.” Axel pointed across the way. “You, me, Caspian, and them Walker boys. Baseball. Soccer. It looks so different now.”

“I know. ’Member there was a small run-down pool, and a candy shack? They sold pre-made sandwiches, bags of chips, ice-cream sandwiches, and Coke? We’d look at the girls changing into their swimming suits through that hole in the wall of that little building with the showers ’nd such?”

Axel burst out laughing.

“Shit, Legend. I forgot about that. Caspian’s dumb ass got us busted by jerkin’ off and making all those ridiculous noises as we watched ’em. He sounded like a fuckin’ hyena being electrocuted.” Legend snorted. “We were some pervs.”

“Yeah… Those were good times, though. They tore that all down, man. The pizza place, and the little liquor store up the street, and the ice cream shop across the way here. All of it.”

“How’d you find out it was for sale?”

Dior came racing past him with something dark in her mouth, the other two beasts hot on her tail. He was pretty sure it was a bird she’d copped, more than likely dead now as she ran like the wind with her prize.

“I saw it for sale online, man. They want a reasonable price for it. I figure, even though it’s going to take me a minute to finish school, I could build my restaurant here. I know exactly what I want it to look like. Mel is even drawing some sketches for me. You know she’s good at stuff like that. Anyway, I figure I could do it now, you know, grab this land, and then by the timeI’m finished wit’ school and training, got all my ducks in a row, it’ll be ready.”

Axel turned to Legend, his eyes lit up. “Legend, I think it’s an excellent idea.”

“Do you, really? I don’t know nothin’ about buying any land or anything like that, so I just—”

“No, this is good. This isrealgood. This ties into everything you said you wanted to do.” Axel resumed his pacing, only to stop again after a few moments. He twiddled a thin blade of grass between his fingers, while the birds chirped around them. His smile faded then. “I can’t keep you forever with me, Legend. I’d like to, because workin’ with you has been a real bonus. Not only are you good at what I trained you to do, but you bring a breath of fresh air to my company from your larger-than-life personality. You don’t get up in there and complain like some of the others. You just bust your ass and leave, like you’re ’sposed to.

“You’re real good company, especially for work that is oftentimes physically, mentally, and emotionally grueling. But I know you got yourowndreams. Tryna keep you by my side by offering more money ’nd such—that would be selfish. We’ve agreed this was temporary. You’ve got your own ideas, and I want you to see ’em through.’

Axel looked a bit sentimental—the last thing Legend wanted to see. He quickly turned away before Axel got more soppy on him.

“So yeah, you done good. Nice mature trees… plenty of room for parking. Hell, this is big enough fortworestaurants.”

“I know. I figure I can get this area over here dug up and paved,” he pointed east, “and put my restaurant right here.” He pointed west. “I want it to be a family spot. I was thinkin’ Southern food. Then I was thinkin’ naw, maybe a place where kids can get some real good chicken fingers, but grown-ups canget a steak cooked to perfection, a juicy slow roasted chicken, or some fresh salmon, and I even want a lil’ section on there for Puerto Rican food.”

“Now that’s different! I’m willing to be your test dummy!” Axel grinned.

“I know you are, and I’ll definitely take you up on that as I get the menu together. I remember one time my Aunt Andrea, my dad’s sister, came to visit us in Portland, all the way from Puerto Rico. She cooked the entire time she was there. My father was sick in those days. He recovered, obviously, but she’s passed on now. I’ll never forget her, or that delicious food she made. It inspired me, man. I remember sittin’ in the kitchen and watching every damn thing she did. It stuck with me. She taught me and Melanie a little Spanish, too.” He smiled to himself, thinking about those two weeks of culinary bliss and happiness.I learned the rest of my father’s first language later in my life on my own, with Melanie’s help. Aunt Andrea was a good person…He wished he’d gotten to spend more time with her. “Well, thank you for ridin’ out here with me.”

“You ain’t gotta thank me. That’s what we do. Support each other.”

“I’m going to put in an offer today, soon as we get back to my apartment. With the money I saved up, I’m payin’ for school, and I also have enough to do this. I can swing my bat at this opportunity.”

“Legend, you did it. Look at you, man. You’re thriving.Thisis the Legend I know… the one I remember. The goal-getter. The fighter.”

He began to chase after his dogs, playing and tussling with them, then stopped when he felt his phone vibrate. He pulled it out of his pocket and noticed a text message from Desiree.

What? She’s inviting me over again?

He quickly texted her back, accepting the invitation.

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