Dawn Patrol - Don Winslow [128]
So the two of them went to the cafeteria, got some coffee and some junk food, and went back together to the room and waited together through the small hours, until Boone woke up and asked about the little girl.
Now he looks over at Sunny and asks, “You ride your wave?”
“You bet.”
“You’re a big star now.”
“I am,” Sunny says. “I’m surprised I’m even talking to you.”
Boone sees Petra. “Hey.”
“Hey.”
She looks him in the eye for a second, then looks away, afraid she might start to cry, or show a sudden shyness she’s never felt before.
Dave the Love God rescues her. He gets up, walks over to the bed, takes Boone’s hand, and says, “Hey, bro.”
“Hey.”
“You look like hammered shit.”
“That good?” Boone says. Then he adds something that convinces everyone but Dave that he still has one foot in the fun house. “Hey, Dave?”
“Yeah?”
“Eddie never saw The Searchers.”
152
Dave’s still there that afternoon when Boone says, “I have to get up.”
“You have to lie down,” Petra says. “You have a major concussion.
They want you to stay here at least two more days for observation. They’re going to run some tests, see if you have brain damage. Although, how’d they tell …”
“There’s something I have to do,” Boone says. He forces himself to sit up, then swings his legs out and puts his feet on the floor. It’s sketchy, but he manages to get his legs underneath him and stand up.
“Boone …”
He’s not listening. He gets dressed and walks down the hall toward the lobby. The nurses ignore him—they have their hands full with people who want help and have no time for people who don’t. Johnny follows him in case he falls, but Boone doesn’t.
Petra’s out in the hallway. “Dave, don’t let him be an idiot,” she says. “Bring him back.”
Dave opens the door for Boone and follows him out.
153
They drive south on the 101.
Boone sits in the passenger seat and looks out the window.
Beautiful, beautiful day.
Deep blue ocean.
Deep blue sky.
The big swell is almost over.
“So?” Boone asks.
They’ve been friends forever. They’ve ridden a thousand waves together. They’re going to tell each other nothing but the truth. Dave tells him all about his work for Red Eddie.
“Did you know?” Boone asks. “About the kids?”
“Not until that night,” Dave says. “I called Johnny. I didn’t know what else to do.”
Boone nods.
They both know what to do now.
154
Boone paddles out.
Eddie’s on the line on the inside shore break.
“Yo, Boone Dawg!” Eddie yells. Then he sees Boone’s head. “What happened to you, my bruddah?”
“A little aggro.” Boone juts his chin to the outside reef. The waves aren’t giant anymore, but they’re big, and they’re breaking outside. “Let’s go outside, Eddie! You got the balls?”
“Dangling, brah!”
They paddle out, side by side, then pull up along the shoulder beside the break.
“We need to talk, Eddie.”
“Talk.”
“The girls,” Boone said. “That was your operation.”
“No, brah.”
“Yeah, it was,” Boone says. “The whole story about Dan owing you money was bullshit. You were just trying to cover your pathetic ass.”
Eddie’s not used to being talked to like that. His eyes get hard. “Watch yourself, Boone.”
“You broke your word to me, Eddie,” says Boone. “You told me you’d leave Tammy Roddick alone.”
“Hey, that was Dan, not me,” Eddie says. “I didn’t promise anything about Dan.”
“You’re dirty,” Boone says. “And you make everything and everyone around you dirty. I brought you into The Dawn Patrol and you made it ugly. You destroy everything around you, Eddie, just like you took those little kids and destroyed them. I’m sorry I met you. I’m sorry I pulled your son out of the water, if he grows up to be anything like you.”
“You ever going to grow up, Boone?”
“Yeah,” Boone says. “I am.”
He shoots out his leg and kicks Eddie off his board.
Eddie falls into the water.
Boone wraps Eddie’s leash around his own ankle and watches as Eddie tries to sit up and let himself loose. But Eddie can’t reach the Velcro strap around his ankle. He turns and tries to swim, tries to bust to the surface, but Boone back-paddles like