Riven - Jerry B. Jenkins [138]
“How long do the batteries last?”
She swore.
“What?” he said.
“You’re going to need a charger, too.”
“A what?”
“I’ll send you a box of cookies. Everything you need will be in the packaging. Gotta go.”
She cares.
It was all Brady could think about. Aside from ugly Agatha, shallow high school girls who loved the novelty of squealing about the bad boy, and his series of one-night stands, real women had rarely given him a second glance. And Katie North was hot. Not to mention rich. How much must a cell phone cost?
Within a few days Bill and Jan were teasing Brady about having a girlfriend who sent him cookies in an overnight package. He was careful to share them with everyone. He was left with just one, and it wasn’t that great. But it wasn’t the cookies that mattered. He also found the charger and the phone manual, and he forced himself to read it until he figured the thing out.
He plugged it in to a socket next to his bed and kept everything hidden. Several times a day he stole away to his room, locked the door, and checked for messages. Texting was a frustrating chore, but he learned the shorthand and enjoyed keeping up with all of Katie’s exploits. Despite her ankle bracelet, her girlfriends brought her everything she needed and wanted.
“It won’t be long,” she told him one night, “before I’ll be able to use my car again.”
And it wasn’t just any car. She had a Mercedes, the big four-door sedan.
When do they let u out 4 rides? she texted him late in the afternoon one day.
Free 2 come and go, but curfew, he keyed back. Long as ur not a felon.
Make sure. Tomorrow at 2.
Brady met with Jan and Bill. They seemed amused at the budding relationship, but their smiles faded at his request. “We can’t really say no,” Jan said. “But your parole officer needs to know. And we have to know where you’re going and exactly when you’ll be back.”
“Is there any way I can transfer?”
“Transfer?”
“Parole officers. It’d be a whole lot easier if one of you could take over for my guy. He works down by County, and it’s hard to get there. And I don’t think he likes me or trusts me.”
“Trusting you isn’t his job,” Bill said. “He’s supposed to suspect you and keep an eye on you.”
“But you guys always talk about trust and respect, and I feel that here.”
Jan looked at Bill. “You have served as parole officer for a few of the guys.”
“Once they’ve completed the course, yeah,” Bill said. “Never before.”
She shrugged. “Maybe the county would make an exception.”
“I’m willing,” Bill said. “But no promises.”
“I’d sure appreciate you trying,” Brady said. “When I get out of here, I want to find a place to live right here in town.”
“You’re doing well, man,” Bill said. “I’ll see what I can do. Meanwhile, why don’t you and Miss North just plan on an hour or so tomorrow.”
“Let’s be specific,” Jan said. “Make it ninety minutes. You’re back here at 3:30 sharp. And where will you be going?”
“Just out for a snack, I guess. No big deal.”
“Good idea. She has to sign some papers, you know. And we have to see documentation that she’s no longer monitored and is free to do this.”
The next morning, Brady raced through his chores, showered, shaved, and dressed in his best and cleanest clothes. Katie showed up early with a letter from her parole officer and signed everything Bill and Jan required, promising to have Brady back right on time.
It was all he could do to keep from running to her car, but she kept telling him to just stay cool. She pulled away slowly, Brady marveling at the interior of the coolest ride he had ever enjoyed.
“First time in a Benz,” he said.
“Really?”
“You kiddin’? ’Course.”
“You wanna drive?”
“I don’t even have a license.”
“Then don’t do anything that would get you stopped.”
She pulled over.
“You’re not serious,” he said. “Are you?”
“As serious as this.” She climbed from behind the wheel directly into his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck.
After a few minutes of passionate kisses, during which Brady worried about dying of a heart attack, she said, “Your turn to