Jack:Are we not?
Blair:I guess we’re not not friends.
He didn’t know if that was a joke, so he didn’t know how to respond.
Blair:Can I come see this place?
Jack:Sure. It’s actually on the same lake as my dad’s house. It’s owned by a childhood friend. But again, if you don’t like it, there will be lots of other options, some of them probably much closer to the city.
Blair:I’ll come see it and decide.
Jack:You or your people? Do you have people?
Blair:I do have people. You just didn’t meet them. Except Tiffany.
Blair:This is what you meant about how you came in the back door and got to know me in a way other people don’t.
It was what he’d meant, he supposed, but he didn’t know how to respond.
Blair:Most people would meet me through “my people,” if they met me at all.
Blair:In a situation like this, I would normally send someone. But this is Green Light, so I’m coming myself.
Blair:I need a few other locations. You know how some of the book takes place in a convenience store? There’s a school, too, and a church. We can do them on a soundstage, but I figure while I’m there, I might as well have a look around. We’re working with the state film board, so we have some leads. Should I stay in Minneapolis or nearer this cabin? How far is it from the Twin Cities?
Jack:Two and a half hours.
A wild thought landed in his head.
Blair:Is there other stuff near it? Something that would work for the convenience store? If we can get a few locations in one area, that would be great for my budget.
The idea was getting louder, making more and more noise inside his head. It reminded him of the crow army when they started squawking.
Jack:Do you still see the crows?
He realized there had been no segue there, but she didn’t seem to mind the abrupt change in topic.
Blair:I do. I leave food for them. They miss you, though.
Jack:How can you possibly know that?
Blair:They left trinkets the first few days after you were gone, but once they realized it was just me, they stopped. They tolerate me, but they don’t love me.
Blair:I saved their offerings for you, which was dumb because I didn’t think I’d ever see you again. Hang on.
The squawking in his head got louder as he stared at his phone.
A couple minutes later, some pictures came through: an old brass car key, a blue marble, and a piece of aluminum foil.
Something turned over in his gut. It was just junk, but it was also… not junk.
Jack:You should stay at my place while you’re in town.
Jack:Mind you, you don’t get your own outbuilding. You just get a windowless den.
This was an unworkable idea. Blair would not want to stay in his condo.
Jack:It does have a door that closes, though.
