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“Hmm. Probably nothing.” He stutter-hesitated on the other end. “You said to call if I saw anyone... out of place hanging around the college, or outside my house or something, yes?”
“Yeah, I did.” For years I’d been communicating potential Apollo threat levels to my brother. Right now, of course, we were at ‘red’. I knew I was up next, and that family were fair game now, according to Apollo changing the rules on us.
“There’s been a few people sniffing around. Asking questions. Not just me, butaboutme, to my colleagues and students.”
Fuck. That was Apollo’s style, for sure. Gather as much information as possible. And if Apollo was sniffing around my brother, he was getting close to a secret Felix and I had kept our whole lives.
“I’m coming to visit.” There was no question about it.
“Are you sure? It’d be nice to see you, obviously, but I’d hate to disturb you...”
I smiled. Felix had always been the more retiring of the two of us. “Felix. I’m coming. Don’t worry about me. I’m always fine, right?”
“Sure.” Felix’s voice was warm, but I was never sure he was convinced when I said things like that. But it was necessary for our relationship that he let me convince him I could handle everything. That’s how it had always been for us.
Luna was arriving soon, but I needed to get to St. Louis, Missouri, where my brother taught poetry to college kids.
Then, in a flash, suspicion clenched at my throat. Luna knew Felix. Luna also knew Apollo. Luna and Apollo were friends. Had she told him something that had given him some clue, that had pointed at Felix as a potential way to get to me?
I didn’t have much of a chance to think it over, because Luna arrived while the suspicion was still fresh in my mind.
She set down her bag and looked at me curiously. “Are you alright?”
I looked her in the eye. “I have to go to St. Louis.”
“Oh. Okay.” She picked up her bag again, as if that were that and she was going to turn around and head home.
But I had questions for her. “You remember my brother, Felix?”
“Of course. The poet of the two of you. Always thought I chose the wrong Hart brother.”
“Ha ha.” I said it entirely without humor. “I’m gonna cut to the chase. Have you told Apollo anything about Felix – about my childhood – about when you and I knew each other?”
She was able to tell something was up, so she cut the snark. “No. He never asked. I don’t even know if he knows. That we knew each other back then.”
“Oh, believe me. He knows. He knows everything. Are you sure, Luna? Are you sure you never mentioned Felix, just in passing?”
“I’m fairly sure. Why would I? Our sessions, they’re not about me – it’s mainly just Apollo talking for hours and me writing it down. He doesn’t really ask about my past. It’s not my memoir we’re writing.”
I narrowed my eyes at her, holding my breath. Did I believe her? Finally, I exhaled, glancing away. I did. “Okay. Sorry. I just got a call from Felix that was a bit worrying. That’s why I need to go to St. Louis.”
“Why? What’s up?”
I considered not telling her. But part of me remembered that I’d made progress, recently, following my intuition. For some reason, my intuition told me to bring Luna in. To open myself up to her. And last time we’d met, she’d asked me about Apollo, about our petty war. It wasn’t exactly like it would surprise her. “We think some of Apollo’s people have been sniffing around at the college where he teaches. I need to go there and make sure he’s okay.”
She nodded, understanding the situation. “Okay. Yeah. Of course. We can reschedule.”
Again, another impulse rose up, and I rode it. “Do you want to come with me? Free day trip?”
“Oh, I don’t know...” She thought about it. Then, with a memoirist’s instinct, she asked me the question I’d been hoping she’d asked. “Why do you need to go and check on Felix? Is there something about your family that you think Apollo’s going to uncover?”
“Yes. And I’ll tell you all about it. For the memoir, obviously. But only if you come to St. Louis with me.”
Luna smiled, mischief in her eyes. “Sure. How could I resist a mystery?”
Next to me,waiting for the jet to be ready for boarding, Luna had her face screwed up. “I’m not sure how I feel about this as an environmentally-conscious person.”
I flashed her a smile. “Look at it this way. I’d be getting the jet anyway. You’re technicallysavingthe environment by coming with me.”
