Ashley nods, understanding I’m not susceptible to flattery. “I’m here about Desperately Seeking Epic.”
“What?” I ask, furrowing my brows in further confusion.
“The Craigslist ad.” Without looking, she reaches a hand out and snaps her fingers. Mills immediately hops to and pulls a paper from his backpack, handing it to her. As I reach for it, Marcus snatches the paper from her hand and backs away.
“Look, kids, he’s just gotten into town,” Marcus interrupts. “Why don’t you guys call tomorrow and maybe he’ll have time to discuss this with you.”
“Is Neena here?” Ashley asks, stretching her neck to look over my shoulder and down the hall.
“Neena?” I question. “Who the hell is that?”
Ashley’s expression falls into a look of confusion as her gaze meets mine. Then she looks to Marcus. “He doesn’t know about the ad or Neena yet?”
“You need to go. Now,” Clara interjects as she charges in. “This is a place of business and if you’re not here to skydive then you have no reason to be here.”
“Freedom of the press, lady,” Zane quips, but backs away when Clara steps toward him. The woman has a mean look that could cower a grizzly bear. I don’t blame him.
“I imagine you’re all skipping school right now, yes?”
The three look at each other, but Ashley, the boldest of the crew, shrugs nonchalantly. I want to smile a little because in some ways she reminds me of Clara. “Sometimes we have to make sacrifices to get the story,” she replies. “Like Tom Brokaw in Baghdad.”
“Well, kid, this ain’t Baghdad and you sure as hell ain’t Tom Brokaw,” Marcus announces as he moves to herd them toward the door.
“And if we don’t leave?” Zane asks, standing firmly.
“I may look small, kid, but I can kick your ass,” Marcus threatens, jabbing his finger at Zane. “I’m the perfect height to headbutt you right in the balls.”
“We’re underage,” Ashley argues. “You can’t touch us.”
Turning to Clara, Marcus gives her a look before he falls back, landing on his ass. He howls in pain as he grabs his gut and rolls to his side. “He just kicked me, Clara. Did you see that shit?”
Rushing to Marcus’s side, Clara kneels and acts as if she’s checking him over. Then she looks up to the trio. “How could you kick this poor innocent man?”
“We didn’t do anything to him,” Ashley cries as Marcus moans louder.
“Hate crime!” he shouts, jerking out a hand and pointing a finger at them, only to pull it back in to his stomach, feigning pain.
“How could you kick this tiny man?” Clara stands, her tone angry. “Get out. Now!”
All three of them have their mouths open in utter shock, but after a moment Ashley smirks a little and snorts, realizing they’ve been defeated. Jutting her chin, she motions for Zane and Mills to go. “We’ll be back,” she warns.
“Why?” Marcus yells dramatically, his face red and voice deep with emotion. “So you can finish me off? Haven’t you tortured me enough?”
The bell on the door jingles as the three rush out. Marcus stands and watches them, and Clara remains on her knees beside him. When they finally look at one another, they smile widely and Marcus helps her to her feet.
“What in the hell was that?” I ask in disbelief. What were those kids talking about?
“That was phenomenal acting,” Marcus answers as he takes a bow.
“You missed your calling,” Clara compliments him.
“Yeah, well, the world of skydiving needed me more.”
“Holy shit!” Someone gasps and we all turn to see the woman waiting to jump holding a piece of paper, looking from it to me and back again. Marcus must have dropped the paper Ashley was trying to hand to me and this woman picked it up. “You’re her father.”
The room goes silent until I chuckle. “I don’t have a kid, lady.”
The woman ignores me and looks at Clara. “Aren’t you Neena’s mother?”
I dart my gaze to Clara who is standing as still as a statue, blinking profusely. When Clara doesn’t answer, the woman’s boyfriend stands and takes the paper from her. “Babe . . . I don’t think this is any of our business.”
As he hands the paper to Marcus, the woman apologizes. “I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have . . . It’s just with it being all over the Internet and on the news . . .”
“With what being on the internet and news? Will someone please tell me what in the hell is going on?” I say, my voice rising and my frustration skyrocketing. It’s been like a goddamn zoo in here this morning and I’m tired of it. I just wanted to meet with Clara and piss her off to the point where she’d give me my money and never ask me for an annual meeting ever again. I didn’t sign up for these theatrics.