Cherry Orphan

Chapter 40

Chapter 40

Reluctantly Tony Scott handed Sonia the keys to Robert's Aston Martin. "I want you back here in two hours. Not a word to Bob. I'll talk to Colleen."

She snatched them from his hand before the driver could change his mind. "Thanks, Tony. I'm taking James. We'll be alright." The ponytailed girl pelted towards the villa.

"Two hours, you hear," Scott yelled after her. "Don't make me come and get you, because I will."

On the terrace James watched Calley working out hard as the girl's sweat soaked through her blue leotards. The strenuous activity ceased when Calley caught sight of Sonia's expression. She stopped abruptly and kneeled up. "Oh, don't tell me you're still mad at us since yesterday."

"No, it's Joby."

Calley fired a quick glance at James then back to Sonia. "What about Joby?"

"Carlo's badly hurt. He's been beaten up. They broke his leg. I'm going there now—to Joby's house. Oh, God, Calley what can I say to her?"

Immediately they understood the implications. "Dad tried to stop them, but acted too late. Everything's going wrong now. Joby has Carlo in a back room. Her mom was a nurse. He's scared to go home." Sonia looked at James. "Will you come with me?"

"Of course I will."

"I'm going too," Calley snapped, simultaneously getting to her feet and grabbing for a cover-up.

Sonia put pressure on her arm. "No, you can't. Tony won't let you."

She wrenched free. "Well Tony can kiss my ass!"

"No, Calley. The gates will stop all of us if you're there."

"Hey, what's all this?" Colleen emerged through the French doors in her swimsuit carrying a tray laden with lemonade and soda.

Sonia tried to hide her distraught face. "Christ! Don't tell Mom," she whispered in panic.

"I just saw Tony. Is it right, Sonia—he said you were going to see your girlfriend, Joby, with James?" Colleen set the tray on a table.

"Er, yes, Mom. I'll only be gone a couple of hours. Calley will stay and keep you company." She gave her sister a prod. "Won't you?"

"Don't overdo the exercising, baby. You're still a bit weak from your ordeal."

Calley gave Sonia a quick glare then went to the edge of the pool and poised to jump in. "I know what I can handle."

Colleen eased into a chaise. "Oh yeah? Don't kid yourself. I want to talk to you about something you promised me you'd do yesterday. You know what it is." Her eyes had narrowed behind dark sunglasses.

There came a splash. Sonia grabbed James by the hand. "Bye, Mom."

***

Robert spotted the white Chevy Suburban the minute he wheeled his Bentley into a half-empty parking lot behind a fabric warehouse. Where the lot ended he could barely make out the ocean between two buildings that backed onto Wave Street: a part of Old Monterey known as Cannery Row. He pulled to a stop and piled out of the convertible as another man came from the driver's side of the Suburban. Doors slammed simultaneously. Robert closed the gap abruptly, pointing a finger at the man's face. "You overstepped the line, mister," he shouted, making it plain from the get-go this would not be a friendly meeting.