Scat by Carl Hiaasen

Author:Carl Hiaasen
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9780375891670
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2009-12-29T07:00:00+00:00

FIFTEEN

Duane Scrod Jr. stood motionless in the driveway, his back to the house. He appeared to be watching the sun go down.

“Hi, Smoke. What's up?” said Nick.

When the kid turned around, Nick saw that he was still wearing his Truman School blazer and necktie.

“Hey, Waters.” Smoke looked uneasy about being there, almost shy. “Listen, dude, I need to borrow your biology book. I'll give it back tomorrow.”

“No problem,” Nick said. “I missed the last part of class today. Did Wacko Waxmo give us homework?”

“Don't worry about him. He's no longer a factor.”

“What do you mean?”

“He's history, man.” Smoke made a slashing motion across his throat. “Gone. Done. Over.”

That didn't sound good. Nick experienced a moment of dread. “What happened? Did he die or something?”

Smoke chuckled. “Relax, man. Waxmo ain't dead— nobody laid a finger on him. But after what he did to you today, why do you care?”

Nick was mildly embarrassed to hear the kid mention the scene in class when the lunatic substitute had ordered Nick to sing a Christmas song and Marta had piped up in his defense. Nick half expected Smoke to make fun of him for letting a girl fight his battles.

He said, “It was no big deal. I don't want anything bad happening to the guy.”

“That's real sweet. Can I have the book now? I'm late somewhere.”

“Sure,” Nick said, and he went into the house.

His mother intercepted him before he got to his room. “Who's that boy?” she asked. “Why don't you invite him in?”

“It's Duane Scrod Jr.”

“The pencil- eater? But he looks so neat and normal.”

“Neat, maybe. Definitely not normal,” said Nick.

The biology book was at the bottom of his cluttered backpack. He hurried back outside and handed it to Smoke, who was waiting on the motorcycle. He'd put on leather riding gloves and also a helmet with a black plastic face shield. Nick could no longer see his expression.

“Smoke, can I ask you something—how come you need to borrow the book?”

“ 'Cause I lost my backpack.”

“What I meant is, why do you need the book if we don't have any homework?”

Smoke didn't answer right away. He tucked the book under one arm and kick-started his motorcycle. “ 'Cause I gotta study,” he said.

Nick could barely hear him. “What?”

“I GOTTA REVIEW FOR THE EXAM!” he shouted through his face mask.

What exam? Nick wondered, and he motioned for the kid to wait. Nick wanted to ask him about the fire in the Black Vine Swamp, and if he was the person that Marta had seen riding shotgun in Mrs. Starch's blue Prius, and also if he was acquainted with the man called Twilly who claimed to be Mrs. Starch's nephew….

But most of all, Nick wanted to find out if Duane Scrod Jr. knew where Mrs. Starch was.

“Can you shut off the bike for a minute?” he yelled.

The kid revved the engine louder.

“Please? It's important!”

“How's your dad?” Smoke shouted, catching Nick off guard.

“He's doing good. He came home today,” Nick hollered back. “Hey, I really need to talk to you—”

Smoke gave a slight wave and roared down the street.

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