Next Stop Chicago

By Bill Heitland

Three friends are reunited through unlikely circumstances five years after their high school graduation in Jasper, Illinois.
A violent storm causes Jody Hansen to make some ill-fated decisions that land him in jail, accused of car theft, possession of an illegal firearm and assaulting a police officer who later died. Although he is innocent, Jody's family lacks the funds to hire a seasoned criminal attorney, settling instead for one used to handling simple domestic cases. His opponent is a high-priced prosecuting attorney who relishes an easy conviction.
Anna Sanchez returns to Jasper, Illinois from her home in Chicago to help her father Miguel who suffered a stroke during the storm. When she learns Jody is also in town, she realizes the feelings she had for him in high school are still very much alive. Anna's amorous feelings intensify when Jody informs her that he planned to begin a marketing internship in Chicago prior to his arrest.
When Jody sees how Anna has transformed herself into an attractive woman with the physique of a competitive runner, he can't stop thinking about her.
Aaron Cole, who makes up the third member of the trio dubbed fuerzas especiales or special forces, returns to Jasper from his home in New York to come to the aid of his brother, who was arrested while protesting the George Floyd murder.
Jody's legal predicament isn't the only conflict in his life. When he learns it's been his father's dream to work as a fatther/son tandem at a local hardware store he now owns, Jody feels torn. Does he honor his father's wishes or act on a desire to move to Chicago to be with Anna, the woman he now loves?
It will take a galvanized effort from all three, plus an overmatched lawyer's determination to right a wrong for the group to have any chance at proving Jody's innocence.
If he can secure his freedom, Jody must now choose between breaking his father's heart or his own.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Archway Publishing
• Release date: Nov 26, 2023
• ISBN: 9781665753494

Book preview

Copyright © 2023 Bill Heitland.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

Archway Publishing

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.archwaypublishing.com

844-669-3957

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

ISBN: 978-1-6657-5348-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6657-5349-4 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2023922500

Archway Publishing rev. date: 11/17/2023

Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps

hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to

arrive at its destination full of hope.

—Maya Angelou

CONTENTS

Chapter 1:     Arrested Developments

Chapter 2:     A Family Dilemma Becomes More Complex

Chapter 3:     Navigating through a Relentless Storm

Chapter 4:     Maybe Pete Hartwick Can Help

Chapter 5:     No Experience in Criminal Law

Chapter 6:     A Bartering Plan Is Hatched

Chapter 7:     Jody’s Dream of a Career in Chicago Vanishes

Chapter 8:     An Awkward Father and Son Meeting in Jail

Chapter 9:     Anna Sanchez Is Back

Chapter 10:   Facing Steep Odds

Chapter 11:   Chicago Is Anna’s Home

Chapter 12:   Who Is Ed Sims?

Chapter 13:   Where Will the Bail Money Come From?

Chapter 14:   A Timely Visit from a Close Friend

Chapter 15:   Add Murder to the List of Charges

Chapter 16:   A Reunion with Jody’s Freedom at Stake

Chapter 17:   Back to Work at Last

Chapter 18:   Bail Paid Anonymously

Chapter 19:   Ed Sims Is Dead

Chapter 20:   Another Family Crisis

Chapter 21:   The System Stinks

Chapter 22:   She Looks Stunning

Chapter 23:   Time to Step Up

Chapter 24:   Maybe Alejandro Has Changed

Chapter 25:   Defense Attorney Feels Overmatched

Chapter 26:   Prosecution Easily Wins Opening Round

Chapter 27:   Closing in on Bob Andrews

Chapter 28:   Galvanized Effort Proves Productive

Chapter 29:   Jody Makes a Bold Pledge

Chapter 30:   HIPPA Becomes a Hurdle

Chapter 31:   Breaking the Code

Chapter 32:   Passionate Fireworks Ablaze, Suddenly Fizzle

Chapter 33:   Billy Comes Clean

Chapter 34:   Harrison’s Hardware Reopens

Chapter 35:   Hitting Rock Bottom

Chapter 36:   Surprise Visit Backfires

Chapter 37:   Feature Story Acclaimed

Chapter 38:   A Mysterious Invitation

Afterword

Chapter 1

ARRESTED DEVELOPMENTS

C ASTING A CURSORY GLANCE AT the gray-green tint of a glowering sky, Jody Hansen’s thoughts floated above and beyond an impending storm.

He had just completed his final exams at the University of Illinois-Champaign and was ready to embark on a marketing career in Chicago he didn’t think possible five years ago. The image of a painfully shy, skinny kid tormented with self-doubt and misgivings was replaced by a young man brimming with confidence.

The transformation didn’t come easily. It started with restless days in the small farming community of Jasper, Illinois. Although he could find many good points to being reared in a nested community—neighbors and family always offering support—there was a gnawing resentment over being sheathed in a cocoon of innocence. If life were a gear, his was stuck in neutral.

The urge to find freedom from the tedium that prohibited challenge, to get his hands on the clay that shaped character, reached a critical point. He would look for a way out. That was shortly after his sixteenth birthday. Were it not for sage advice from his uncle Steve and two high school friends, he might not have come to such a decision.

As much as he hated to admit it, he felt he could approach his uncle about his angst more easily than his parents. Since Steve was rarely around, only showing for major holidays, he sought his advice one Christmas Eve. You’re like me, said Steve with what sounded like a conspiratorial whisper. You need a challenge that fits your talent.

This was the first time a family member zeroed in on his frustration. That the prophetic comment would come from his uncle, someone who had limited time to observe him, felt both liberating and confusing. How did his own parents miss what Uncle Steve saw?

Anna Sanchez and Aaron Cole, high school friends who dubbed their trio fuerzas especiales or special forces, encouraged Jody to act on his uncle’s advice. Anna, who had the highest grade-point average at Jasper High and had perfect ACT and SAT scores, was being courted by MIT, Harvard, Yale, Stanford, USC, and Cal-Berkeley, all offering full academic scholarships. Aaron, who was a talented artist and athlete, pored over scholarship offers from several universities in and around New York City.

Jody admired and envied them for their maturity and confidence. Anna’s confidence began to take shape as early as her junior year in high school, working part-time as a cashier at Horford’s grocery store. By her senior year, Stan Horford, the store owner, implemented her suggestions on ways to operate more efficiently.

Aaron’s creative confidence could be traced to the success he enjoyed building web sites for friends beginning at the tender age of twelve. By fourteen he was developing more advanced sites. As a sophomore at Jasper High, Aaron’s paintings and illustrations were shown at an art exhibit in Belleville, Illinois.

This, while Jody was told he was too young to take on a part-time job. You’ve got your whole life to work. Enjoy this time while it lasts was the recurring theme uttered by his parents. Enjoy? What was there to enjoy?

On his seventeenth birthday, Jody decided to test his ability on the collegiate level, sending applications to schools he thought would be a good fit. Shortly after he made the decision to further his education in a town outside Jasper, however, the initial euphoria was dampened by a river of uncertainty, eventually cascading into a sea of gloom. So many questions lingered. Was he merely trying to emulate the ambitious paths his friends intended to forge? Or was he acting on a genuine urge to fill a void, to respond to the drumbeat of an unfulfilled heart and soul? Where was his uncle to help him through this conundrum?

Just because he excelled in high school, there was no guarantee the same academic success would occur on a higher level. He could stumble and fall flat on his face. And then where would he be?

After hitting his lowest point, the memory of an adolescent dare that tested his courage surfaced when he visited the local pool over the summer. As he gazed at boys jumping off the high dive, he was encouraged to be next. C’mon kid. You’re holding up the line, complained Ben Jordan, his dark smile as crooked as his teeth.

I wasn’t in line, explained Jody.

Jordan tucked his hands under his armpits and began flapping his arms. "Bwock, bwock, bwock. I think we’ve got a chicken on our hands, boys."

Ah, I don’t want to show anybody up, countered Jody, his voice betraying the fear he so desperately wanted to conceal.

Admit it! yelled Stan Foster. You’re scared shitless. With that Jordan, Foster and Joey Porter collapsed into each other in a paroxysm of laughter.

The kiddie pool is over there! screamed Porter, tilting his oversized head toward the shallow end of the pool. Try not to drown.

Jody’s face flushed crimson. He felt trapped. There was only one solution. If he didn’t answer the dare, he would be the laughingstock at school. It had to be done. But there was no getting past the fact that the feat would be forever stained with an asterisk, driven more by fear of subsequent humiliation than pure derring-do courage.

The next day he noticed the trio of hecklers were nowhere in sight. He nervously climbed the ladder, walked to the end of the diving board, and leaped before he could change his mind. It hurt hitting the water at such an awkward angle, but he proved to himself he could do it. The next time he faced the challenge, he made the dive, thereby silencing his critics. The following summer he became a lifeguard at the same pool. He could take some solace knowing no one pushed him into that decision.

Upon being accepted to attend the University of Illinois, he had hoped to adapt to the rigors of a state university by summoning courage on his own terms. Failing was not an option he wanted to consider. But how would he find the resolve to never look back?

After months of introspection, he finally got to the root of his insecurity over surmounting difficult challenges. In this case his lack of confidence could only be remedied by the same self-discipline and effective study habits he maintained throughout high school.

He was aware success does not happen overnight, but how long would it take? A glimmer of hope came when one of his poems was printed in the University of Illinois’s school newspaper, the Daily Illini. That seminal moment of creative legitimacy served to pull him out of his low self-esteem. He wanted to share his noteworthy achievement with someone. He thought of his uncle.

Congratulations! I knew you had it in you, uttered Steve with gusto. Didn’t I say you needed a challenge to fit your talent? This is just the start of what you can accomplish.

Buoyed by his uncle’s comments, he called home to notify his parents. Oh, that’s wonderful, said his mother, Helen. Save a copy and bring it home the next time you visit. I want to show some of the neighbors.

When his father, Eugene, heard the news and was given the phone, he seemed less enthusiastic. A poem? How big a newspaper is this?

It’s a school newspaper, Dad.

Well, we all must start somewhere, I guess. What’d they pay you for publishing this poem?

It’s something I wrote in English class, explained Jody. "My teacher liked it enough to suggest sending it to the Daily Illini. That’s the name of the newspaper."

OK, but you haven’t said how much you made for writing this poem, persisted Eugene.

Nothing.

Nothing? complained Eugene. Seems like they should give you something. I made money as soon as I entered the carpentry business. They paid me as an apprentice. Imagine that. Getting paid for learning. That’s what committing to learning a trade is all about. Don’t send them any more of your work until they agree to compensate you for it.

OK, well, I’ve got to get to my next class, said Jody, anxious to end the conversation.

Oh sure, son. Let us know when you’re coming home.

Will do, Dad.

Oh, almost forgot. Tom Harrison has been asking about you, said Eugene. He said you could work at the hardware store over the summer to get some extra spending money.

Oh OK. Well, like I said, I’ve gotta go.

That was the last time Jody mentioned having any of his work published in the Daily Illini to his father.

Bolstered by the success of the published poem, he continued to write in his spare time. He also began a string of strong performances in the classroom, raising his hand to answer difficult questions, and taking advantage of extracredit assignments.

Before long, complimentary notes and excellent grades from English professors emboldened him to seek a career as a writer. He felt certain the more he tested himself with the printed word, the closer he would come to realizing his full potential.

He developed confidence in his ability to connect with an audience, albeit from behind a computer screen. As a frequent contributor to the school newspaper with opinion pieces, he learned it took courage to write the truth, even if it came at the cost of harsh criticism. With a diploma all but assured, he was ready to take on the next big challenge in the real world.

A menacing low reverberation, along with the earthy scent that precedes rain, reminded him the storm was drawing closer. He had hoped for better weather for the trip back home. Early reports hinted that heavy downpours, high velocity winds, and property damage could occur in the next twenty-four hours. It was a concern, but not even a dire weather forecast would dampen his spirits on this noteworthy day.

Taking a final glimpse of the image that inspired his first essay in English composition class, he felt as if he’d passed more than a college exam. Embossed in the plate glass window of the Twelve Points Inn was a likeness of the bar’s mascot, a twelve-point buck, its silhouette outlined in gold.

To most of those entering the establishment in Champaign, it was nothing more than a symbol of accomplishment for Midwest hunters. Bagging a twelve-point buck was a hunter’s prized trophy. To Jody, it reminded him of a different cherished moment—the night his father finally came to terms with the fact that his son was a burgeoning adult. He’s dead, was all Eugene Hansen needed to say. Prior to admitting that, Eugene attempted to shield his son from the truth, pretending the deer they accidentally hit with the pickup truck was clinging to life in his father, Clay’s, barn.

Jody noted in his college essay the significance of the blanket that covered the deceased deer. He saw it as a telling sign of Eugene’s desire to either spare his son the harsh consequence of such a violent collision or slow the maturation process. The boy has the rest of his life to deal with adult responsibilities, Eugene intoned to Helen on more than one occasion during Jody’s adolescence. When Jody overheard his father from another room he cringed, deciding he needed to find a way to force the issue.

On another night, as Jody was headed toward the bathroom, he overheard his parents discussing his future. Their immediate quandary was whether to heed the advice of Jasper High School English teacher, Mrs. Murphy, who encouraged Jody to get a college education. The alternative would be to ask their son to follow in his father’s footsteps and learn a trade. When he heard his uncle’s name mentioned, his ears perked up. My brother ended up going to college, and look how he ended up, said Eugene with what sounded like disdain for a poor decision.

Until he heard this, he assumed his father admired his brother’s success. Jody’s uncle was living in an affluent Chicago neighborhood, had a good job, and was the patriarch of a loving family. How could he see that as anything but a nice life?

That Steve tended to dote on Jody whenever he showed up for the holidays seemed to wear on his brother.

Jody’s mother took a philosophical approach. Steve likes to spoil Jody because he’s the son he never had, surmised Helen.

"Well, he’s my son not his," snapped Eugene.

Jody decided to lobby hard for academics. He felt fortunate education won out. With a bachelor’s degree in English, he was ready to head out into the world of commerce and seek a career, which would hopefully afford him the kind of life his uncle enjoyed.

A thunderous boom followed by the crackle of lightning bolts in swift succession reminded Jody the storm was about to erupt. He had resolved some time ago to deal with what nature dished out. Why fret over what you can’t control? he reasoned. Yet another reminder of the strides he had taken toward adulthood.

As a child, Jody would feel the grip of primal fear when the ominous sounds of thunder and fierce winds conspired to rattle the windows, causing him to cower beneath the bed sheets. He was suddenly aware that not even his sheltered existence could make him completely safe. The piercing sound of lightning, flashing menacing streaks of bluish white light across the ceiling, and concussive thunder, which seemed to shake the foundation of the house, deepened such a notion. Was this God’s way of voicing his displeasure?

The recollection caused him to feel embarrassed at how long such insecurity persisted. If only an older sibling were around to settle his nerves. He became accustomed to the fact that, as an only child, he would have to get used to solving personal problems on his own. And that was becoming increasingly difficult with taunts from classmates that he was soft as a marshmallow and a real mama’s boy.

It wasn’t until he had a talk with his uncle that he resolved to overcome his insecurities. His uncle’s advice was simple. Focus on the good and throw what naysayers are handing you where it belongs, in the trash.

Then from a decisive moment in the barn, Jody’s ascendency into adulthood began to take shape. No longer would he be regarded as the sheltered one. In his first noteworthy essay in Mrs. Murphy’s high school English class, he pointed out that Neverland was never his idea of an ideal world because, unlike Peter Pan, he was determined to know what it was like to become a man.

Jody passed the Stag beer sign hanging just above the blue canvas awning and entered the Twelve Points for what would be his final time in Champaign.

Thanks to his uncle Steve’s letter of recommendation, a paid internship at the prestigious marketing firm Rise Interactive in Chicago awaited him in just a few short months. His uncle used his ties to important businesses as a certified public accountant to pave the way for the internship.

Jody looked forward to breaking the news of his first real job as a professional to his parents when he arrived home.

With the Venetian blinds drawn, the interior of the Twelve Points appeared darker than usual, even with several lights turned on. The first time he saw the vintage globe lights that hung from the ceiling, he was reminded of Bobby’s Tavern in Jasper.

The black and white checkerboard-tiled floor in the Twelve Points reminded him of Alton, Illinois, situated just thirty miles south of his hometown of Jasper. It was at Pere Marquette State Park that Jody became enamored with the largest chess set he’d ever seen. He was just ten at the time, measuring the oversized chess pieces to rise even with his four-foot height.

The Eat Rite Diner, where Helen worked as a waitress until arthritis in her hands and knees forced her to retire, had a similar floor pattern to the Twelve Points. So too the oak tables, festooned with blue and white checkered tablecloths and candles ensconced in dark-green glass holders. He realized there were some aspects of small-town intimacy that would never grow old.

The food was similar at both establishments: fried chicken on weekends and burgers, fries, pizza, seafood, and sub sandwiches offered every day. This in addition to various specials listed on a blackboard to the left of the bar. In fall and winter, chili and delicious onion soup were featured.

What made Twelve Points seem more like a college establishment was the entertainment. Atop the menu was a listing of bands scheduled for the following week. Next up were Kentucky Knife Fight and the Dirty Feathers band.

As he made his way past the tables, lighthearted chatter emanated from one of the booths against the wall. His heart began to flutter as he gazed at the blonde woman gesticulating as she related a story, which had the other three paying rapt attention. She bore a striking resemblance to Amy Spencer, the woman who used French phrases with such ease and sophistication, one might have thought she’d spent some time in Europe.

She had a knack for knowing just when to use them, telling Jody he had so much je ne sais quoi, which really turned a woman on. This was followed by a sultry whisper anointed with intoxicating perfume called Je t’aime, which, he learned from a French professor could either mean I like you or I love you. He wanted to believe it was the latter. He also fantasized that so special was their rapturous comingling that no word in the English language could do justice to its exotic quality, its essence. He later learned she used seductive phrases in Spanish and Italian on guys whose skin tone was much darker than his.

The ability to hypnotize him with French phrases, wanton stares, and a sugary voice wasn’t her only talent. Amy ushered Jody through the portals of primal lust like sirens luring Ulysses. However, unlike Ulysses, he lacked the sense to plug his ears when the singing began.

Oh, what stage talent she possessed. From the way she shook her silky hair back and forth, like models in shampoo commercials on TV, to the suggestive wink, he was transfixed. She even had a way of crinkling her nose to look cute on cue.

Those were mere preludes to the climactic scene. Her tongue and skilled hands guided him into a crescendo of pleasure with such skill that he felt as if he’d entered a world he never knew existed. As open as she was about her sexual prowess, Amy was less than forthcoming when it came to discussing her past or any notion of what her future might be like.

Wasn’t a relationship supposed to be about sharing those things?

He began to wonder if her groans and screams were part of a calculated performance. Despite suspecting that this was nothing more than a carnival ride, he was still willing to try to satisfy her every whim to keep the ride from ending.

But like a sucker punch he never saw coming, the ride came to a sudden halt. The abrupt stop led to considerable anguish over what he might have done wrong. He pleaded with her to talk to him before she made her final decision. When she said there was nothing to talk about, that he was such a sweet guy, but—well, it was time to move on, he felt used. The word sweet left a bitter taste. Was this rejection any different from the cold process of an employer handing an employee a pink slip? Was this anything more than the completion of services rendered?

Upon further reflection he saw her as a chameleon. She could adapt to her surroundings and the people she intended to manipulate as easily as changing clothes.

Time away from her allowed him to see things more clearly. Their conversations were often as shallow and predictable as soap opera dialogue. He could see that Amy was highly skilled at using sex to achieve whatever outcome she chose. In this case it was asking him to write term papers and essays for her English composition and history classes. An A for a lay.

Introspection over the painful conclusion led him to believe his naivete made him an easy mark. The emotional damage from such an experience left Jody feeling more vulnerable and thereby guarded. Who could he trust?

He missed the late-night talks he’d had with Anna when they were in high school. Their friendship felt so genuine, devoid of ulterior motives and psychological mazes.

Where is she now? he wondered. The last he’d heard, she was finishing up on a degree in mathematics at Stanford and was contemplating what kind of career she wanted.

As he scanned the interior of Twelve Points, he searched for Louis or Sandy, his favorite bartenders. To his disappointment, neither appeared to be working. Reading a newspaper from behind the bar was a tall, thin individual who looked like the person Louis once described as the owner’s son.

He was the physical antithesis of his father: pale complexion, the nose slightly angular. His thick shock of dark hair in stylish disarray, his slender build, and pale gray-blue eyes, which blinked rapidly. He appeared fidgety, quickly turning pages of the newspaper back and forth, repeatedly clearing his throat, then reaching for his handkerchief to wipe his nose.

His father, Alex, owned thick forearms and legs, looking like he could endure a hard day’s work on a farm. His handshake was as firm as his voice. There was warmth and kindness in the way he listened and looked at an individual, so respectful and understanding of one’s point of view. When he disagreed with someone, he was careful to list facts to support his position.

As Jody moved close enough to make eye contact, the owner’s son—Jack or Max, something like that—held a sullen expression while focusing on an article in the newspaper. He appeared not to notice Jody. Either that or he simply didn’t want to acknowledge someone was standing in front of him.

Is Louis around?

Nah, he’ll be back in an hour or so, said the presumed owner’s son in a lackluster tone, once again wiping his nose. Said he had to see the doc about something bothering him.

I hope it’s not his heart, said Jody with a look of deep concern.

This was met with a stoic demeanor.

Dunno.

Figures. Such a smug sonofabitch.

Is your name Jack?

Nope.

Jody directed a piercing glare at this guy who was pissing him off by the minute before saying, Since you’re in the witness protection program, I guess I’ll never find out, now will I?

It’s Zach, he finally uttered, still appearing reluctant to fold the newspaper and ask Jody if there was something he wanted to order. His only consistency was wiping away the drip from his nose.

Zach’s voice had that superior tone Jody grew to hate. It usually came from guys who didn’t have to worry about their future because it was already mapped out for them by their parents’ largesse. People like Zach assumed they would never lack resources to get what they wanted. They had a natural inclination toward arrogance.

Speculation by patrons of the Twelve Points was that the son was being groomed by his father to take over the business once he graduated from a prestigious university in the East.

A cell phone resting on the bar began vibrating. Zach peered at the caller ID and stiffened. He clicked on the phone and said, Hey, you’re not supposed to—um, so what gives?

When Zach noticed Jody paying attention, he quickly stood and carried his phone into an area just inside the kitchen. We had a deal, said Zach with an aggrieved tone. No. No. Listen to me. I’m not—no, no, no, no. Why? I’ll tell you why: because we had a fucking deal, you pissant motherfucker.

Jody checked his phone for any messages. There was one from Henry Lopez, his first loyal friend at the university. Henry also grew up in a rural community only sixty miles from Jody’s hometown. From the moment Henry asked Jody if he minded if he sat at his table during lunch at the University of Illinois, they struck up a friendship.

Jody was taken by surprise in the beginning. Here was this strapping athlete with thick, curly, black hair, chestnut-brown eyes, and a bashful smile, which made women cast an appreciative glance. Why would he want to befriend someone like Jody?

It turned out Henry was about more than good looks or a saturated ego. Over time Jody could see that among Henry’s strengths were his charisma, kindness, humility, and curiosity. He seemed to be naturally inclined to invite new people into his circle of friends. He reached out to Jody after noticing he was eating lunch alone. Thus began a strong bond.

That bond was severely tested, however, when Amy decided she liked athletes like Henry more than bookish nerds like Jody.

Jody was initially incensed over the transfer of amorous intent, but then that only confirmed what he sensed after Amy began inventing excuses why she couldn’t hook up with him.

When he saw Henry and Amy together for the first time, his heart froze. Then he realized much later she was only using both—Jody for help with writing assignments and Henry to ascend into a higher social echelon. Finally, Jody was able to let go.

Sure enough, Henry left a parting message: Tener un viaje interesante. The English translation? Have an interesting journey.

Nice sendoff.

Several minutes elapsed before Zach returned to his seat behind the bar. He began drumming his fingers on the mahogany bar. Say, what did you say your name is?

Jody was suspicious of the sudden show of interest, the way his demeanor could shift so quickly from surly to chatty in a matter of seconds.

I didn’t say.

Oh. Sorry I was a little gruff a few minutes ago, said Zach, the corners of his mouth pulled upward into a forced smile.

Name’s Jody.

Oh right. I remember seeing you in here once or twice. My dad said he liked you. At least I think you were the one he talked about. I heard him mention the name more than once. Can I get you a beer?

When Jody considered whether a beer would be a good idea, Zach added, It’ll be on the house. To make up for, you know, ignoring you when you walked in.

I’m waiting on my ride. He should have been here by now. I guess it wouldn’t hurt, said Jody, trying to figure out why Zach would suddenly warm up to him. He checked his phone for any message from Sam Atkins, who said he would be at the Twelve Points by 1 p.m. It was now nearly 2 p.m.

While he was waiting for a call from Sam, Jody decided to engage Zach in a conversation. They talked about the impeding storm, then Jody asked Zach which university in the East he was attending. I’m a legacy so Yale had to take me, more or less, said Zach with a frown. So tell me about life at the University of Illinois.

Wait. Your dad went to Yale? asked Jody.

No, my grandfather, said Zach.

Oh. I didn’t know that. Interesting.

Jody bolted down the last swallow of beer and set the stein on the table. As he stood up to check on his ride, Zach asked if he could serve Jody another beer. This one’s free too, said Zach, who