Ride On (29 page)

Jimmy was starting to pace frantically.

‘Jimmy, please,' said Dónal. ‘Will you sit down for God sake?'

‘I can't man. Where the fuck is Norman?'

‘He'll be here soon.'

‘It's been an hour, nearly. I'm calling him.'

‘He knows what he's doing. Just let him …'

‘Bollocks. I'm calling him.'

‘Okay Jimmy. Okay.'

Jimmy dialled Norman's number, but there was no answer. It rang out and went to voice mail.

‘Jesus Christ, now
he's
not answering his bleedin' phone!'

‘Jimmy, in the name of God, sit bloody down for five minutes and leave him alone, will you?'

‘He should have been back ages ago, Dónal. Either Aesop is at home or he isn't.'

‘Norman will want to check the place over. This is his thing, Jimmy. Let him get on with it.'

‘But Dónal, why …'

‘Jimmy!'

It was Sparky, and his face was good and purple.

‘Sit fucking down and wait for Norman to come back. It's bad enough in here without you losing the plot on top of everything, okay? We're all worried, right? Having you throwing a wobbler about the place and talking shite is only making it worse. My doctor says I'm to avoid stress at all costs and I'm only holding on here by the skin of me teeth, I'm fucking telling you. I've got too much blood pressure, not enough liver, a hypnotist that's afraid to put me under after the last time, and the shrink in the hospital is convinced I have an anti-social personality disorder as well, the cunt. So I don't need you making me all fucking jumpy too, ye hear me? Will you ever relax the head before I have a bleedin' heart attack on us.'

Jimmy opened his mouth to say something, but then he just sat down and stared at the table.

‘Okay, Sparky,' said Dónal. ‘Okay. Look, we're all stressed. Sit down yourself, sure. There's no point in getting all worked up until we know what's what, is there? Can I get you something?'

‘No,' said Sparky. He looked around and sighed. ‘Well … where's me bananas?'

‘I'll get one for you,' said Dónal. ‘Sit down there.'

‘I'm not hungry, but I need … I have to make sure …'

‘I know, pal. Potassium. You're grand. Hang on a minute.'

Shiggy arrived in the door.

‘Anything?' said Jimmy.

‘No Jimmy. No sign.'

He'd been out checking a few of the music shops. Aesop loved to window shop for instruments and yap with the staff. Most of them were into the same music as he was and he'd spend hours just shooting the breeze and getting the latest from the metal scene.

‘Well it was a long shot I s'pose,' said Jimmy.

It was another half an hour before Norman arrived back. He looked awful.

‘What's the story?' said Jimmy, jumping up.

‘He wasn't there,' said Norman.

‘Fuck! Was there any sign of him at all?'

‘The alarm wasn't on when I went in, so he must have gone back after I dropped him off here yesterday.'

‘Jesus. What was he up to?'

‘I don't know, Jimmy.'

‘And there was no note or anything? Did it look like there'd been … anyone else in there?'

‘No. Nothing.'

‘Are you sure?'

Norman looked over at him.

‘Do you want to fucking check it yourself, Jimmy?'

‘What? No! No … I was just … sorry man. I'm a bit …'

‘It's okay lads,' said Dónal, handing a banana to Sparky. ‘Last thing we need is to be getting annoyed with each other.'

He looked at Norman.

‘Okay. So what now?'

Norman shrugged.

‘We've checked everywhere, right? Pubs, email, voicemail …'

‘Yeah. Shiggy was out checking the music shops,' said Jimmy.

‘And there's been nothing.'

‘Nothing.'

Norman nodded and sat down.

‘Norman,' said Jimmy. ‘Are you all right?'

‘What?'

‘You look a bit …'

‘So do you.'

‘Yeah, but you just seem a bit kind of … angry or something.'

‘I am angry.'

‘Aw, listen man, it's not your fault. He disappeared on his own, right? It's not like you were there or whatever, was it? He said he was coming in here yesterday. You dropped him right outside the …'

‘Not now, Jimmy. This isn't the time for that shit.'

‘Okay. All right man.'

Jimmy sat opposite Norman and tried to calm himself down so as he could think clearly. Aesop wasn't anywhere obvious and no one who he might have been in contact with knew where he was. It wasn't looking good.

‘The zoo?' he said, suddenly.

Norman didn't even look up.

‘He's been in the zoo since yesterday afternoon, has he?'

‘I s'pose not.'

‘Well … fuck it, it might be worth checking anyway.'

‘I'll go,' said Sparky. ‘I need to get the fuck out of here.'

‘I go too,' said Shiggy, standing up. ‘Better than stay here.' Then he looked all confused. ‘Eh … zoo? Why the fu …'

‘Okay lads,' said Dónal. ‘Give us a call when you get there, right?'

‘Yeah,' said Sparky. ‘C'mon Shiggy.'

‘But …'

‘I'll explain on the way.'

The others watched them head out the door and then turned back to one another.

‘So is it time to call the cops?' said Dónal. ‘Because …'

‘No,' said Norman. ‘No cops.'

They looked at him.

‘Not yet. Just … let me alone for a minute … to think.'

Jimmy sat back in the couch and looked over at him. He knew he wasn't a picture of happiness and contentment himself, but Norman was the colour of dishwater, his foot dancing up and down off his toes on the floor. He looked like he was going to be sick, wiping his face with his hands every minute or so and then looking at them. His hair was wet too. His hair … Jimmy looked at him properly again. What? What was …

‘Did you change?' he said.

‘What?'

‘Your clothes. You weren't wearing that when you went to Aesop's.'

‘Oh. Yeah. I had a quick shower and changed my clothes. A load of me stuff is over there still.'

‘Why did you change, but.'

‘Jimmy, I sprinted from here to Smithfield in ten minutes. By the time I got there and tore through the gaff I was in a state. When I saw he wasn't there, I knew we might be in for a long day. I needed to change and calm down before I came back here. I had a quick shower.'

‘I called you and you didn't answer.'

‘Must have been in the shower. Sorry.'

‘Oh. Eh … okay.'

He could understand why Norman would be upset – Christ, they were all upset – but there seemed to be something else going on. A weird shudder suddenly ran up Jimmy's back, but he didn't know why.

Norman's foot stopped jiggling and he stood up. His face had changed again. He looked like he'd decided something.

‘Look, I'm going to check something. I'll be back in an hour or two and if nothing's turned up by then we can call the Guards. Okay?'

Jimmy and Dónal looked at each other and then at Norman.

‘Eh … where are you going?'

‘I won't be long.'

He grabbed the keys to his van.

‘Right? I'll have my phone with me Jimmy.'

‘Okay. I s'pose. What'll we do while you're gone?'

‘Just keep doing what you're doing. Keep trying his number and if you think of anyone else to call, then go ahead and call them. Okay?'

‘Yeah. Okay. You don't think we should call the cops now? Because Garda Ní Mhurchú said that if anything at all …'

‘When I come back, Jimmy. I need to check one more thing and then we can call her.'

‘But …'

‘Jimmy, Aesop is famous. Once you start this, you won't be able to stop it. It'll be all over the radio and the telly. Okay? We'll have every dope in the country calling us to say Aesop was seen wherever and … and if he's in trouble … well, you don't want anyone panicking, do you?'

‘No. Jesus. I s'pose not.'

‘So just give me a bit of time and when I come back we'll do what we have to do.'

‘Okay then. Yeah. Okay.'

Norman walked out without another word.

Dónal's phone rang over on the coffee table. He ran to get it and picked it up, frowning at the screen.

‘Is it him?'

‘No.'

‘Sparky?'

Dónal shook his head.

‘Well who is it then, for fuck sake?' said Jimmy, walking over to him.

‘It's … Alison.'

*

When Norman got back a couple of hours later, he found Jimmy and Dónal sitting opposite each other across the table. Jimmy looked up when he came into the room.

‘Anything?'

‘No. You?'

‘Maybe.' said Jimmy.

‘What?! Why … why … didn't you call me? What is it?'

‘Alison called. Alison's from the record company in London.'

‘What about her?'

‘She called to ask us had we spoken to Aesop. She was worried about him.'

‘What? Why?'

‘Because he called her late last night.'

‘He called her? From where? Where was he?'

‘She doesn't know. But he called because he wanted to tell her that he was leaving The Grove and joining Leet. Remember that deal I told you about? Well Aesop apparently had second thoughts.'

‘And you didn't know anything about this?'

‘Of course not. Norman, me and Aesop talked about all this. He was sticking with The Grove. He didn't want to join Leet on his own and I wasn't going to do it.'

‘But he'd never leave The Grove. Certainly not without talking to you two about it.'

‘I know. Something bad's after happening, man. Can we call the fuckin' cops now? Please?'

‘What did Alison say?'

‘She just said that he sounded a bit drunk or something and that he asked her not to say anything to me or Dónal. We'd find out soon enough.'

‘He didn't say where he was or who he was with or anything?'

‘No. Just that he was after changing his mind.'

Norman, started biting his thumbnail.

‘Okay. So … this doesn't tell us anything then, does it?'

‘It tells us a bit.'

‘What? What does it tell us, Jimmy?'

Jimmy frowned at him. What the fuck was going on with Norman?

‘Just that he was okay last night. Norman, what …'

Before Jimmy could say anything else, they heard a knock on the studio door.

‘What now?' said Dónal. ‘Jesus …'

He went over to it and pulled the door open.

It was Trish standing there.

She walked in.

‘Hi guys,' she said, smiling. She gave a little wave.

Jimmy just blinked at her and looked over at Norman, whose mouth was hanging open.

‘Eh …' said Trish, looking at them uneasily now. ‘Oops. Did I come at a bad time?'

‘Trish …' said Norman. He looked like he'd seen about eleven ghosts. ‘What are you doing here?'

‘Jesus. I'm sorry Norman. You said you'd be here today. I thought I'd surprise you. I'm sorry. Look, I'll just go …'

‘No,' said Norman. ‘No, come in a minute.'

She walked slowly into the room, her hands pulling her coat tightly across her.

‘What's going on?'

‘Where have you been?' said Norman.

‘I've been working. I told you. But Nuala called me this afternoon to say she was coming in, so I was able to get away.'

‘I called Baldoyle, Trish. They said you weren't there.'

‘What? You called Baldoyle? Why?'

‘I … I wanted to talk to you.'

‘About what?'

‘About … because … Aesop is gone missing. I was wondering if … you'd heard from him at all.'

‘What do you mean he's gone missing? Where?'

‘We don't know. We haven't heard from him since yesterday.'

‘Oh no! That's awful! But listen, I talked to him yesterday.'

‘What? When?'

‘I don't know. In the afternoon. Just before I called you to say I was working.'

‘Why didn't you say anything?'

‘I only spoke to him for a minute, Norman. I had to phone you and run out the door or I'd be late.'

‘What did you talk about?'

‘Nothing really. I think he was just apologising about the other time, y'know, when you lot were in Cork. I told him I'd talk to him later.'

‘But … but … and did he say where he was or anything?'

‘No. I was on the phone for a minute, just. He didn't say anything.'

‘Fuck,' said Norman. He ran a hand over his head, staring at the floor.

‘Norman, you look awful. Do you think Aesop …'

‘We don't know where he is, Trish,' said Dónal. ‘Look, will you ever come in properly and take off your coat.'

They all made their way over to the couches by the coffee table, saying nothing. When they were sitting down, Norman looked up suddenly.

‘Trish, where the fuck were you yesterday and today? Tell me the truth now.'

Dónal and Jimmy didn't even have to look at each other. They both got up and went into the control room. This sounded like a job for inch-thick soundproofed glass. Christ, as if there wasn't enough going on around here.

‘What?' said Trish, once the door was closed behind them.

‘Where were you? I called Baldoyle. You weren't there. They said you wouldn't be in till Monday. What the hell is going on?'

Trish shook her head slightly.

‘Norman … why are you being like this?'

‘Like what? You tell me one thing and then I find out something else. What way am I meant to be?'

‘Where do you bloody think I was?'

‘I don't know. I don't even want to think about it.'

‘So you think I'm lying to you?'

‘What am I meant to think? I just drove over to your place and the girls haven't seen you.'

‘I was at work!'

She opened her coat.

‘Look! I stayed in the dorm last night because it was snowing by the time I finished and I knew I wouldn't get a taxi. I haven't been home yet to change. I was hoping we could go together and then go out for the night. Jesus, what's the matter with you?'

Norman looked at her uniform. But … well that didn't necessarily mean that what she was saying was true, did it?

‘I don't know!' said Norman. ‘They said in Baldoyle that …'

‘Baldoyle?'

‘Yes!'

‘Christ, Norman, Nuala doesn't work in Baldoyle. She works in the hospice in Raheny. I told you that ten times. I was nowhere near Baldoyle.'

‘Wh … what?'

Norman blinked. Had she? He spent so much time just gazing at her that sometimes he couldn't even hear what she was saying.

‘But … but … I thought …'

‘What, Norman? What did you think?'

‘Just that … well, when Aesop went missing all of a sudden, and then the next thing you're called in to work out of the blue … Jesus, I've been so freaked out. I was sure …'

He was staring at his shoes. She didn't say anything. When he looked up, he saw a tear trickle down her cheek.

‘I thought we were past that,' she said quietly.

‘I couldn't get hold of you!' said Norman. ‘I tried everything. No one knew where you were. No one knows where Aesop is. All at the same time. I didn't know what … what …'

‘I told you where I was, Norman.'

‘But I … I called your work and …'

She had a tissue out and wiped at her eyes. Then she sniffed her nose and looked over at him.

‘So it's like that, then, is it? That's the kind of person I am to you.'

‘No, Trish. Please. I was … I just made a mistake. I was worried about Aesop but I was sure his stalker was finished with all that shit. So when you call me to say you were working, all I could think of was …'

‘I know what you were thinking, Norman. And I'm sorry.'

‘For what?'

‘For making you think those things about me.'

‘You don't.'

‘I obviously do. But we can fix that.'

‘No, Trish. No …'

She was crying properly again now.

‘I hope Aesop is okay,' she said, standing up and starting to button her coat again. ‘I really do. Let me know if I can do anything to help.'

‘Where are you going?'

‘Home.'

‘I … I'll call you later.'

‘Please don't.'

‘What?'

‘Norman, I can't deal with people freaking out on me. Not people I want to … be with. I needed you to be steady for me. I really needed …'

‘But I am … I want to be.'

‘I know. Maybe you do.'

She put a hand on his arm.

‘But I can't tip-toe around you. No matter how I feel about you. To know that that's what you think of me … what's going on inside you every time I'm not around. I just can't do that. It's not worth it.'

She walked to the door and Norman ran over to her, taking her arm.

‘But Trish …'

‘I'm sorry Norman. Please, go and find Aesop. I hope to God he's okay.'

‘Can I not …'

‘Please Norman,' she shook her arm away from him, her eyes red and streaming. ‘Don't do this to me. I really thought … I thought that we might …'

‘Trish,' said Norman. ‘Don't … don't go.'

‘I have to. I'm sorry.'

‘Please Trish. I … I love you. You're all I have, Jesus. I love you. Please don't. Please don't.'

He was whispering now.

She squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head, pulling the door open.

‘You don't, Norman. That's not love. It's something else and I can't deal with it.'

*

Jimmy and Dónal had watched all this through the glass. You didn't need subtitles to know what was going on.

‘Poor cunt,' said Jimmy, watching Norman go off to the toilet.

‘Yeah. That didn't go well, whatever it was.'

‘It was about Trish and Aesop.'

‘What? He wasn't … was he? With her?'

‘No. Of course not. But Norman got it into his head that she was up for it. So did Aesop actually. Ah, it was just something stupid. She wanted to meet Aesop to tell him something. There was probably nothing in it, but you know what Aesop's like. Fucking drama queen that he is, he was sure she wanted him to shag her. Norman must have picked up on it too.'

‘So … Norman thought the two of them were off shagging the last two days?'

‘Looks like it. And it looks like she didn't appreciate him thinking that.'

‘Fuck.'

Back in the main room, Norman was back from the toilet.

‘Sorry man,' said Jimmy. ‘Whatever that was, I hope it works out.'

Norman ignored him.

‘We know he talked to Trish at lunchtime,' he said. ‘But we don't know where he was when he was talking to her. We know he called that one, Alison, at some stage last night. But we don't know where he was then either. Do we know any fucking thing else at all?'

‘No,' said Jimmy. ‘Except that something happened to make him want to leave the band and join Leet.'

‘What would make that happen?'

‘I don't know.'

‘Well think. Cos that's all we've got to go on.'

‘He was always against stopping The Grove. Even after I told him I might not be able to play much with everything going on here, he still said he didn't want to join Leet. It'd mean he was always away and he'd miss home and … and …'

‘Yeah?'

‘Fuck,' said Jimmy, understanding breaking across his face.

‘What?'

‘Helen.'

‘What? My Helen? What about her?'

‘He said … he wanted …'

‘What Jimmy?'

‘I know where he is. Fuck! Why didn't I think of it before?'

‘What about Helen, Jimmy?'

‘He's fucking mad about her, Norman.'

‘I told him I'd fucking throttle him if he so much as …'

‘I know! That's why he spoofed you yesterday about rehearsals. He was trying to get away from you so he could go down there and try and hook up with her! That's where the fucker is!'

‘Are you sure?!'

‘Yes! Call her. Call her now. Quick.'