Bayard looked at her with interest. “How so?”
“Because he assumes the action is real. He’s taking it as gospel when you guys were just joking around. Otherwise, why would he think the tape was worth anything?”
Bayard said, “That’s your view? It was all a big joke?”
“That’s what you told me. Isn’t that correct?”
She looked from Bayard to Joey, who said, “Don’t look at me. I’m new on the scene.”
Joey turned his attention to Fritz. “So what’s the story on the money? Any chance your parents will change their minds?”
“About what?” Poppy asked.
“God, Poppy! Try to keep up. I get tired of having to stop and explain,” Bayard said. “His parents don’t want to pay. They’ve left him hanging out to dry.”
Fritz said, “For the time being it’s a non-issue, since we haven’t heard a peep from the guy.”
Bayard frowned. “He’s not pressing you to pay? Sounds like he’s not all that serious.”
Fritz said, “The guy’s a sadist. He wants us to sweat.”
Poppy said, “Do your parents know you’ve told us all this stuff?”
“Are you kidding? No way. They’re acting like this is all hush-hush. They don’t want word to get out.”
“I can understand their concern,” Bayard said. “Information’s dangerous.”
Iris scoffed. “Information isn’t dangerous.”
“It is in Austin’s hands.”
“He’s right about that,” Poppy said. “He’s always airing other people’s dirty laundry. Anything to embarrass and humiliate us. If he hadn’t hit the road when he did, there’s no telling what kind of havoc he could have wreaked.”
Bayard’s tone was mild. “What’d he have on you, Poppy?”
Her smile faded. “None of your business.”
Iris lowered herself into the pool and began to breaststroke to the far side, her hair trailing in the water.
Bayard turned to Fritz. “You still hogging the couch at Berg and Stringer’s place?”
“I’m not hogging. They invited me.”
Bayard said, “I can assure you I’m not as generous, so if you’re looking for another host organism, don’t come to me.”
“What a shit. I haven’t asked you for anything,” Fritz said.
“Let’s keep it that way.”
Fritz pinched his nose and ducked under the water, coming up with a splash. He draped his arms over the flotation device and flipped the hair out of his face. “Oh hey, guys. I almost forgot. I got a good one for you. This will really crack you up. Remember I told you about Blake Edelston and Betsy Coe?”
Iris had reached the far side and she was dog-paddling back. “We know. They’ve been dating for months.”
“That’s not what I’m talking about.”
“What are you talking about?” Bayard asked.
“I’ll tell you if you’ll shut the fuck up.”
Bayard widened his eyes and bit his fingers as though chastened.
Fritz was so intent on his story, he didn’t catch the mockery. “What happened was Blake went off to this sales convention in Las Vegas? While he’s there, he meets this redheaded hottie and the two screw like bunny rabbits for two days. He thinks he can get away with it. Just keep his trap shut and who’s the wiser. Turns out he picked up HPV from this chick and now he’s passed it on to Bets.”
Poppy said, “What’s HPV?”
“Where have you been? It’s a virus . . .”
“A virus, Iris,” Bayard interjected, feeling clever at the wordplay.
Fritz picked up as though Bayard hadn’t interrupted. “A sexually transmitted disease, dummy. Betsy’s on the warpath. Now she’s got these genital warts and she knows she didn’t do anything.” Fritz started cackling, the same braying laugh that got on everyone’s nerves.
Poppy said, “That’s gross, Fritz. I can’t believe you’re telling us.”
Fritz was still so caught up in his enjoyment that he didn’t pick up on the general chill. “No, no. That’s not the point. Blake’s always acting like he’s so pure and above it all. He screwed around a hundred times and never got caught. You should have heard her on the phone. She tracked him down to Stringer’s place and I picked up every word she said. I was all the way in the other room.”
Joey said, “You know what, Fritz? You’re out of line.”
“What’d I do? I didn’t do anything.”
“Yes, you did,” Iris said. “Blake’s sex life is none of our business and it’s sure as hell not our business who has an STD. You know what your problem is?”
“Aside from the fact that he’s stupid?” Bayard put in.
Iris went right on. “You have no filter. Whatever crosses your mind, comes straight out of your mouth.”
“Name one time.”
“How about this blackmail attempt? Tape shows up and you’re on the phone five minutes later, blabbing away. You’re a tattletale.”
“I’m not. I was scared. You’re my friends. I was warning you in case the guy came after you.”
Poppy said, “You also blabbed about how much he was asking for, what your parents said, what you said, how pissed off you were—”
“Because you asked.”
“Nobody asked you if Betsy had a venereal disease,” Poppy said.
Iris laughed. “Yeah, loose lips sink ships. Haven’t you ever heard that one?”
“I know things I haven’t told anyone,” Fritz said indignantly.
Poppy said, “Such as what?”
“I don’t know. Such as my theory about Austin.”
Bayard thumped himself in the forehead. “Jesus, Fritz. You’re about to blab something else.”
Iris said, “What’s your theory? Out with it. This is good. We can keep a secret even if you can’t.”
“This is not a secret. It’s just this idea I had. People keep wondering if he’s dead or alive? I think he’s dead.”
Poppy said, “Well, that’s interesting. Based on what?”
“None of us have heard from him. If he were alive, he’d have been in touch.”
Bayard said, “Why would he communicate with us?”
“We’re his friends.”
“No, we’re not. Austin never had friends. We all hated him.”
“I didn’t,” Fritz said.
Bayard looked at him in disbelief. “Are you shitting me? He treated you like dirt. Insulted, berated. I don’t think I ever heard him say a nice word to you. And there you were, falling all over yourself promising to love, honor, and obey.”
“He’s a lot smarter than we are and I admired that. Shit. If I knew half of what he knew, I’d trade my silence for money anytime.”
Bayard said, “You’d do that? After what this blackmailer has done to you? Nice attitude, Fritz. Really admirable.”
Fritz shrugged. “What can I tell you? I learned it from him.”
“Then you better unlearn it fast. Austin’s an asshole. You don’t want to follow in his footsteps.”
Iris said, “Hold on. Forget that and back up. If he’s dead, what happened to him?”
Fritz said, “I don’t know. He was under pressure. He’s one of those guys who’d rather die than go to jail. If he thought the cops were onto him, he might have killed himself.”
“The cops were onto him. Thanks to you,” Bayard said.
Poppy said, “Austin wouldn’t kill himself. He’s too self-centered.”
“Maybe someone else did the job for him,” Fritz said.
“Who’d kill Austin?” she asked.