Page 130 of Vespertine

Ramona was freaking out about the mix-up and management, buthe couldn’t cope with that right now. She knew he was alive, after all. Nickylooked down at his phone and skimmed through a few more texts from management.

Danvers:Don’t threaten me, Nico. Call me. Urgent.

Harry:You dead?

Nicky opened the text thread from his father. Adrian hadreplied:Son, we’re so relieved you’re okay and on your way home. Call as soonas you land again.

Once he had the keys to a rented Chrysler of some variety oranother and was walking through the summer night toward it, he put the callthrough to his dad. He was ready to drive the forty-five minutes to LittleHeights with the gas pedal pressed to the floorboard. He needed to be home.

“Dad?”

“Nicky! My God, the news is horrible!”

“Are they still saying I’m dead? The record company hasn’tissued a fucking correction? Or even the police for fuck’s sake?”

“They issued a retraction a little while ago. How did thishappen? Our message machine is full of condolences!” He huffed and Nicky couldpractically see him raking a hand over his head as he paced by the phone. “Thisis a disaster, son. Where’s your management? Your agent?”

“I don’t know. In need of a new job, apparently.”

“Now they’re saying it was your bassist, Mick.” His father’svoice lowered. “Is that true? I don’t know what to believe anymore.”

“Yeah,” Nicky’s throat closed off tightly, but he forcedhimself to go on. “He overdosed. But I’m okay, dad. I was there when ithappened, but I wasn’t using.” His eyes burned. “I’ll tell you more when I gethome. Have you talked to Jazz?”

“We got in an hour ago and your mother tried to call him afew times. We figured he’d be upset. But we didn’t get through on his phone orreach anyone at Blue Oasis.”

“He’s probably at the church.” Praying for Nicky’s soul. God,Jazz. Just the thought of how he’d feel if someone told him Jasper was deadmade him want to collapse. He needed to find a way to get a message to him sohe wouldn’t be scared; so he wouldn’t hurt.

“I already called there, but no one has seen him since thisafternoon.” Adrian paused. “Do you want us to call his mom?”

“I don’t know. He doesn’t go over there very often. Butsure. You might as well let her know in case he does call. I’ll keep trying himand Blue Oasis.” His fingers tingled and his head felt a little light. Heopened the car door, tossed the keys on the driver’s seat, and pulled the edgeof his sleeve up to make sure he hadn’t lost his patch in the insanity. Hesighed in relief to see it was still there.

“I’m going to start driving now. I just want to be home. AndI need to find Jazz.”

“I know, son. Your mom and I will look for him, okay?”

“Okay. Thanks, Dad.” Nicky hung up. He was hungry but thethought of food made him feel woozy. Still, passing out driving home wouldn’tdo him any good, and it’d been a long time since the eggs and waffle he’dshared with Ramona that morning.

Snickers bars, peanuts, and cola mixed horribly in hisstomach, but Nicky drove with determination. The trees and other cars whippedby outside his windows in the darkness, and the white and yellow lines racedbeneath his car. He glanced at his phone often, but saw nothing new from hisparents or anything at all from Jasper.

Finally, at the long red light just outside Little Heights,Nicky put another call through to Blue Oasis. A breathless Mrs. Wells answered,“Blue Oasis, Mrs. Wells speaking. How can I help you?”

“Hi, Mrs. Wells, this is Nicholas Blumfeld. I need to talkto the Father, please?”

Mrs. Wells gasped.

“Yeah, um, no matter what you saw onTV,I’m not dead.”

She made a strangled noise and then a small sob escaped. “Well,thank the Lord above. Still, I always knew you were trouble, Nicholas Blumfeld!I knew from the moment you stepped into my classroom—but thank goodness you’resafe. Lizzie and Jasper, they thought you were dead. The kids have all been amess crying about it. They’re doing better since the retraction was issued afew hours ago. But I don’t know where Jasper’s gone. He thinks you’re dead. He’sdevastated. If a hair on his head comes to harm from this pain inflicted on hisheart, Nicholas, I will hold you and your troublemaking ways personallyresponsible, but, oh, praise God that you’re alive.”

Nicky’s mind whirred. “He’s not at the church?”

“Andrew hasn’t seen him since this morning. I’ve tried hismother’s house, but she’s not answering. She’s at the hospital likely. Sheprobably doesn’t even know.” She seemed judgmental of his mother, and Nickydidn’t blame her much.

“I’m almost in Little Heights. I’ll find him.”

“Well, I’ll let the children know I’ve talked with youpersonally. It will relieve their minds.”

The light had been green for a while, but there was no onebehind him. He ended the call with Mrs. Wells and drove on. He knew where Jasperhad gone. It’s where he would go if he thought Jasper was dead.