"I didn't mean to start anything with Rodney and Leslie," Fabian said. "I hope they're all right." Lisa shrugged,
"He should have talked to her months ago," she said. "I told him to several times and he was scared. How did you know about it, anyway?"
"Dante told me. Rodney's a really nice guy. Dante's right -- Marlene trashes lives like a rock star in a hotel room."
They finally reached the parking lot outside of the pool locker rooms and Fabian stopped dead.
"What the ...." The parking lot was empty.
"Are you sure you parked it here?" Lisa asked. "Maybe it's in the other lot where the carnies are parked." Then she remembered seeing it earlier from the stage while she waited for him to finish his act.
"No, I parked it here," he said. "I had a reason for parking it here and moved it on purpose."
A police car pulled into the lot.
"We meet again," said the Chief, after opening the cruiser window. "Any reason for returning to the scene of the crime?"
"I parked my truck here this morning," Fabian said, "and it seems to have disappeared."
"Where was it?"
"Right over there close to the locker room."
"That was your red truck?" Rick nodded. "I remember."
"I had planned to drive Lisa to the party, but it didn't work out that way. Now I need to get her home and ... no truck."
"Tell you what. No reason we need to stand here and talk about it. Why don't I drive Lisa home and then we can go to the police station and get this reported."
"No -- really! I'm fine!" Lisa protested. "If somebody took Fabian's truck, then ...." Fabian was already leading her to the back seat of the police car.
"You're exhausted, sweetheart," he said. "We'll take you home. You get some sleep and I'll fill you in tomorrow."
Lisa wanted to argue more, but he was right. She was so tired she ached. She leaned on Fabian in the back seat and dozed. The Chief parked the car under the garage light. Fabian pulled out his wallet and produced license, registration, and proof of insurance. Rick smiled.
"I'll just look this over while you say good night," he smiled. Fabian grinned back.
"I was hoping you'd say that," he said. "Thank you." He helped Lisa out of the back and led her over to the deck stairs. She turned to go into her pie kitchen, but Fabian stopped her.
"Sweetheart, as tired as you are, I would appreciate it if you would use the door from the deck. If you go through the garage, I'd worry that you might fall or something. I want to make sure you get in all right. Please."
She smiled and touched his face. He kissed the palm of her hand.
"I love you," he told her. "Go upstairs and get some sleep."
"I love you too, Fab, and I'm worried about you."
"Don't, sweetheart. Nobody was hurt; it was just my truck. This will get sorted out. Go on now. I don't want you to exhaust yourself into a headache." He pulled her closer and kissed her. A slow, deep kiss that made her toes curl. She wrapped her arms around his neck. He pulled back with kisses to her chin and nose.
"If my kisses are potato chips," she said, "yours are dip."
He laughed.
"Good night, sweetheart. I promise I'll talk to you tomorrow and let you know what's going on." He kissed her one more time, then led her back to the stairs and watched her go up. He waited until she was safely inside and the lights were on before returning to the police car.
Really? A stolen car now? I don't remember ever having so much crime in this town! -- overheard at the post office.
The Chief dropped Fabian off at the main carnival gate. Fabian walked through the dark attractions. He noticed that the lights were off in his parents' vardo, but he could see the flicker of the television in Franco's tent. He dimly heard a laugh track. Something made him miss his brother, all of a sudden. The brother he used to have before rheumatic fever and different lifestyle choices had changed everything. He almost went over to Franco's tent to see if Franco was still up and whether they could salvage anything of their relationship since their last talk, but he decided against it. He was tired, too, and it was late. Bruiser probably needed to go out. He headed on through the carnival to his vardo.