Chapter Six -None The Wiser

Hunter cycled lazily on his bike. He mostly kept to the bicycle lane, careful to avoid traffic. The cars and motorists moved slowly, typical of Californian street roads. Honks and curses interchanged each other as they flowed, a never ending stream of rude remarks and quippy quotes.

Hunter watched the world wheeze by his bike. He watched a woman wheeling a baby cart down the street. He saw a child playing outside on the lawn. He saw the billboard advertising a generic soap. He saw the troops of people moving into the movie theater.

He saw a traffic warden sticking tickets on the cars who'd over stayed their parking pass. He saw the laughing trio of girls, shopping bags hooked under the crevices of their arms. He saw the black man ahead helping an elderly lady into her house. He saw the police officer parking his car on the street, moving towards them.

He braked and his bike jerked forward and he stuck his foot out to steady it. He kicked down the stand and kept it near the house. He moved towards the house, making out like he didn't have a care in the world. Near the front door, he waited and then he heard a scream.

It was short and garbled and might as well as stuck in his throat. His feet moved curiously to the site of the sound. They were in the dining room and the police officer was hitting the other man's head with his bacon.

Different utensils were strewn across the room. The table cloth had slipped off the table and the cutlery were knocked astray. He was holding a plastic chair trying to defend himself. The old lady was repeatedly hitting the policeman with her walking stick shouting with her frail voice. "Leave him alone". but he pushed her away. 

She landed klutzily on the ground. She didn't look like she was going to get up soon. Hunter gasped. He hid behind the door.

Hunter whipped out his phone and started recording. He'd watched too many videos of 'Black~ish' to not to. 

The man was shouting now. "I'm no thief. I ain't a thief man" his voice slobbered and his spit dribbled on his face as a blow from the baton landed on it.

"He's my grandson! You idiot!" The old lady shouted.

The policeman stopped suddenly. "What did say?" He asked, watching the man out of the corner of his eyes and placing his hand on his gun holster to discourage any evil thoughts he had in mind.

"I said he's my grandson! You nit-wit! We were just coming from my appointment at the masseuse and you just attacked us!"

"Oh no ma'am. I thought he wanted to rob you" he said sheepishly, pinching the back of his neck. The other man groaned from where he lay on the floor.

"He's no thief. Now look what you've done" she said, motioning to the lot of things spilled and strewn about.

"I'm so sorry ma'am. Please forgive me. I was just doing my job" he begs.

"If you must know, my daughter's black. I got married to a black man. Peter, God bless his soul, was a good husband. He didn't hurt innocent people. He helped them. I know he's smiling down at me in heaven now. Someday I'll join him. I know about the lot of you. Just because he's black and I'm white, you immediately labeled him a thief. Pooh!" He breathed out.

"I'm not a racist. I even help out some impecunious black kids sometimes".

"Away with you!" She shoed him outside. "My poor baby's gonna be ill".

Hunter eyes went wide as his phone vibrated. It was his mother calling. His phone nearly dropped but he fumbled and caught it in mid air.

All eyes were now on him. The policeman had a 'wtf!' look on his face. The old lady was just about to ask if he was homeless when he did what he should have done a long time ago.

He ran.

His leg knocked into the side table as he ran, he gritted his teeth, momentarily ignoring the stinging pain attaching itself. He stopped long enough to save the recording and ran to his bike.

He fumbled with his bike, dropping it and making the mistake of looking backwards. The policeman was advancing steadily towards him.

The searing pain in his leg seemed to have vanished as he pedaled furiously towards Josh's house. The policeman was a speck in the distance. He couldn't catch up to him now. Even with his car. There were shortcuts policemen would never know about. This was so going on his YouTube Chanel.

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He stopped in front of Josh's house and called his mother. She'd been ringing his line the entire time he'd been cycling here. She picked it up. Something was making a noise in the background, probably the vacuum cleaner or the electric blender.

His mom's voice sounded in the speaker. "Hunter?"

"Yes mom".

"Where have you been? I've been so worried! You just left like that without telling me. Are you okay?

"I'm fine". Typical. Hunter rolled his eyes, even though he knew she couldn't see him.

"Don't you roll your eyes at me, young man. You're not old enough to dodge a spanking". Sometimes Hunter could swore his mom was telepathic. "I want you home by dinner time. D'you hear me?"

"Yes ma'am".

"You may proceed".

The phone beeped in his house and he slipped it into his pocket. His fingers brushed over the memory card. He'd even forgotten about it. Now he could find out if it was usable on Josh's computer.

He smiled.

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He'd already planned his arrival while up on that tree. He'd give Josh a five minute headstart, then bound into his room.

A blubbering Josh would nervously spill his secret and beg him not to tell Zoey. He would laugh and jokingly tell him to do his math homework first.

But he would just mess with him. He wasn't planning on telling Zoey anyway. Now he'd given him enough time to slip into his comfort zone.

He rang the doorbell twice. A beaming but otherwise exhausted Mrs. Grimshaw welcomed him inside. "Good morning ma- I mean good afternoon ma'am" he blundered, excitement already causing him to slide upon his words. "Is Josh home?" 

"Joshie? I think he's trying one of his experiments again upstairs." Hunter was already bounding up the stairs. "Be careful!" She added as an afterthought. 

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Josh had already heard Hunter's voice. He knew they'd been looking for him in school. He also knew that Hunter had asked his mom if he was in earlier that day. His mom had asked him where he was because Hunter came to check up on him. He said he was at Zoey's.

Josh's mom didn't like Zoey that much so she didn't come over that often. He'd tell Hunter that he went to his other science geeky friends [what Zoey called them ] and everyone would be none the wiser. Josh knew Hunter wouldn't take the time to check if he was lying. 

The door creaked open. Hunter pushed it slowly and carefully stepped inside. Josh was wearing his white lab coat and his back was turned to Hunter. One of Josh's dreams was to be like Albert Einstein so he liked dressing up like a scientist.

The room smelt like old paint. Hunter looked at the make shift lab congregated at one corner of the room and smiled. Josh would be none the wiser.