She turns around, opens the fridge, and grabs two beers. She pops the tops off and hands one to me. We clink the bottles at the neck in a toast and drink. “If you won’t text her,” Stella adds, “I will. I wouldn’t mind having another set of hands cooking some nights. Jackie’s fucking trash in the kitchen.”
I shake my head, the first smile I think I’ve felt all month on my face. “Thanks, Stel.” I take the beer and the bottles of water back to my room. I’ve just turned on the shower when there’s a knock at my door.
I flip the water off and open the door to Phantom. “You’re back,” he says. No other explanations are needed.
I nod. “I’m going back tomorrow. He had the runs and had a woman, some cousin, running the lobby.”
Phantom thinks for a minute. “Malcolm’s abusing our patience.”
“He is,” I say. “But I made sure I left a little something to remind him of that.”
Phantom studies my face but says nothing. “Ranger called while you were out. That fuckwad with the baseball bat’s pled out. He’s going away for fifteen. He’s waived extradition, so he’ll be transported up to Georgia to serve out his sentence. That ain’t public knowledge yet, but I thought you’d want to know.”
“Thanks.”
Phantom looks like he wants to say more. I wonder if he knows about the door at Shady Lane. I know him well enough to know that he wouldn’t think I did nearly enough. If it were up to Phantom, we’d be at Malcolm’s bathroom door right now.
He heads out, and I close the door behind him. I turn the shower back on, but before I get in, I fire off a text.
Me: Got some news today. Your ex is going away for a long time. 15 years up in GA. Thought you’d want to know.
I debate saying more or calling her. Even just to hear her voice on her voice mail, but I can’t. Whatever Stella says, whatever romantic fucking notions anyone has, this shit can’t work. I click send, drop my phone onto the bed, and go rub one out in the shower.
When I get out a half hour later, I’m unsatisfied and starving. I dress fast and grab my phone. I have two new messages.
Violet: Wow, hey. That’s good. Thank you so much for telling me. How are you? Been okay?
And then, finally.
Violet: Maybe I’ll give you a call in a day or two. I’ve been really, really sick. I’m just about to drag myself to the doctor. X
I grab the phone and fire a message back.
Me: Sick, how? Are you alone? Send me your address in case you need something, and text me when you’re home safe.
She sends me her address and another X, but then she doesn’t say anything more.
I pace the floors furiously. If she’s sick enough to go to the doctor, maybe she shouldn’t be alone. Maybe she’ll get light-headed or dizzy. I pack up an overnight bag before I can even stop myself. I want to be ready. If she needs groceries or soup.
I run out to the kitchen, where Cammy and Penny are baking cookies.
“We got any soup?” I ask.
The women trade confused looks. “You mean like a can, Shadow? What are you looking for?”
“Soup, goddammit. What’s hard to understand about soup?” I throw open the pantry, my heart thumping in my chest. I can’t cook. I don’t know anything about soup or tea or ginger ale, but I think about everything I crave when I’m sick.
Problem is, I’m almost never sick. And I don’t know what Violet likes. “Can you just send Stella in here?”
Penny gives me a look, and Cammy heads out to the bar. I’m scouring the shelves, grabbing anything that looks like sick-people food.
“Shadow?” Stella speaks to me like I’m a toddler holding a bomb. “What are you doing with those potato chips?”
I look around to make sure we’re alone, then I lean close. “I texted Violet like you told me to, and she’s sick. I don’t know what she needs. What does she need if she’s sick?”
“Not those.” Stella grabs my arm. “Let’s take your truck. We’ll hit the grocery store, and we’ll get her everything she could need. You drop me off back here and take it to her. Sound like a plan?”
I nod, then head out toward the lot like my ass is on fire. I check my phone every five minutes, but there’s no word from Violet. Maybe she went to urgent care or some shit. Maybe there’s a line, or she needs to go to the pharmacy. I’m going to shop for supplies with Stella, and then, if I haven’t heard back from Violet, I’m going straight to the address she sent me.
