I recognize the brand of medicine and take them with some water. “We didn’t kiss.”
The man lifts an eyebrow. “What would you call it?”
“You kissed me.”
A smirk. “You kissed me back.”
“You stole a kiss. If you asked permission, you wouldn’t have gotten it.”
“Thief,” his brother says.
“Guilty as charged.” The man clears his throat. “What happened after you dropped me off under the bridge?”
“Oh man, everything. I called the number you gave me, and when I got back to the car, I realized I still had your bag in the back seat. I went back to drop it off like you said, but you were already gone. I looked for you. Thought you might’ve drowned. For a man who couldn’t walk, you sure disappeared fast. Anyway, since I couldn’t find you, I drove home. A cop on a bike pulled up next to me at the stoplight, glanced into the back of my car, and pulled me over. I think he knew it was a rifle.”
“He couldn’t have known. The drag bag is designed to appear as if I’m carrying a musical instrument.”
“I thought it was a hockey stick.”
“Why did he pull you over?”
“I told you. It was the bag in the seat.”
“Did you take 4th Street home like I said you should?”
I pause. Did I? “No, no.” I shake my head. “I took Highland Boulevard.”
The man pinches his lips. “Dina, I gave you instructions. They were very specific, and they included your exit plan after the drop-off. In the event of a citywide emergency, the police patrol Highland Boulevard and look for anything suspicious. 4th Street is not patrolled.”
“Damn.”
“Yeah.”
I take a deep breath. “How can you know what streets are patrolled and which aren’t?”
“I just do, okay?”
“Who are you?”
The man glances at his brother. “Declan. This is my brother, Connor.”
“I go by Con. Like convict.”
Declan shakes his head. “Ignore him.”
“Well, Declan, I have trouble following directions, and I’m messy, and my life is crap, but you don’t have to kiss me or be nice to me. I didn’t turn you in. I gave them a description of a man, but with blue eyes. Your heterochromia would’ve made it easy for them to find you. But before you say anything about how grateful you are, I didn’t do it for you. I did it so that I could stay alive when you found me. Because I knew you would. I knew you would show up one day and end my life if I turned you in. You can thank me now.”
The man scrubs his jaw and shakes his head.
Next to me, Connor chuckles and touches his eyeball to peel off a contact. Now his eyes are blue. It takes me a moment to understand. “Shit.”
Connor smiles. “The cops are after me?”
I swallow. “I’m sorry. I had no idea there were two of you and that your face is chubbier than his and your nose is slightlywider, which is kind of the description I gave them.” They’re nearly identical, but Connor appears bulkier. Maybe he eats more than Declan.
“Aw, baby,” Connor says. “I’m not mad. I’m Selnoa’s most wanted. I want that on a T-shirt.Selnoa’s Most Wanted.Across my chest. And did they sketch me with my hair slicked back or parted down the middle?”
“Parted to the side. Left side.” He gives off strange vibes.
