SEAN
September
The next fewweeks passedfast.There was so much that needed doing at the mansion, just to make sure the floor didn’t collapse under us or the roof didn’t come down, that I was there all day, every day. Given that, before I met Louise, I’d spent most days sleeping off a sex-and-booze-fueled hangover, it was an adjustment. But, in time, I found I kind of liked seeing mornings.
And it was worth it, to be with Louise. We were together a lot, now, every hour she didn’t have to be at her job or looking after her sister. Most of the time, we were working, but I still managed to coax her away from the plants long enough to go up to the big four poster in the bedroom...or I’d push her down on one of the tables and slowly strip her...or I’d just catch her as she walked past and press her up against the wall….
When she was there, it was great. When she wasn’t, though...that’s when I got to thinking. Like right now, as I hammered down a new floorboard.
In another few weeks, it’ll all be over.Louise would bring in a greatcrop—I didn’t doubt that for a second. If I could keep her safe until then, we could sell it to Malone and Kayley could get her treatment.
...andthenwhat?
Against all my expectations, it felt good to have opened up to her. It feltgreat.But once we’d sold the crop and she’d gone back to her normal life...would she still want me? What the hell could I offer her? All I was good at was being a scary fucker and smashing stuff up.
I heard a noise from the next room, where the plants were.Shit.Probably just a bird—there were enough missing slates on the roof that they got in, sometimes. But I wasn’t taking any chances: I kept the claw hammer in my hand. As I crept through the doorway, I drew it back….
No one there. I could see right across the room, between the shifting foliage. I sighed, lowered the hammer and started walking the aisles, looking for the bird. I’d heardsomething....
I was on my third aisle when I heard the rustle. I spun around, lifting up the hammer again...but there was no one.
Not atthatheight.
It wasn’t until I glanced down that I saw the intruder, sitting on the floor against a table leg.
“Hi,” said Kayley.
52
LOUISE
I’d just finishedmy shift at the garden store. On the phone, Sean had just saidyou need to get over here,so I didn’t understand how bad the situation was until I glimpsed Kayley’s bandana between the plants.Oh shit.
I skidded to a stop in front of her and Sean. He and I exchanged horrified looks.
“This is for Switzerland, isn’t it?” Kayley said. “This is for my treatment.”
I looked at Sean and then looked at her. I nodded.
“Are youINSANE?”Kayley yelled. “You’re growingdrugs!You...youasshat,Louise!This isn’t…” She looked at me helplessly. “This isn’tyou!”
“I know,” I said softly. “But it was the only way. We had to have the money.” I took hold of her arms. “Look, this is just a one-time thing. And it’s all over in another few weeks.”
Kayley swallowed, turning pale. I could see her working it out in her head. This is what had terrified me all along: not just her finding out I was breaking the law, or being scared for me, but figuring out why I needed to do it. Watching the realization wash over her was the most heartbreaking thing I’ve ever seen.
“I’m going to die, aren’t I?” she whispered. “If this doesn’t work, if I don’t go to Switzerland...I’m going to die.”
Before I could answer, Sean stepped forward. “That’s fuckin’irrelevant,” he said heavily. “Because thisisgoing to work.” And he said it inthatvoice. The same one he used when he told a trespassing dealer they were leaving town,now,or the owner of a poker den that the game wasover.It sounded like slabs of stone the size of houses, so fuckingsurethat even I was convinced.
Kayley nodded, tears in her eyes. Then she suddenly ran to me and threw her arms around me, pressing her face to my chest. I hugged her tight, nodding silent thanks to Sean over the top of her head.
“You’re still an asshat,” Kayley said at last, her voice muffled. “You really thought I’d never find out?”
“Howdidyou find out?” I asked.
She pushed back from me a little. “I snuck a look at your phone while you were asleep and found this place pinned on Google Maps. So I got a cab over here while you were at work. At first, I thoughthemust live here—the guy you were dating. Then I snuck in a window and sawthis.” She waved at the plants, then walked closer to look at one. “Good plan, telling Stacey you’re dating. You totally have her fooled.” She chose that moment to glance up and see Sean and my guilty faces. “Oh. Ohshit!”She clapped her hand to her mouth. “You two are—”
My face flashed red. I’d been so concerned with her finding out about the grow house, I hadn’t thought about that side of it. I exchanged looks with Sean, but there was zero chance of hiding it. And there’d been enough lying already. “Yes,” I said at last.
