Nate’s brows twitched in confusion. “Unlock it?” He shook his head. “Nah, man, it wasn’t locked. Brent doesn’t like carrying keys around with him, so I always leave it open for him.”
I looked hard at Nate and then I turned to Miller, pointed at him. “You. Go get your shit. We’re leaving.”
There was a lot of whining on Nate’s part, and a lot of conflicted glances on Miller’s, but I insisted. I went upstairs with Miller to pack, and we were followed by Nate, who complained loudly about how rude I was, and how Miller hadpromisedto sleep over that night, and howboredNate would be if he didn’t.
Even Miller got tired of it. “Nate,” he said, as he threw clothes back into his overnight bag. “I’msorry. But I need to do what JJ says. You’ll be fine. Invite some of the guys from the bungalow up to the house if you’re bored.”
“Thoselosers? They only ever talk about enemas or STDs,” he groaned. “And why do you have to do what this guy tells you?” He thumbed at me. “You never struck me as the kinky kind, Milly.”
“Fuck you,” Miller said without heat. “It’s not like that.”
“Then whatisit like?” Nate glared at me. “How come Milly needs a bodyguard?”
“I have—I have a stalker,” Miller said, throwing up his hands. “Okay?” He grabbed my hat off the bed and put it on his head, avoiding my eyes.
“Youhave astalker?” Nate looked skeptical. “Since when?”
“Since recently,” Miller snapped.
“Nate,” I said, and he jerked to attention.
“Yes, Mr. JJ?”
“Do you have security cameras on the front door or in the surrounds?”
He gave a wicked grin. “Uh, that would be ahell, no. Half the people who come here really don’t want to beseencoming here, if you get what I mean. No cameras except the ones on-set for filming. That’s Brent’s motto.”
I picked up Miller’s bag from the bed and jerked my head at him. “Let’s move.”
“But why do you have to go somewhereelse?” Nate moaned as we went back downstairs. He followed us all the way out to the Pinto, the sight of which provoked a double take, but he didn’t quit whining. “Can’t your bodyguard just stay here overnight? I’m soboredwhen Brent’s away. I’ll lock thedoor. Miller, comeon.”
I hustled Miller into the front seat and slammed the door for him, then went around to the other side and got in.
“Seriously, there’sno issuehere,” Nate tried, leaning in Miller’s window. He was looking at me with a pout, as though I were a parent putting an end to his fun. “Please, Mr. JJ? Why do you have to take offright now?”
“We have a knitting circle we’re late for,” I said. Nate laughed like it was the funniest thing he’d ever heard. I turned to Miller and pulled my hat off his head. “Thanks for keeping this warm.”
“Uh, yeah,” he muttered, and looked away to fumble with his seatbelt. “Let’s get out of here.”
Nate was staring between Miller and me with a look of dawning comprehension and a spreading grin. “Oh,” he said. “Ohhhh. Well,nowI get it. Okay, then. You kids have fun.”
I didn’t have the energy for that amount of subtext, so I just nodded. “Sorry if I scared you. See you around.”
“And Miller!” Nate called, moving back from the car at last, “Remember to tell Annie I’m not a goddamn pawn shop. She owes mecash.”
“Omigod, can wego?” Miller hissed quietly, and gave his friend the middle finger out the window rather than a wave as we drove away.
“What was that all about?” I asked.
“Forget it, he’s a moron.” His ears had turned scarlet.
“Your sister owed him money?”
“Oh—that. I guess she gave him an IOU for her drugs or something. He won’t shut up about it,” he mumbled. “Anyway, you got anything more from your contacts?”
“One or two leads.” Freddy had come back to me with a lot of information, but I didn’t know yet how useful any of it would be. I’d been in touch with other contacts for hospital admissions, drug rehab centers, unidentified DOAs. Nothing so far, and the clock was ticking. The Boss was expecting a result on Thursday, and Monday had run out. “So, you want to explain to me why you didn’t do what the hell I told you, and stay hidden?”
He groaned. “I did, JJ. I really did…at first. But I couldn’t just leave Nate out there alone. If he was in danger, I wanted to help out. And therewasn’tany danger, was there?” He looked at me, but I kept my eyes on the road.
