Luke remained silent. Hallelujah. As far as I knew, the only way to shut him up was to put a tit in his mouth, or a cock or pussy, or maybe a ball-gag. Maybe I should start carrying one of the last in my purse for those ‘just in case’ moments, along with hand sanitizer, chapstick, and bandaids.
After a moment, he leaned into me and rested his chin on my shoulder as he also looked at my phone.
“Those the pictures?”
I sighed. So much for not asking questions. “Yes.”
“Looks like gibberish. What's all that mean?”
“Honestly, I have no idea. All I can say for sure is that Mitzi—the poltergeist—and my Aunty Mommy, did business together.”
He lifted his head and put an arm around my shoulders and squeezed, then instantly let go as if worried I’d jab him in the stomach with my elbow. He wasn’t wrong. “Stacey told me a little about your bitch of an aunt and what she did to you.”
“Yeah?” I doubted she’d told him any of the really bad stuff, but the not-so-bad was plenty terrible.
“She was seriously twisted.”
“Won’t argue with that.”
He bumped his shoulder against my arm. “Sorry. I know Stacey didn’t tell me the whole story or even much of it, but you didn’t deserve any of the shit she put you through.”
I knew that. Most of the time, anyhow, but it was nice to hear someone else say it, especially someone who had something of an unbiased point of view.
“Thanks.”
“What are you all doing out here?” Jen demanded as she and Stacey strode up.
Stacey sparkled. Rhinestones trailed across her cheekbones and made little curls on her temples. She wore high-top purple Chucks decked out with rhinestones and rainbow LED lights. Fishnet stockings woven with silver thread wrapped her legs up to her miniskirt, which was neon pink trimmed with more rhinestones, with a blue tank top and a rhinestone-studded jacket.
I hopped down off the car and hugged her hello. She smelled of alcohol and the industrial soap she used behind the bar, plus her favorite floral scent.
“You okay?” she asked, holding my arms as she stood back to examine me.
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Jen said you caught a ghost that was trying to kill you, and that a psychic warned you about something bad happening.”
“I’m fine.”
“You’re not hurt?”
I sighed again. End up nearly dead in the hospital a few times, and suddenly your friends think you’re fragile.
“Not a scratch.”
She nodded, accepting my assurance. Now that Aunty Mommy and all her threats were gone, I’d promised not to withhold any information or lie to them ever again. I’d done both to protect them, and they’d forgiven me, but not again. All the truth, nothing but the truth, forever and ever, amen.
Stacey dropped my arms and glanced at our companions. “Why are we standing around? Don’t we have somewhere to be?” She brushed past Luke and opened the front passenger seat.
Jen climbed in the back and I headed for the driver’s side. Next thing I know, we’re out on the road, with Luke jammed between Jen and Officer Mikey in the back seat, and Stacey riding shotgun. I could have pointed out there was a third seat in the back we could fold out, but decided Mikey’s disgruntled expression was too entertaining for that. Luke couldn’t have been happier.
“I’m starved. Can we grab a burger or tacos or something?” Stacey asked plaintively before we’d gone a mile. “Marco stays open late for the after-hours crowd.”
“You got it,” I said, feeling hungry as well.
I pulled into the strip mall parking lot where Marco parked his truck on weekend nights. He served a mix of Cuban and Mexican foods, with a little bit of TexMex thrown in. He didn’t have many customers at the moment, but I knew they’d pour in just as soon as The Starlight Club and the other local watering holes closed. Tonight a couple of other trucks had joined him, one Greek, the other Polish.
All of us jumped out and ordered, taking our food and getting back in the car. I’d ordered a burrito so that I could eat and drive. Stacey had four crunchy chicken tacos and a chicken fajita burrito. She could eat her weight and was always ravenous after work. I didn’t see what everybody else got, but the car smelled delicious, and for a while, nobody spoke.
