I nodded.Didn’t seem like a bad idea.
“Where will you go, little one?”Tank asks her.
“To my aunt’s.She’s in Phoenix.She’ll let me stay while I sort myself out.”
“No more drug smuggling.”Tank frowns.
“I didn’t do it willingly in the first place.”She shudders.
“But how do you feel?I mean, physically,” Scarlet asks and steps up to Consuela.She puts her hands on Consuela’s shoulders and studies her face with such compassion my heart squeezes.
“Thanks to you, Doctor, I feel okay.Weak, low-grade headache, but I’ll live.”
“Yes, I think you will, you’re over the worst of the withdrawal.And you’re eating and drinking now so you should be okay, back to normal within the week if you rest and keep up good hydration.”
“I can do Phoenix,” Tank says with a shrug.“Will take a full turn of the clock but it’s doable.”
“You’d drive me?”Consuela turned to him.
“Never happier than on a road trip.”He kind of grins and then winks at her.“It’ll be fun and less chance of any assholes finding out where you are.Flying or buses have risks when you want to be beneath the radar.”
“Yes, that’s true.”She nods.“Thank you.I don’t know how I can ever repay you.”She turns back to Scarlet and throws her arms around her.“And you, you are an angel and you were there just when I needed you.I’m sorry for all the fuss and—”
“Stop.”Scarlet returns the hug.“I’m just glad you’re okay.You were a victim of an evil crime orchestrated by evil men, but you’re a survivor, that much is clear, and you should always be proud of that.And I hope it all works out in Phoenix.”
The two women hug again and I turn away.I’d never known kindness like Scarlet’s.She has so much capacity to care and love her fellow human beings without question and without judgement.Next to her, I am nothing more than a bit of crap on someone’s boot.
“Come on, guys, we’re done here,” Jock shouts and straddles his bike.“Let’s take off.Now.”
The bikers quickly follow suit and engines rev and exhaust puff up to join the smoke.
Scarlet climbs on behind me, her slender arms wrapping around my waist.“Where are we going?”
“To a motel, away from this lot.You need to rest after what you’ve been through.”And then I’d take her back to the hospital so she could live out her life in peace.I was bad news for her, bad news with a big fucking capital B.
We leave the burning house behind, dodging potholes until we reach the main highway.Tank takes off south, the bikers go north, and I slip onto the highway east.I know a little place where there are always vacancies.Nothing fancy but it will do.
Just after I’ve taken the junction, two fire trucks steam past, sirens blaring and lights flashing.We’d got out of there just in time.The brutal chaotic reckoning we’d left behind should be a smouldering heap by now and all they’d have to fight was a pile of ash and bones.
The motel, Mountain Inn, was set away from the road.It had a backdrop of the Rockies and was painted green and brown with a sign boasting an outdoor pool with Jacuzzi.
“Wait here.”I climb off my bike and wander to the reception.I pay cash for a room for one night, then grab a leaflet that promises “buy one get one free” pizza delivery.
When I get back to the bike, Scarlet is standing with her face turned to the trees and taking long deep breaths.
“I got us a room at the end.”
“Okay.”She opens her eyes.“You need a shower.”
“I do?”I frown.
“Yes, you’re covered in blood, Reaper.Someone else’s blood.That’s a biohazard.”
I touch my face.It is gritty and matted over my stubble.“Yeah, I can do that.”I hand her the pizza leaflet.“You see what you want to eat.”
“I’m not sure I can eat anything right now.”She presses her flat belly.
“You need to.You’ve used up a lot of energy and adrenaline, you’ll crash otherwise.”
