“Get Tripp and Chloe into rooms. Keep anyone who isn’t a member or an Old Lady out of the common areas until further notice. Somebody will need to take Nora to the hospital, but not yet. It’s going to take a while to get him to the ambulance.”
“Got it,” she said. “You two, come with me. I’ll bring your dinners to you in a minute.”
“Diesel, I need you at the gate. Do not let any cops in,” I said. “Ranger, I want to talk to Byte before we meet them out back. They’ve got No Nuts.”
“Hot damn! It’s been a minute since we’ve had a guest without Carbon here to hog all the fun or Flint to steal all the glory.”
“You get to have plenty of fun. You blew someone’s head off not that long ago.”
“Yeah, and your son was there playing the hero,again,” he said petulantly, though I knew he was joking. “Where is my favorite show-stealer?”
“He’s keeping an eye on things at the diner with Walter and Buck,” I told him as we walked into church. “You got anything?” I asked Byte.
My phone rang before he could answer.
Dash.
Fuck.
I accepted the call and put him on speaker.
“We might have a problem,” he said. “We’re coming up on what looks like a wreck or roadblock. A lot of flashing lights. Any idea what’s going on?”
“Hold on,” Byte said, already typing. “Yeah, there’s definitely an accident. Still checking the other cameras.”
Ranger held up his phone and wiggled it. “Reports say pedestrian versus vehicle. They’re instructing drivers to turn around.”
“Got it. We’ll turn around before we get any closer. Should be there in twenty. Taking the back roads,” he said and ended the call.
I looked at Byte first, then Ranger, wondering if they were thinking the same thing I was. “No,” I said slowly. “Couldn’t be.”
Byte’s fingers raced across his keyboard in response. Ranger plugged one ear with his finger while he stared at his phone.
“Male. Early twenties,” Ranger said loudly.
“Where are you getting that information?” Byte asked, seemingly frustrated.
Ranger grinned and pointed to the earbud in his ear. “Keegan and Gabby got me these for Christmas. I’ve been listening to the police scanner since.”
“Hold on. You’ve been listening since when?” Byte asked.
“Since Christmas,” he said as if the answer was obvious.
I shook my head and chuckled. “Who’s the show-stealer now?”
“Me,” Ranger grinned proudly. “It gives me great pleasure to inform you that the freshest piece of roadkill in Croftridge County is Willy Smith.”
“Well, that’s two down and one to go,” I said.
“Or is it one down and two to go?” Ranger asked. “Since No Nuts isn’t dead yet.”
“I won’t make the same mistake again,” I said harshly.
“Didn’t think you would and don’t care if you do. That boy won’t leave this clubhouse alive.”
“Then why did you ask?”
“’Cause I wanted to know. I’m old. If I don’t say things right the first time, people automatically jump to dementia.”
