“Dunno,” I say brightly, holding up my phone. “But I think you should be smart for once in your dead-shit life and fuck off back to the pub, because I’m onto Thrasher and all the threats in the world aren’t gonna keep what I know about him quiet. Illegal labour? Underage girls? Any of that shit ring a bell, Shan?”
“You don’t?—”
“I know all about Thrasher’s dirty laundry, and what I don’t know, I’m gonna find out. So, you head back to Thrasher like a good little boy and tell him to hire a fucking lawyer. Him, and Will Sharpe, Xavier McColl and everyone else linked to his shithole operation.”
Shannon suddenly looks as scared as I did in the mirror of that creepy pub.
“I’m gonna go.”
“Best idea you’ve had all day, bud. Tell your boss to call me. Ask to eat ice cream out of my box again.”
“Whatever.” Shannon stumbles back to his truck, almost tripping over his own feet.
“I mean it. I think Thrasher’s the sexiest man on earth. I mean Iamsurprised he’s into me, considering my age, but I really would loveto get to know him better. Even though it already feels like I know himso well.”
Shannon glares over his shoulder at me. “Whore.”
“Right back at you, babe.” I give him a little wave. “See you at the reunion, yeah?”
Shannon’s hand halts on the driver’s side door. “You’re coming?”
“Of course.”
“Thrasher doesn’t want you at the reunion. None of us do. You’re not even fuckin’ from here.”
“I know. That’s what makes poking around Thompson Farms so rewarding.” I hold up my palms. “No dirt on these hands, Shan. How ’bout yours?”
He opens his mouth, seems to think better of it, then climbs back into his stupid car. The engine roars to life, and Shannon Strom tears onto the road like it’s the Kentucky Derby, his gaze holding mine as he speeds past.
I blow him a kiss and when his headlights are swallowed by the nearest bend, I jump up and down, yelping and whooping. I’m pumped full of adrenaline and thrilled with myself. It’s weird considering I was just menaced in broad daylight, but I’ve also just recorded one of Thrasher’s goons openly intimidating me, and that’s worth a little menace.
I climb back into Cece’s car, lock the doors and listen to the recording. It’s clear as a fucking bell. Shannon Strom, in the audio equivalent of 4k, telling me to stay away from the farm or ‘bad things’ will happen to me. I’m going to bend Thrasher over a barrel and fuck him so hard hisdadis gonna feel it.
Unwittingly, my mind goes to Jake, how pissed he’d be to know I don’t care about my safety, just the fact that I’ve finally nailed down at least one of my scumbag ex-classmates.
“You’re a fuckin’ menace, Renaldo,” he’d say and probably send me to Guam with a security detail.
I shouldn’t have called him and left that panicky voicemail. Can you unsend a voicemail like aDM?I Google it, and it’s a resounding ‘no.’ Hopefully, he’s blocked me. Or he thinks I called for a drunk spat and deletes the message without listening to it.
Cece’s number lights up my phone, and I pick up, still grinning from ear to ear. “Cee! How’s it going, baby girl?”
“Hi. What’s up?”
“The sky.” I laugh at my own shit joke, then realise I have actual, non-Thrasher-related problems to solve.
“Actually, no. Things are bad. This is so fucking annoying, and I’m so sorry, but I’ve gotten a flat on some random road. I’m not too far, but I can’t change the tyre.”
A pause.
“Okay…”
She sounds weird, but then again, I’m gibbering away like I’m on speed. “Sorry. Seriously, I’m so sorry. Can you borrow one of your parents’ cars and come meet me?”
“No. I guess I’ll… Look, you drop a pin, and I’ll get a rideshare out. It’ll cut into us getting ready for the cocktail party, though…”
I feel a stab of guilt. “Sorry. I didn’t mean for this to happen.”
“It’s fine. See you soon.”
