A Lionel Richie what?
“This is serious,” A continued, “and I think maybe the copsshould be involved.”She looked to Jag.“So maybe leave it in the backpack.Thecops can search it when they get here.”
“Arch, come on,” Mal said, his voice now whiney.“Take itback, I don’t care.Whatever.I just nabbed it’causeI was pissed you kicked me out of group.”
Arch?
Was her name Arch?
Or was that a nickname?
No one was named Arch.
It had to be a nickname.
“So you took it,” A noted.
The kid bit his lower lip.
Yup, not that Jagger doubted it, but that controller was inthe kid’s pack.
“We’ve got an issue here, Mal,” A said to the kid, her voicesofter.She turned her attention to the movers and called, “We’re good.We’llwork it out.Sorry to disturb.”
“Right, you need any help, we’re right here,” one of theguys said.
Yeah, they’d lost sight of himandMal and theywere all about “Arch.”
Jag looked heavenward.
The movers shifted away as A said to Mal, “You know I’mgonna have to tell your mom about this.Andgottaremind you, we made a deal.I didn’t tell her about the other stuff you stole,you didn’t pull any more hijinks.And here we are, more hijinks.You reneged.I’m on the phone the minute I get back to the store.”
His mom?
Okay, was she a teacher or counselor or something?
And if she was, what was the store?
“No!” the kid cried again.“No, Arch.All right.Istole it.Okay?All right?I admit it.Take it back.No beefs.Just don’t talkto Mom.”
“I can’t have you coming into the store and stitching me up,Mal,” she said to the kid.“I’ve got things to do that don’t include chasingyou through Denver.”
Mal turned his head away.
“What’s the deal?”she asked him.
Mal kept his head turned away.
“What’s the deal, Mal?”she asked again.“We never had anyproblems before.Why are you suddenly being a pill?”
Mal said nothing and kept his gaze averted.
“She asked you a question, bro,” Jag prompted.
Mal turned his head at that, tipped it back, and glared atJag.“Who are you?”
“Who he is isn’t relevant,” A stated.
Well, fuck me very much.
