“You too,” I said to Austin, who nodded. Then I turned to Jace. “May I see you outside?”
He arched one brow at me, but nodded.
“Take some more Tylenol and wait here,” I said to Bishop. “I’ll be right back.”
“What’s going on?” Jace asked once the back door of the bar had closed behind us, but I led him into the rear parking lot, shivering against the cold, before I answered.
“I hate to impose on you again, and I know you’re probably as tired as I am.”
“I doubt that,” he said. “What can I do?”
“I need someone brought in, quietly, and I have no one else to ask at the moment.”
His brows rose. “Happy to help. But I’ll need a little more information…”
“You motherfuckingasshole!” Billy shouted as I descended the basement stairs with Austin and Bishop at my back.
“He’s been like that since we locked Cam up,” Tucker informed me when I opened the door. “I keep hoping he’ll go hoarse.”
“Davey? Really?” Billy yelled, trying his best to rattle the bars between his cell and Cam’s. “You could have fucking killed her.”
“He may have,” I said, and Billy went silent, turning toward my voice. His hair was lank and needed a wash, and his clothes were hopelessly wrinkled. I couldn’t help feeling a little sorry for him, even though he’d put himself there.
For his part, Cam appeared unruffled by the shouting. He sat on his bunk, leaning against the wall as if none of this truly bothered him. As if persecution were to be expected for a mission the rest of the world refused to accept as legitimate.
He’d adopted that affect the second we’d thrown him in the cell.
“How is she?” Cam said, and Billy turned to snap at him.
“You have no right to ask that!” He spun back to me. “Is she okay?”
“She’s unconscious, and we’re mitigating a high fever while we pump her full of fluids and antibiotics. Only time will tell.”
“You’re going to execute him, right?” Billy demanded. “Fucking rip his head off.”
“Here, here,” Bishop snarled.
“I swear I had nothing to do with any of it,” Billy insisted. “I would never hurt Davey, and I would have told you whohewas from the start if I’d had any idea what he was doing. But even if you aren’t going to let me go—even if you don’t believe a word I’m saying—I’ll gladly stay in here my whole fucking life if you’ll just end his.” Billy pled with another furious glance into Cam’s cell. Where Cam sat silently on his empty bunk.
“The kid has more sense than I gave him credit for,” Bishop said.
“He’s an idiot, but he’s telling the truth,” Cam said. “Billy had nothing to do with any of it. So make sure he doesn’t get any of the credit.”
“Fuckingfuck off,” Billy shouted, spittle flying. “I hope you rot! Thereisno fucking credit.”
“Let Billy out,” I told Tucker. “Jace is waiting upstairs to take him home, then he needs your help with one more thing.”
“What thing?” Austin asked.
“I’ll explain when we’re done here,” I promised. “And this shouldn’t take long.” I turned to Billy, as Tucker escorted him out of his cell by one arm. “Thanks for your help. Sorry it took so long to clear you.”
“Wish I could have done more.” There were bags under his eyes, and he might have lost a couple of pounds, but it was nothing a good night’s sleep and a big meal couldn’t fix. And maybe a joint. “Can…can I still work here?” he asked, much softer.
“Of course.” I put one hand on his shoulder. “I would never have cut you off just because of who your stepfather was. I hope you understand that. But you owe me and this entire community absolute honesty and transparency. I know you didn’t do any of this, but you could have stopped it if you’d told me the truth from the beginning.”
“I will from now on. I swear.” There were tears in his eyes.
“You’d better. I don’t hand out many second chances,” I warned him.
