About.
Her.
* * *
It took a while,but I managed to get myself upright and around to the front of the building, moving kinda like an extra fromThe Walking Dead. Luckily there was no one around, but the lights were blazing over the gas station. I sat down on the curb in the shadow of mybike.
I searched for blood, but other than a shallow scrape on my cheekbone from Taze’s pussy-assed punch, I seemed to be in one non-bloody piece. I was aching and queasy, and my kidney still felt like someone had shoved a rusty steak knife throughit.
1:19am.
I calledBrody.
“Roni’s at the Artemis Club,” I told him as soon as he picked up. My voice sounded gruff and weird, even tome.
“Okay?”
“I need you to go gether.”
“Now?”
“Yes. Now.” I knew I’d woken him up. I knew he had a new baby. I also knew he’d do what I asked. “Try her phone. If she’s not there, she might be withAsh.”
“Ash?”
“Yeah,” I growled, “Ash.” The image of Ash pulling Roni into that hall behind the stage was burned uncomfortably into my brain. “Just find out where she is and go get her. And don’t say I asked you to. If you can’t find her, get Bishop to help you, but be discreet about it. Bring her back to your place, keep her there overnight and tomorrow morning until I can get there. Tell her Jessa needs help with the baby, whatever you’ve gotta say to keep herthere.”
I heard the sound of shuffling as he got up. “Can I get a fucking ‘please’ on that?” He was talking quietly, probably trying not to wake up Jessa and/or thebaby.
“Fuckingplease.”
“Is everything okay?” Clearly he knew itwasn’t.
“It’s fucking fine. Just get herthere.”
“Alright,brother.”
“I’ll see youtomorrow.”
I hung up, then called Lex and filled him in. I told him Taze had made him, knew he’d been tailing Roni. “Watch your back,” I told him. “And stay the hell away fromRoni.”
“Right. Yougood?”
“Yeah.” I realized I probably didn’t sound so good. “Not a word toanyone.”
I hung up and got to my feet. I got onto my bike, with difficulty, my lower back fucking screaming at me, and eased slowly out of the gas stationlot.
* * *
1:42 am.
I pulled off onto a quiet road about twenty minutes from my house, in front of a fenced schoolyard.
No fucking way I was gonna makeit.
I parked under a tree in the dark between the streetlights. Sat down on thecurb.
Then I called Con to come getme.
