“I could tell.” Peter sniffs heavily and tosses his phone onto the table with a loud clatter. “You were blowing up my phone.”
“We were supposed to look at apartments yesterday. We have plans.”
“Why?” His head sags back and he gazes up at me through half-lidded eyes. “I like it here.”
“I hate it here.”
“Why, because Harris knows you live here?”
“Welive here,” I correct, tossing the teabag into the trash. “And I think it would be a good idea for us to move. Get out of the city. Go somewhere clean and away from all of… this.” Far away from the river containing a body that will put me in prison for life.
“Fuck no.” Peter snorts. “All the best bars are around here. Within walking distance, I might add. I’m not giving that up because you’re feeling a little flighty.”
“Flighty?” Turning to face him, I ache to see the warm face of my brother from childhood, but it’s buried under years of drug and alcohol abuse, with wrinkles born from too many losses at gambling tables. “Peter, do you understand what I did for you? I committedcrimesfor you, so forgive me for not wanting to stay here and wait for the fucking cops to kick down my door.”
“Why, you gonna talk?” Suddenly, he’s on his feet and walking toward me with his head held high, and a pulse of uncertainty worms through my gut.
“No, of course not!”
“Then what’s the issue?” He snorts again and leans past me, snatching up my cup of tea and taking a big, messy swig. “No one knows shit. So no one’s gonna know, right?” As he drinks, he claps his large hand to my face. “You did an amazing thing for me, Sis. And I’ll forever be grateful. But it’s over. Move on. I have.”
Clearly.
“I just don’t feel safe here, that’s all.”
“I’m here, so you’ve got nothing to worry about. But this?” He motions between us, and I’m hit with a mouthful of beer-breath. “It’s over, Zira. Caput. Just move on. No one knows anything,no one cares. You’re wasting this fresh start over worrying your head off.” His fingers prod at my temple, and I bat his hand away while stepping out from under his shadow.
“It’s not that simple.”
“Sure it is.”
“I…” We’ve had this conversation a handful of times and it’s always the same. “Look, we really need to talk about this properly. Not when you’re still drunk. Take a shower, get some rest, and I’ll be back later.”
Peter looks me up and down and frowns. “Where are you going?”
“The store’s back open today, so I’m going to hand in my notice and then job hunt.”
“What?” Surprise moves across his face and he shakes his head. “You can’t.”
“Of course I can. Oh, and there’s some leftover takeaway in the fridge if you’re hungry.” I turn away and grab my coat from the back of the door but when I turn back, Peter’s right back in my space.
“Are you insane?”
“Excuse me?” My brows dart up. “I can’t work there anymore, Peter. I can’t go in there and lie to everyone, listen to their stories about how scared they were and look them in the eye. I did that to them. There’s no way in hell I can go back there and work!”
“And how suspicious will it look that not only were youabsentthe day of the robbery, but you quit as soon as you can? I dunno, Zira. To me, that’s a blaring warning sign for a guilty conscience.”
“I— No, it’s not.”
“It totally is. If youwereone of the people working back then, then fine, it would make sense because you had a gun shoved in your face, but you? You weren’t there, and as far as everyone is currently concerned, you’re the lucky one. All eyes will be on you if you quit.”
“Peter, I can’t?—”
“You have to.” Abandoning my tea, Peter grasps both my shoulders with his hands. “And we need the money. I can’t work after what Harris put me through, and you’ve seen the job market. The only job you could get on such short notice is at a fucking strip club, and ha…” He laughs and looks me up and down. “I would kill you if you did that.”
Despite the smile on his face, there’s an edge in his drunken eyes that unsettles my already churning stomach.
“So, go to work and act normal. Then come home and be normal. In a few days, it will all be routine, okay?” He pats my cheek, picks up the cup, and vanishes out of the kitchen, leaving me with a pounding heart and racing mind.
