Page 64 of When The Noise Stops

"You knew."

He didn't deny it.

"Why the hell didn't you tell us?"

Tiny shrugged.

"Ronny and I just happened to be talking, and she told me Lila bought the RV in cash," he said.

"That's how I knew. I didn't run my mouth because it wasn't my business, and because it ain't the thing you lead with when you're talking about Lila."

Sully frowned.

"Cash for an RV is exactly the thing you lead with."

Tiny shook his head.

"That's the least interesting thing about her."

Nobody had a joke for that.

"What's the most interesting thing?" I asked.

He looked at me. Just for a second.

"That she chose us to be friends with."

I nodded.

"I'm gonna go look at the shop tomorrow."

"You should," Tiny said. Everybody shook their head, agreeing.

Chapter 27

Knox

It took me three days to make up my mind about the shop after seeing it.

I was back with Lila now, doing a walk-through.

She followed in those glasses, in a simple pair of tights and a T-shirt, sneakers that didn't match the Land Rover she probably paid cash for. It was hard to reconcile this new side of her with the old side. The Lila who climbed into my lap. The Lila who owned strip malls. They didn't fit in the same body.

And something else had been on my mind. That night, in the rain. I stopped in the third bay.

"What are we?"

She looked up from the phone.

"What you mean?"

"That night. After what happened."

"Oh. Okay. I see," she nodded.

"Did that night feel good?"

"What?"