Page 71 of Sling’s Awakening

“You said you could pick him out of a lineup.”

Blake doesn’t bother acting like she has no clue who I’m talking about.

“Yeah,” she says.

I motion to the building. “So, we’re waiting for first shit to leave and you’re going to tell me who the fuck it is.”

Blake shifts her weight to the other hip before lowering her voice. “Do you think this is a good idea? You haven’t even been out of jail a full twenty-four hours. If you do something to him now, they’re going to know it was you.”

I can barely keep the smirk off my face as I hear Bomber and Mountain snicker beside me. It’s cute she thinks they can’t hear her.

“Toots, how about you let me worry about that, yeah?”

“It’s not that easy,” Blake stresses. “If you get locked up again, that means my car is good as gone.”

I turn to Mountain and Bomber. “Find somewhere to be.”

I watch as they both take off down the sidewalk, giving us space.

When they’re out of earshot, I continue, “You think I would ever let something happen to you?”

“No,” Blake answers without hesitation.

“Then why would you think I would do something as stupid as ending up back in a cell when I know what you put on the line for me?”

“Because you’re going to kill him,” Blake hisses as her eyes frantically dart around, looking to make sure no one heard what she just said.

“Blake.”

“What?”

“Look at me,” I order. Her blue eyes stare up at me. “I’m not going to kill him.”

Blake’s shoulders sag in relief. “You’re not?”

“No, I’m not.”

“Thank god. I really like my car,” Blake jokes, trying to lighten the mood.

I snicker. Liking a Nissan Altima that much is insane. “I know you do. Don’t worry about what happens after. All I’m asking you to do is point him out. No harm, no foul.”

Blake eyes me skeptically as if she doesn’t believe me, but thankfully lets it go. What she doesn’t know won’t hurt her.

I motion to Mountain that he and Bomber are good to come back over.

“How long do we have to wait here?” Blake asks as she looks at the time on her phone. “I don’t want to be late for work. The last thing I want to do is give Russ something else to bitch about.”

“Shouldn’t be too much longer,” I answer. “He still on your ass?”

“When isn’t he on my ass?” Blake replies before shrugging. “It’s nothing I can’t handle.”

I give Mountain and Bomber a look.

I’m not liking that.

Just as I’m about to ask another question to see what more I can get out of her, the side door to the building opens and a few people file out.

“See him?” I ask quietly.