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I glance over my shoulder.

Kierra's sitting on the couch, watching me with those big brown eyes.

"Doing all right."

"Good. One of us ought to."

Something in his voice makes me straighten.

"Mel."

"Need a job, brother."

There it is.

"Doing what?"

"Security. Driving. Maintenance. Whatever. I'll take the shit jobs. Just need somewhere to start."

"You clean?"

"Yeah."

"Trouble following you?"

A longer pause.

"Nothing I can't handle."

Don't fucking like that answer.

"That's not what I asked."

"I know."

I grip the phone tighter.

"Where are you?"

"Couple towns over."

"You got somewhere to sleep?"

"Tonight, yeah."

"Come by tomorrow. I'll talk to Grim."

Silence.

Then, quieter, "You'd do that?"

"Can make an introduction. Can't promise you a damn thing."

"That's more than anybody's offered me in a while."

"Call when you get into town."

"Will do."