Page 9 of Burn Bag (Owens Protective Services #31)

KAVANAUGH

“I can’t believe I’m back here,” I muttered, keeping my eyes trained on the trees in the distance. “How many fucking times do I need to visit the cemetery?”

“You’re not here for a visit,” Red retorted. “It’s a funeral.”

I huffed in irritation. “Right, for a man who hated me so much, he fired me and then shot me.”

“He didn’t hate you. He wasn’t in his right mind.”

Sure, everyone else could say that. They hadn’t nearly lost everything because the boss had decided to take out his frustrations on them.

I searched and searched for any hint of a rifle in the distance, but not a single flash of light caught my attention.

It would be easier if someone was here to kill us.

Then I could imagine I wasn’t the only intended target.

Not that I wanted anyone else to tumble into a grave like I had. That was not a pleasant experience.

“Do you think he’s really dead?” Eli asked, leaning over to whisper.

It was one of the questions that everyone was asking. No one had confirmed or denied one way or another. In fact, Fox seemed almost gleeful that Cash was dead. But then again, Cash had shot The Kamau. That had to be some kind of cardinal sin .

I glanced around at all the faces at the funeral. Most were sad, but Eva…if Eva didn’t think he was dead, she was doing a hell of a job acting. “Those tears can’t be fake,” I whispered. “Look at her. She’s devastated.”

“True, but…”

“But what?”

“Well, it’s Eva. She’s like Fox.”

That was another good point. “But would she really put her kids through that?”

“I guess that depends on what’s at stake.”

I elbowed him in the side, nodding to a man on the far side of the cemetery. “Who’s that?”

Eli’s gaze followed mine, but he shook his head. “No fucking clue.”

I adjusted my sunglasses, using the microscopic camera in the corner of the frames to take a picture. Sometimes, I really fucking loved my job. “I got a picture. I’ll send it over to Rae.”

“Why isn’t she here?”

“Someone had to be at OPS.”

“Yeah, but I would think that would be suspicious as hell.”

I smirked at that. “Don’t worry. I’m sure she’ll find a way to make her presence known.”

Red shifted uncomfortably beside me. “I fucking hate funerals.”

“Get in line,” I muttered. “At least you didn’t almost die at one.”

“How fucking long are we gonna hear that?” he grumbled.

“How long? Are you serious? I nearly died in my father’s grave, and you want to know how long that’s going to bother me?”

“Well, yeah. Sort of,” Red snapped. “Like another year? Three years? I’d like to know how many more funerals I have to avoid.”

“You know, you’re a real prick.”

“I’m a prick? Jesus, you’re like a crazy man with all your phobias and insecurities. Fuck, you can’t even find yourself a wife the normal way.”

“Not everyone is lucky enough to find their wife on the side of the road,” I retorted. “Maybe I should just scan the highway for any women desperate for a man to change their tires. ”

“It wasn’t like that and you know it,” Red argued.

“Right,” I laughed. “Poor Zoe, completely helpless. I don’t buy that for a fucking second.”

“You guys,” Eli hissed. “Everyone’s staring.”

“That’s fine. I’m done talking to this asshole, anyway.”

I shoved past Red, but he grabbed me by the arm and I spun on him without thinking and slammed my fist into his face.

Shock rippled through me that I had actually lost my shit over a stupid argument that was really a bunch of teasing anyway, and actually fucking hit him.

I was just about to apologize when Red charged me, slamming his body into mine.

I stumbled back, trying to stay on my feet.

Both of us were pushing back and forth, trying to get the upper hand.

I heard someone shout, but I was too fucking busy staying on my feet to listen.

Red clipped me in the jaw and I grabbed his arm, flinging him around.

But he kept his grip on my sleeve and before I knew it, we were both flying into the casket.

We both tumbled over it, knocking it over in the process. A body rolled out, landing hard on top of me, and I just barely bit back a scream. Red pulled the body off me and rolled it over, wincing when he stared down at it. I got to my feet and stared down at Cash, shocked it was actually him.

For a man who had been killed by a car bomb, he looked in pretty decent shape. Then again, I suppose he could have gotten out and escaped the worst of it. I wasn’t there. I really had no idea.

I bent over and poked him on the cheek just to make sure he was actually dead. There was no mistaking the rubbery feel of his skin. This was most definitely Cash, and he was one hundred percent dead.

“Shouldn’t he be more…charred?”

“What the fuck is wrong with you two?” Lock snapped as he tore the tie from around his neck.

Red and I sat in his office, staring straight ahead like we were back in elementary school and had been sent to the principal’s office .

“It’s a fucking funeral, and you got in a fight! What were you thinking?”

“I—”

He spun and glared at me, cutting me off. “I didn’t ask you to fucking talk.”

“You asked a question.”

“Yes, for an adult. And you know what I don’t see in here?”

He stared at me expectantly, so I shook my head.

“I don’t see any other fucking adults in the room. I see two assholes who couldn’t keep their shit together at a funeral. Do you have any idea what this has done to Eva? She ran from the cemetery in tears!”

“Faking it,” Red muttered.

“What’s that?” Lock asked, storming over to get in his face.

“I said she was faking it.”

“Faking the tears? Or faking the fact that she saw her husband roll out of a fucking casket?”

“Both. I mean, come on. We both know she doesn’t believe he’s dead.”

Lock scoffed, taking a step back. “If she didn’t before, she sure as fuck does now! He’s dead!”

I winced, bobbing my head from side to side.

“Oh, you don’t believe me? Was the dead body not enough proof for you?”

“I mean…we thought FNG was dead, too.”

“Yeah, and he can’t die,” Red pointed out.

“Oh, so the dead body you saw in the casket wasn’t really Cash’s body,” he laughed. “I see. This is all some big conspiracy. Are her kids in on it, too? Maybe Izzy planned it out with them!”

I wasn’t so sure about that. “I think Izzy has enough on her plate without trying to plan something as big as this.”

“I wasn’t serious, you jackass!” Lock shouted.

“No, but he has a point. You know who would be great at planning something like this?” Red asked. “Fox. ”

“Fox is the one who killed him!” Lock shouted. “He blew him up in a fucking car!”

“Yes, and he’s awfully uncharred for being blown up,” I pointed out.

“Maybe his whole body didn’t get blown up,” Lock snapped.

“Maybe it’s only the lower half that looks like a fucking barbecue.

I really don’t know. But what I do know is that yesterday, Eva was holding it together and today, she’s crying at her house because her husband rolled out of a casket right the fuck in front of her! ”

“Yes, but on the bright side, he really was dead,” I said, trying to make it better. “I mean, it would have been so much worse if he wasn’t actually dead.”

Lock’s eyes widened the longer he stared at me. I wasn’t sure if he was pissed or about to have a seizure, but either way, he didn’t look happy. “I just—You’re so—Do you even fucking hear yourself?”

“I’m just pointing out the obvious, boss.”

“I am not your boss! I am?—”

“Technically, since Cash is dead, you are. It’s not like he can come back from that.”

“Unless he’s not dead,” Red nodded.

Lock shoved his fingers through his hair and walked away from us. I kind of got the feeling the meeting was over, but he wasn’t being really clear on that. “Should we leave?” I leaned over and whispered to Red.

He nodded, slowly getting to his feet.

“I want both of you off the property,” Lock hissed. “Do not return until you can prove that you’re grown up enough to act like fucking adults!”

“Ooh, you know, that’s not good for me. Remember, I was supposed to get married this weekend.”

Lock spun around and glared at me. “Move it off the property.”

“But I live here.”

“I don’t give a shit. You are not bringing a woman onto this property and getting married. Not after what you just pulled. ”

“You know, I’m the last of us to get married. I would think you would be on my side, here.”

“Then why don’t you ask Eva if she wants you to get married here,” he snarled.

“And if she says yes?” I grinned.

He took a deep breath and blew it out. “I promised myself when I walked in here that I would not kill you. Don’t make me break that promise.”

With a swift nod, I turned for the exit, but I took the chance to clarify things one last time. “So, that’s a yes?”

I saw the paperweight coming, but I wasn’t fast enough. I shifted my weight just in time for it to hit my shoulder, leaving my head intact. “Geez, it was just a question.”