Page 28

CHAPTER 28

REDLEY

I don’t like the hungry way Bobby looks at me, and since I’m no longer a virgin, I feel especially qualified to make that determination.

“Morning, Redley,” he says.

It takes everything in me not to roll my eyes and tell him to get lost, but this place is too small to make enemies willy-nilly. He better watch what he says, though, because I’m one unwanted sexual advance away from killing a man.

“Hey Bobby, what can I do you for?”

“Nothing.” Surprise raises the pitch of his voice, and my eyebrows push together. Why did he come to my door if he’s surprised to find me? “I’m glad to see you’re alright.”

If he thinks I look alright, then I’m glad I look better than I feel.

“Why wouldn’t I be?” I ask, putting my hand on my hip.

“Neighbors said they heard screaming down by your parents’ place. No one saw anything, but I wanted to make sure you’re fine.”

I work very hard to control my reaction. If no one saw anything, that means they looked. Did they find the body? Is Bobby coming here for a citizen's arrest thinking I killed the cop myself?

“That’s awfully kind of you, Bobby.” I swallow hard. “I couldn’t tell you what it was. Haven’t been down there in a couple of years now.”

His brow scrunches. “Really? Doc said you were just having some problems over that way, said you were talking real loud about some dead cop to the locals. I’m starting to worry about you. I know you’ve lost a lot, but this Wolf thing is getting out of hand. Doc is worried about you too, you know, and he’s a professional.”

Out of hand seems like a great description actually.

But I’m pissed to the teeth over his insinuation, bone-tired of him and everyone else acting like I’m crazy. Wolf is the most qualified to call me that, seeing as I shot at him, and I’m not willing to take his shit either.

If I really wanted to make an impression, I’d just bring him round back and show him where I stored Porter’s cruiser so he could see for himself I have a dead cop on my hands. Would my chickens pecking at the leather be enough for him? Though that would only serve to convince him that I’m a different type of crazy.

“Doc might be a professional, but I’m not his patient.”

I breathe through my nose before I do something rash. Bobby’s dad left his mom officially for his second wife a few years back, and now he lives with her in the city. Bobby’s wife comes from money out that way. If anyone out here had a chance at getting the cops to listen, it would be them.

I can’t afford to have Bobby pointing his finger at me. He’s too connected to people in the outside world. Hell, if it comes to it, I’ll kill him myself before I spend another night in a jail cell. I swallow, shocked by the patterns of my own thoughts. That violence just keeps growing, and Porter dying in front of me fed it in the strangest way.

Maybe more than Doc and Bobby should be worried. I imagine Wolf’s bloody lips, and for a moment, I think I’d like how I would look with a set of my own.

“There's nothing to worry about, Bobby. I wasn’t down at my parents’ house, and I don’t have any clue what Doc’s talking about. He’s getting real old lately. If you ask me, it’s about time he retires.”

He pushes his eyebrows together as he places a hand on my doorframe, leaning into my space. I take a little step back, enough to get away from him, but it takes me out of the doorway and leaves room for him to step inside.

“His behavior isn’t concerning me half as much as yours is,” he says.

“It’s a good thing then that you ain’t got any reason to be concerning yourself with my behavior.”

He lifts a hand like he’s about to touch me, and I physically recoil. He doesn’t get the message, and the back of his hand glides against my cheek. I put up my hand to knock his away and just manage not to slap him.

“This is ridiculous, Bobby. If I called the cops and told them I had a dead cop out here, you don’t think they’d come check for themselves?” I tilt my head to the side, staring at him like he’s crazy. Either he’s going to admit something’s wrong around here or that I’m right.

“Well…”

“I know you don’t believe in the Wolf, and you never have, but you know that’s a family legend. Do you really believe Doc over me now?” I look at him like he’s crazy, pushing all the doubt in the world into my tone.

“He’s Doc…”

“He’s an old man, and personally, I still don’t believe he’s even a doctor.”

He rolls his eyes. “Not this again.”

“You’re not going to stand there and call me the crazy one while you’re trying to say some nonsense like that, are you, Bobby? Where is this dead cop that Doc says I’ve got? You smell anything dead?”

He turns a little pink at that, and I know I’ve talked him down enough that I won’t have to worry about him for long. The mountainside theater gets intense around here, and this isn’t the first time a crazy rumor has gone around because people are bored.

“No, I guess Doc might have been mistaken. Sorry, Red.”

“Maybe he’s just bored, old, and lying. Wouldn’t be the first time someone around here told a story because they had nothing else to do.”

He nods. “I mean it. I’m sorry, Red.”

“No harm,” I answer, but the acid doesn’t leave my tone. “But listen, Bobby, I’ve got a lot to do today.” I nod back toward the cabin, hinting for him to leave.

“Yeah, me too. I’m dropping off my electric bill at the post office. Do you want me to take yours?”

I am pissed at him, and I really would tell him to get lost, but I’d much rather avoid a drive into town today, and I do need to send it.

“That’s awfully kind of you.” I force myself to talk a little nicer. “Let me grab it.” I smile at him, some of my anger melting.