Page 122 of Jaked

"So…?" Jake prompted.

"So," I continued, "as you seem to know already, I started giving him a taste of his own medicine."

"Meaning?"

"Well, I had that book with his passwords. So I started posting things."

"Like what?"

"Funny things mostly, under Rango's name." I almost smiled. "It made himsocrazy."

"I wouldn’t look too happy about that if I were you."

"Hey, he had it coming."

"Maybe. But that's a good way to get the wrong kind of attention."

I gave him a snotty smile. "Says the guy beats up people for money."

His expression froze. "Not just 'people.' He said. Assholes. There's nobody I picked a fight with who didn't have it coming."

"Yeah. Sure."

"And I never swing first."

"Well aren't you the noble one," I said.

"No," he said. "And I never claimed to be."

"Whatever," I said. "I answeredyourquestions. Now what about mine. Who's Debbie?"

"First, I've got one more."

"No way," I said. "It'smyturn."

He continued as if I hadn't spoken. "When you heard Bishop talking about her, what exactly were you doing?"

"What?"

His voice hardened. "Okay,wherewere you?"

Oh. Yeah. I'd been skulking in his closet, eavesdropping on a private conversation. My mouth opened, but somehow, my lips couldn't seem to form an answer.

"I thought so," he said.

"Sorry," I said. "I guess I overheard it."

"Yeah. I guess you did." He glanced toward the door. "So are you ready to go? Or not?"

Isodidn't feel like arguing. But somehow, I couldn't see us waltzing off to some shopping mall either.

"No, I'm not ready to go," I said. "And I don't think you are, either."

"Is that right?"

I threw up my hands. "Okay, you caught me. Iwaslistening in. But trust me, it's not the kind of thing I normally do."

"Uh-huh."