Page 54 of Ride the Lightning

“Uh, thanks, I guess.”

Felix chuckled and shook his head. “It wasn’t a compliment, jackass.”

Jonah laughed. “Who’s Paul? Your latest plaything?”

“Plaything?” Felix asked, disdain dripping off his tongue.

“You’re the slut puppy in this trio,” Jonah replied.

“Oh, man. I don’t think I’ll ever recover from such a harsh insult.”

Jonah laughed. “Who’s Paul?”

“I said Pul not Paul. It’s short for the Pulitzer Prize I’m going to win someday. He’s a fucking cat, dick breath.”

Jonah did indeed have dick breath, but he didn’t say as much. “You own a cat?”

Felix laughed. “No one owns a cat. The cat owns you.”

“Ah,” Jonah said. He’d witnessed the way Locke and Key pampered their ginormous Maine Coon cat named Bones. “I’m having a tough time picturing you spoiling a pet.”

“I’m not capable of affection? What do you call the donut you stuffed into your mouth in two bites?”

“I didn’t say you’re incapable of affection,” Jonah rebutted. “I just have a hard time picturing you using a baby voice when talking to a cat.”

“Pul would slit my throat in my sleep if I ever pulled a bullshit stunt like that. He has too much dignity.” Felix took another sip of coffee. “Don’t think all this talk about my cat is going to distract me from asking about your overnight guest. I’m assuming it wasn’t Kendall I heard in your bed.”

“Kendall and I are just friends,” Jonah replied. “Avery and I have…” How did he put it? Were they officially dating? How could they be when they hadn’t gone on a date?

“Avery yanked your head out of your ass,” Felix supplied for him.

“With both hands,” Jonah said, grinning from ear to ear.

“Good for you,” Felix said. “You look like a different man.”

Jonah felt different too. He hadn’t just touched the sun and survived; Jonah carried Avery’s warmth inside him, and it quieted the howling winds of discontent. “Thanks,” Jonah said simply. “So, where are we going?”

“Roswell,” Felix replied.

“Are we investigating aliens?” Jonah teased.

“Roswell, Georgia, not Roswell, New Mexico. It’s a suburb of Atlanta.” So at least a four-hour drive on I-16.

“Who lives there?”

“Agnes Cahill, the widow of Bo Cahill, her son, Darnell, and her daughter, Amelia, who goes by Millie. They saw my article and reached out to me late yesterday afternoon before I had the chance to track them down. I didn’t tell you last night because I was waiting for them to confirm the interview time via email, which didn’t come until this morning.”

Jonah bumped the fist Felix held up. “That’s awesome news. How’d they seem?”

“Eager to clear Bo’s name of this crime, at least,” Felix said. “How’d it go with you and Rocky yesterday?”

Jonah filled him in. Felix shared his enthusiasm for the new leads to investigate. “Earl’s father and brother both worked for the concrete company responsible for pouring the foundations, driveways, porches, and patios in the subdivision. Earl briefly worked for Locke-Tight also. We can’t chalk it up to coincidence.”

“Locke-Tight, huh? Any relation to Royce?” Felix asked.

“I’m going to call him today and ask. I think we have to look at the subcontractors involved in the subdivision project. We can’t afford to assume the location didn’t hold more importance to our killer than convenience and privacy in the early morning hours.”

Felix nodded. “I agree. Did you learn anything else interesting?”