Page 52 of Savage in the Streets

“Mabel?” I call out, confused. “What are you doing here?”

Judge Fischer disappears inside his house without another word.

“Robin called and told me you were acting a fool.” She pulls me to the passenger side of her vehicle. “Get your ass inside the car.”

“No. Not until—”

“Bailey doesn’t need another train wreck in her life. She’s counting on you.”

Bailey…

“You’re not the only person who cares about her, ya know.”

“Why do you think I’m here?” I say, gesturing wildly toward the judge’s house.

“I don’t know. To make a fool of yourself? To bomb Bailey’s case?”

Her words resonate with me, despite my drunken haze.

“You have to be better than this, Ash. Bailey is sitting in a cell right now, depending on you. Don’t fuck this up.”

Somehow, her pleas get through to me.

“Get in my car,” she urges.

Instead of fighting her, I comply.

“Where are we going?” I ask after she gets in and closes the door.

“The diner.”

* * *

Ashton

It’s been ten years since I’ve sat inside Big Benny’s Cafe. Last time I was here, I was sitting in a booth with Mabel, Carolyn, and Liz. Carolyn had just broken up with me, but I refused to believe it.

Not long after, she was found dead.

“You know, dealing with you rich assholes is beginning to take a toll on me.” Mable stretches her legs across the booth as she stirs her coffee.

“Are you going to start in on me about how I’ve had every advantage in life?”

“No. You had it worse than most, but you’re still a rich asshole.”

I take a sip of coffee, reminiscing about all the time spent in this very booth. They were some of the happiest moments of my life. I never thought those days would end.

“How bad is her case?” Mabel asks.

“To be honest, I don’t know. It all depends on the evidence they present.”

“Are the charges really that bad?”

I rake my fingers through my hair, unsure of how to answer the question. “I mean, in the grand scheme of things, no. I’d write a check to cover the whole amount if that would make it disappear, but there are rules regarding these things. Laws.”

“You care a lot about laws.”

“I did, but Bailey has me caring a little less.”