Page 9 of Shallow

I kick my feet onto the edge of my desk. “Is this purely a guessing game, or do I get multiplechoice?”

Frankie rolls his eyes and sighs. “I told the guys to stop being assholes. They’re being stupid, but it’s because they’re thinkin’ with their dicks. They don’t know all the shit Iknow.”

“And what is all the shit you think youknow?”

“I know you and Shiloh West have history. I also know whatever went down between you and her—it’s like Tupactragic.”

“What does this have to do with anything?” I drop my feet as my face heats. No way am I having this conversation withanyone.

Undeterred, he nods to the crumpled invoices in my fist. “Didn’t bother to grab the mail off my desk before today, didya?”

“No money coming in. There’s no reason to open bills I can’tpay.”

Before I can react, Frankie’s out of his chair and sifting through the wad of mail in my hand. A protest sticks in my throat as he jerks one letter out of my grasp and waves it in front of myface.

“This drop came overnighted, and I may have openedit.”

“So?”

“It came overnighted three days ago. You may wanna take a look before you have yourself a shock you don’t want the others tosee.”

A bizarre sense of déjà vu sucker punches me. I pull the letter out of the envelope and have to read it three times before I believe it’sreal.

No.

No way inhell.

Dear Mr.Kincaid,

This letter is to inform you that the state of California has mandated Shiloh West to serve out her three year felony probation sentence in South Carolina. In three days, Miss West will be transferred to Myrtle Beach, where she will serve her sentence of forty hours per week of community service at the Elizabeth Kincaid CommunityCenter.

You are to record the arrival and dismissal times of Miss West for official documentation. Miss West will arrive on time for her scheduled service unless otherwise excused by her probation officer, Mr. WilliamEmerson.

You have forty-eight hours to submit a formal refusal of Miss West’s assistance, along with a valid reason the court should consider reassignment. If no contact is made, please expect Miss West to report for service on Thursday, June15th.

Sincerely,

Judge Harold J.Oliver

Los Angeles County District CourtJudge

The paper shakesin my hand. I have no idea how to feel. On one hand, the thought of seeing Shiloh again makes me want to drag Frankie back into the ring and beat the shit out of him. On the other hand, the idea of Shiloh being at my beck and call is too tempting toresist.

Fuck it. I’m past the refusal windowanyway.

“You knew?” I ask, still staring at the letter clutched in myhand.

“Yeah, and I thought you did too. The way you’ve been mopin’ around here, I just thought you didn’t want to talk aboutit.”

I drop my head in my hands, the reality of seeing her again hitting me hard. “Shit.”

“Boss, I know you don’t like the girl, but she’s comin’ here whether you like it or not. Your problem is gonna be when those idiots out there seeher.”

“No one touches her,” I growl, the intensity in my voice surprising me. After his words sink in, I narrow my eyes and wave the envelope in the air. “They were talking like they knew she was coming too. Did you tellthem?”

“Nope. It’s all over the news she’s coming back to Myrtle Beach, boss. The only thing nobody knows is that she’s comin’here.”

Slamming the letter onto my desk, I press my fingers against my temple as my head pounds against it. “As always, she gets off easy. She kills someone and gets a slap on the wrist. Now, she gets to be our problem. Luckyus.”