Page 99 of Shallow

I shouldknow.

As I weave in and out of traffic, I consider the timing. The odds of a felony amount of drugs being found in a bag Shiloh was carrying is close to impossible. With the exception of one weak moment in a hallway bathroom, she’s kept her image pristine since coming back totown.

We had plans to talk tonight and startfresh.

Cleanslate.

“There has to be some mistake,” I insist. “I grew up with her, Frankie. I’ve seen her so high she couldn’t walk a straight line.” I grip the wheel and press harder on the gas. “Those drugs aren’thers.”

“Boss, you don’t gotta convince me. I know what was in my bag, and it wasn’t a Ziploc of weed. I was there the whole time. No way did she put that shit in there. Even if she did, why would she bring it inside? Makes nosense.”

“Someone else had to have put it in the bag,” I say, turning off Highway 17 toward the station. “It’s the onlyexplanation.

It should’ve been the first thing that crossed my mind, but I was too busy being worried about Shiloh to think straight. However, now that I have the whole story, everything falls intoplace.

Surprise crosses Frankie’s face, followed by irritation. “If you’re sayin’ one of the members would fuck with us, you’re wrong. It’s not like that inthere.”

“Not a member, junior. A vindictivebitch.”

“Huh?”

“Nothing,” I mutter under my breath. “It’s my problem, notyours.”

He either doesn’t catch onto how cryptic I’m being or chooses to ignore it, because he just shrugs and continues ranting about Shiloh’s bizarrebehavior.

“I just don’t get why she let them haul her off,” he says, rubbing his forehead. “I tried to tell them it was my bag, but any time I said anything, she cut me off. Just kept runnin’ her mouth about ‘payin’ for her sins.’ It was like she was darin’ them to bust her or somethin’.” Dropping his hand, he shifts his thumb toward his chest. “Where I come from, you don’t fuck with the police likethat.”

As soon as the words are out of his mouth, I realize what she’sdone.

“Son of abitch.”

“What?” he asks, raising aneyebrow.

I make a sharp turn onto Oak Street, causing Frankie to grab the handle above the passenger’s side door and call out to Jesús for his life. Once the car rights itself, I step on the gas again, determined to get to the station and stop Shiloh from causing any more damage than she alreadyhas.

If that’s evenpossible.

“She was protecting you,” I tell him, pulling up in front of the station and cutting the engine. “She knew if you told them the bag was yours, they’d pull up yourpriors.”

His jaw is tight, but I can see his fingers wobble as he reaches for the door handle. “No way, she’s got just as many priors as Ido.”

“Yeah, but she also has ghosts she’s trying get rid of, and sometimes they come back to haunt you way more than arecord.”

Frankie just slams the door and walks ahead of me, leaving my own words to choke me. Not only for what they mean for Shiloh, but for their truth in my ownlife.

* * *

“I’m hereto see ShilohWest.”

An officer looks up from his phone and arcs a bushy black eyebrow. “Are you herattorney?”

“No, I’m her…” I cut myself off mid-sentence and glance at Frankie out of the corner of my eye. The asshole is smirking. “I’m herfriend.”

He snorts, obviously unimpressed with my answer. “No friendsallowed.”

I place my hands on the desk and give the officer my most serious stare. “I meant to say yes. Yes, I’m herattorney.”

The officer scans my piercings and full body tattoos and rolls his eyes. “Nice try. You can see her if, and when, the judge setsbail.”