Page 45

Dallas

Brett hands me a straw from the container on the counter and I proceed to unwrap it and stick it in the plastic top of my paper cup. She’s a quick learner, and after walking down here only a couple of times for coffee, she already knows how I drink mine.

A large cappuccino, sometimes hot, sometimes iced, but always with a straw.

But I’ve learned a lot about her, too, over the past year. One of the first things that I learned is that she really likes her coffee, and I will take advantage of this as much as I can. Fortunately, Brett is also very friendly, so it was only a matter of time before she started sharing the lesser-known details of her life. They don’t include my brother yet, but I imagine I’ll have to level up in our friendship for that kind of paydirt.

“Did the top brass and their inspectors finally leave?” I ask, taking a sip of my steaming coffee.

“Yes,” Brett groans, punching the button for a latte. “Dave gave me a couple of extra days off for my trouble, so I’m going on a last-minute micro-vacation.”

“Up to the lake?” I guess.

Brett arches her brow. “How did you know that’s where I’m from?”

Shit.

“Oh, uh, I think you mentioned it when we first met,” I lie, “but I can’t remember the name of the town.”

Whatever, I’ll gaslight her all day long if that’s what it takes.

“North Bay,” she nods. “But, no, not this time. I don’t have time for a big trip, so I’m going to Salt Fork State Park for the rest of the week. You know, to soak up the solitude.”

“Oh, yeah, I know where that is!”

It takes all I have not to roll my eyes as I internally groan to myself. Why is Colson still being such a baby? He could’ve been down here already, working right here in this building and taking Brett out to the wilderness himself? It’s fortunate they seem to have a lot in common, especially since she’s going to spend the rest of her life with him.

She just doesn’t know it yet.

Eventually, I leave Brett, bidding her a wonderful week full of rest and relaxation while I try to keep my juggling chainsaws in the air. I should check in with Sergei. If I’ve learned anything about him over the past year, it’s that he’s calculating and methodical, which requires patience that I don’t have. It’s better he doesn’t tell Colson that I called him. If Colson’s going to listen to anyone, it’ll be the neutral player he spends 24 hours a day with in the middle of nowhere.

And then there’s Bowen.

I haven’t seen him in a long time, not since he showed up at Blood Horse with his pet. Fortunately, he stays away now that Alex is back, but I still never let my guard down. And neither does Alex. But Boy-Riley still regularly plays video games with him. That hasn’t changed. I still haven’t been able to drag an explicit confession out of him, but it only feeds the fire of destruction, and I have more than enough kindling for him. The hours of recorded conversations will keep compounding, and one day, Bowen will slip up. That, or my brother will kill him.

I wonder which will come first…

“I think you’ve investigated every guy I’ve had contact with since high school,” I tell Alex as we walk out the glass doors to the parking lot.

“It wasn’t difficult,” he smirks. “All I had to do was go down your friends list online.”

I give him a sharp smack across the arm and glance down at my phone to confirm the restaurant I’m meeting the girls at.

“I still never located that one guy—the lineman.”

“Bailey? I haven’t heard anything about him in…” I trail off, “I don’t even know the last time I heard his name.”

“People don’t just vanish. Everyone leaves a trail.”

I cast him a sideways glance. “Unless they’re dead.”

“Good point,” he chuckles. “I’ll check the obituaries next.”

I can’t dwell on whether Bailey, the electrical lineman, is deceased or not. I’m determined not to be late for the first girl dinner Shelby, Maddie, Carter, and I have had since Shelby returned from her summer in Colombia as part of her international medical school rotation. And it’s a good thing we made reservations because the dining room at the Rickhouse is packed. The only place I can find to park is in a neighborhood three blocks away.

My phone vibrates as I’m hurrying down the sidewalk. I’m prepared to see a confirmation from Alex that Lineman Bailey is currently in some hurricane-ravaged location repairing critical infrastructure instead of lying six feet under. But then I see the message is coming from my burner phone.

BOWEN (5:26PM): I might have something you want to see later

Knowing Bowen, I’m sure it’ll be something either completely horrifying or completely stupid. Every time I think he’s going to drop another clue it turns out to be a total letdown.

ME: (5:27PM): Hint?

BOWEN (5:27PM): I never got you back for that video of your girl

I let out a guffaw right in the middle of the street, which then immediately turns to disgust. After all this time, I really hope my efforts don’t culminate in Bowen sending me a homemade porno with whichever idiot he’s currently dating.

“ DALLAS! ” Shelby practically leaps from her chair when I finally make it through the crowd to the table.

“Wow, you’re tan,” I marvel after squeezing her for nearly a whole minute.

She glances down, admiring her golden glow. “I know, it’s a lot sunnier down there.”

It’s probably better I live in the Midwest, where my pale complexion won’t be incinerated year-round. Maddie and Carter order a few bourbon flights and we spend the next hour and a half hearing about Shelby’s adventures in emergency medicine while simultaneously trying to learn Spanish and the local customs.

“I would’ve learned more Spanish beforehand, but I thought I’d be going to Thailand until this space opened up last-minute. It was so embarrassing. I accidentally called this sweet old lady with congestive heart failure a goat on my first day in the clinic.” She shoots me a look. “I should’ve just taken you with me, now that you’re basically fluent.”

“I am not fluent in any sense of the word.”

“Fine, I should’ve taken Alex with me,” she replies with a devious grin.

“ I should’ve taken Alex with me— ” my voice hitches as I mock her. “Dream on!”

If only Mrs. Johnson could hear how good my Spanish is now…

“So,” I change the subject, “what’s the plan now that you’re back?”

“My lease is up in a couple of months, so I have to decide whether I’m staying or finding a new place. Oh yeah, and my mom said she saw Austin’s mom at the annual benefit for the humane society.”

“ That guy!” Maddie chuckles, taking a swig of her maple cask pour.

“What’s he doing?” I ask.

Add Austin to the list of people I haven’t heard about in a long time.

“You mean since you broke his face?” Shelby snickers.

“Naturally.”

“Well, you basically guaranteed he never came to our house again after that. Not that I’m complaining, I was getting really annoyed that he just came over to eat our food and use our Wi-Fi. But my mom said he was up in New York for a while, but that he’s not anymore.” She shoots a skeptical look around the table. “Apparently, his mom got really vague and didn’t say anything after that, so my mom wondered if something happened and things didn’t work out how he thought they would.”

I have to agree with her interpretation, it’s not like Austin’s mom not to brag on him every chance she gets. For a brief moment, I feel bad for Austin, but I think I’m more disappointed in how our friendship deteriorated further and further to the point of epic ruin.

And fuck him for the horrible things he said about Alex.

I’m still thinking about it while I’m walking back to my car after dinner. I didn’t mean to stay out this late, but it’s just as well. The extra time to stay hydrated has tempered my buzz, and the balmy late summer air doesn’t hurt, either. I slow my pace when I turn onto the street where my car is parked in front of a line of Victorians. I bet this is what my old house on campus looked like before it was sold to a hedge fund and became a student slum.

These are lovely homes, but I like the modern design of the Enclave. There are trendy restaurants, swanky coffee shops, and local, independent boutiques in every direction. The lights and people and energy make everything feel alive no matter what time of day. Our apartment is the perfect mix of cozy and modern and, above all else, it’s ours. Not to mention the flowers. The purple mariposas came back this year, blooming as bright and beautiful as ever. And when they do, it feels like a sign that this is exactly where I’m supposed to be.

I cross the street and start fishing around in my bag for my phone. But as soon as I lift my head, I flinch and stop short. A dark figure stands at the head of my car, leaning against the door. A jolt of electricity shoots straight through my heart when I see his face and I have to remind myself to breathe. Now, the street seems darker and much emptier than before.

“What are you doing here?” I choke out.

I don’t remember whether he responds, because it all happens so fast. He takes a step toward me, then another, but before I can move, he lashes out. He’s too strong and I can’t get away.

And in an instant, everything goes silent, and then so incredibly dark.