Rock glances at Z then Murphy and me. “She did ask for some assistance but we have it covered.”
Thank fuck.
“Don’t thank us yet,” Z says. “Suds has some business to handle and I need bodies at the laundromat.”
Well, that’s not a big deal. “Yeah, I’ll cover for him.”
“He’s had that undercover officer poking around a few times lately.”
“Shit, seriously? Same cop who kept coming by the laundromat when you were inside?”
“I don’t think so,” Z answers. “Can you and Jiggy take over at the laundromat for a couple days? I’d prefer to have two guys there just in case.”
“Yeah, sure. No problem.”
“Love how you just sign Jiggy up for stuff,” Murphy says to me.
“What else is he gonna do while we’re home?”
“When are you headed back?” Rock asks me.
“I need to be there to take her to this awards thing.” I give him the date and he nods.
“That works.”
I rub the back of my neck, not sure I want to bring this up. “Could this cop sniffing around be fallout from whatever information Josey fed them?”
Z doesn’t answer right away. He’s probably close to punching me for bringing up the dead club girl who’d been stalking him and had him tossed in jail based on a lie.
“It’s possible,” he says calmly. “Or they’re looking into Josey’s death.”
“She was dead in the bathtub with a suicide note on the mirror. What’s to investigate?” I ask.
“Her brother’s a cop,” Rock says. “Maybe he’s pushing an investigation.”
“Sheriff Fuckwad is trying to get information for us.” Z frowns. “You’ve missed some enlightening meetings.”
“Good luck with that.” For a cop on our payroll, he’s surprisingly useless.
“Anyway, how was Deadbranch?” Z asks.
“Ran into Priest. Had one of those lovely cryptic conversations with him you two are so fond of.”
Rock laughs. “Better you than me.”
I really want to talk about some of the stuff Priest revealed to me but I’m not sure I want to discuss it in front of Murphy yet.
Rock and Z start walking again.
We approach the area of construction where Z had been building his house before Priest moved him downstate to run our charter.
I study the area. Are those fresh tracks in the mud?
“I decided,” Z announces, “I’m going to finish building my house here.”
“Good for you, Prez.” As much as I think he’s the right person to run our charter, I’ve always thought it was shitty the way Z’s whole life got upended.
“That still all right with you, Rock?” Z asks.
Obviously, they’ve done this question and answer before because Rock drills Z with an irritated stare. “Of course it is. Don’t piss me off.”
“It’ll give us a place to stay when we’re up here on the weekends. I hate that we’re always imposing on you guys,” Z says to Murphy.
“You’re not imposing,” Murphy sighs.
“I’ve told you to stay at our place whenever you want,” Rock says.
Z shrugs. “Chance and Alexa have a good time together, so it makes sense to stay there.”
Murphy snorts. “Yes, they do.”
“It’ll be a few years until I’m ready to put my fathers-in-law plan in motion anyway.” Z drops the joke about his son marrying Rock’s daughter with the casual attitude only he can pull off.
“Those jokes are wearing thin,” Rock warns.
“It’s kinda weird you’re trying to arrange a marriage, Z,” I say. “Besides, aren’t Alexa and Chance closer in age?”
“Don’t you bring my daughter into this.” Murphy smacks my arm.
It’s on the tip of my tongue to ask how Z knows Chance will even be into girls when he grows up.
Something buzzes from the woods in front of us, probably saving me from committing verbal suicide.
Unsure of what might be coming, I reach for my hunting knife.
Rock walks toward the noise.
A few minutes later, an ATV clears the hill. Teller’s driving the machine and slows to a stop a few feet from Rock.
“Hey, Rooster,” he calls out.
I wave in return.
“How’d it go?” Rock asks.
“Just like we talked about.” Teller points at the trail behind him. “It’s a straight shot.”
“They’re cutting a path between Teller’s property and the club’s. Escape route, whatever,” Murphy explains.
I’ve heard them mention it before but I nod anyway.
“Let’s head back and sit at the table,” Rock says, gesturing to the path in front of us.
Teller rides ahead, while I fall in step with Z.
“Can I talk to you after church?”
“Yeah, anything particular?”
“It’s personal.”
Chapter Forty-Five
Shelby
Angelina’s not the same awed woman I met way back in New York before one of my shows. She’s genuine and enthusiastic about my songs. I don’t think she’s making it up just to work with me.
And Lordy, does she have opinions.
Thankfully, they’re smart ones.
“All right.” I pull out a crumpled piece of paper where I’ve scribbled down a few lines. “This song’s been itching at me for a bit now.” It’s personal and I’ve been working on it since the kidnapping. I’m hoping Angelina can help me iron out the melody and chorus.
“First time we met,
You gave me the creeps.
Wish I’d listened before you put me to sleep.
Will this night of terror ever end?
I see skeletons under your bed.”
Angelina’s lips pull into a faint smile. “I think the saying is skeletons in your closet.”
“It’s a twist on the phrase,” I answer sharper than I meant to. Damn, when will I learn to take criticism like a professional?
It’s more than my artist ego, though. That particular line is deeply personal and has a double meaning.
If Rooster hadn’t saved me from Suggs, I would’ve ended up the skeleton under the bed.
I strum a few more notes. Maybe it’s too personal to put into a song. “You’re probably right, people will think I’m dumb and don’t know any better.”
“No! Ignore me.” She taps my arm. “It’s good to mix things up. Put a new twist on an old phrase. That’s what being a creative is all about. The ones who get it will love it. The ones who don’t—” she shrugs. “Fuck ‘em.”
“I knew I liked you.”
“Give me the rest of it,” she encourages.
“Can’t you see?
You can’t handle a girl like me.
I’ve got skeletons under my bed.
You never bothered to ask.
The night we met.
What I was hiding under my pretty face.