Page 125 of Five for Silver

“Hold you back?” Josh huffed. “You can getin the damn line because I’m pulling back my swing to knock him thefuck out.”

Chad closed his eyes. He gripped the bottomof his seat and rocked forward and back. “I know what’s coming.It’s a storm gathering speed. I can practically see it on thehorizon and hear it in my head, and I don’t want you two caught upin it. I don’t want either of you to be punished just for knowingme. I don’t want your names to be dragged through the mud, yourlives to be ripped opened and spread as gossip in the papers,bricks to me thrown through your windows and people to spit at youin the street. I know how this goes, remember?”

“I don’t care,” Josh snapped. “I don’t careabout any of that.”

“You should!”

“Well, I don’t!”

Ally slipped from the desk and pressed herhand to Josh’s chest. She forced him back a step.

“You are my friend,” Josh said fiercely, “and that’snot going to change.Nothing is going to changethat, and I won’t let you push me away.”

“But—”

“No, Chad. If things are going toget as bad as you think they will, you’re going to need us. Both ofus.”

Josh looked to Ally who noddedback.

“You don’t get rid of us thateasy,” Josh finished.

Ally squeezed Chad’s shoulderagain, but Josh went one better, giving Chad a bear hug frombehind.

“I don’t deserve youguys.”

“Nonsense,” Ally snapped. “Now,”she pressed down the laptop lid despite Chad’s protest, “you needto get out of here.”

“I can’t go home yet.”

“No, you’re coming back tomine.”

“What?”

Ally raised an eyebrow. “Youheard. You and that mutt.”

“He’s called Merc,” Josh said,affronted.

“Wasn’t talking about Merc.” Allysmiled. “But he’s invited, too.”

Chad shook his head. “I can’t goto yours.”

“Well, you sure as hell can’t goback to your place at the moment, and you can’t stayhere.”

“What if—”

“I’ll tell the DI where you are incase he needs to ask you any more questions, but you need time toprocess everything, and staring at the news until your eyes bleedisn’t doing you any good.”

Josh reached down to pat Merc.“We’re ordering pizza, though.”

Ally narrowed her eyes. “Why? I’ma good cook?”

“And I’m sure during the blitz youwere—ouch.”

Josh rubbed his side. “Again,woman?”

“Insult me you get a slap,” shepointed a finger at Chad. “Try to terminate our friendship and it’sa punch, understand?”

Chad nodded. “Iunderstand.”

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