Page 67 of At Last

But where the hell is that other little girl, the one he thought was Jade?

The pit of my stomach drops, becomes nauseous as the rest ’a my gut clenches tight. I got a bad feeling.

Jesus, I got a bad feeling.

Then the situation goes from bad to worse when the junkie begins to seize in my arms, foaming at the mouth and everything. His eyes roll back in his head and he stops breathing. No telling what kind ’a Hepatitis or HIV this guy could have from sharing needles or whatever. Keeping him alive or trying to keep him alive ain’t worth risking any ’a our lives from trying to revive him. Not that you could catch that shit from mouth to mouth, but no. Not happening.

Right in front of our eyes, the guy dies clean away.

Dead.

I let the body drop. “Check the place, see if there’s any signs that kid’s been here.”

The brothers fan out, but in the end, come back with a load ’a nothing. Not one fucking trace.

He never brought her here. So then where the hell is she?

We leave him face down on the floor. It’s more consideration than he deserves. Anyone comes across him this far out, they’d see the syringes and needle. They’d assume the truth, that the guy overdosed.

On the way back down the mountain, me and my brothers save Sneak, who’s driving, are on the phone putting out feelers to all our contacts around the county, reminding them to keep their eyes wide open. Though, since we didn’t find her at the trailer, chances ain’t good we’ll find the kid still breathing.

We’re about twenty minutes outside the compound when my phone rings. Doc. She’s freaking out. So much I can hardly understand her.

“Calm down, honey,” I tell her. Her fear puts me on edge. “Talk so I can understand.”

“It was on the news. They found her, Duke.”

“That’s great.”

“No. You don’t get it. They found herdumped behind the garageof the daycare.He killedher.” Voice breaking onher, she sobs uncontrollably.

“Almost home.”

At the same time I disconnect, Boss gets an alert on his phone and turns to the group. “Fuckin’ A.”

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