Page 49 of Bazooka
“No,” she said, giggling. “It’s just that… you two seem close.”
“He’s a good guy,” I admitted. “An annoying guy, but a good guy. Give him another chance, and you’ll see it.”
She caressed my hand. “I will. Thanks for the coffee. And the talk.”
“You’re welcome. See you in a bit, yeah?”
After she left for the toilet, I made another coffee and brought it to Luz. He was in the interrogation room, scrolling through his phone, but he stood up as soon as I came in.
“Do you need anything else?” I said, leaving the cup on the desk. “Are you hungry? Thirsty?”
He slammed his head into my chest with a groan of anguish. Clearly, it became a habit of his.
“I can’t stand her, Baz,” he murmured, gripping the hem of my T-shirt. “I’m trying, but she’s provoking me.”
“She’s upset,” I said with a sigh. “You upset her, Luz. You must try harder.”
“I know, but… It’s hard. She’s two-faced. She’s behaving one way when you’re with us and the other when we’re alone.”
I raised my hand and caressed his back. “Look… let’s finish this, okay? Then we’ll go and have a drink somewhere. What do you say?”
Luz nodded, sniffling. “Just you and me?”
“We’ll see.”
When he limped to the table, I told myself that enough was enough. After my shift ended, I went to the store and bought him a pair of crutches. Needless to say, it did not go well.
“I’m not using those,” Luz hissed as soon as he saw them. “Either return them or I will throw them out the window.”
Everyone in the precinct was staring at us, but I didn’t care. It was for his own good.
“Luz, take the crutches. Don’t be a child.”
“Never! You can’t make me, Bazooka.”
“Please,” I said, trying to reason with him. “You’re limping. It will make things so much easier for you.”
Luz pouted and whispered in my ear. “She put you up to this, didn’t she? She wants to humiliate me.”
I blinked in confusion. “Who?”
“Are we doing those drinks or what?” Adam said, sounding bored. “‘Cause I’m thirsty and watching you two eye-fuck each other is tedious.”
“Shut your mouth, Markland,” I snapped. “No one is eye-fucking no one.”
“You know Adam didn’t mean anything by it, Bazooka,” Jordan cut in. “He was just joking.”
Adam laughed, looking at him incredulously. “And you’re speaking on my behalf, why? Do you have a death wish, weirdo?”
“No, you do,” Jordan said grimly.
Everyone turned to look at him because he wasn’t known for talking back to people. Usually, he was just his mumbling, confused self.
“Let’s just go,” Luz said, breaking the silence. “I’ll take the fucking crutches. Come on, Baz.”
I knew he did it to save his pal Jordie from further comments, but I was relieved nonetheless because I hated seeing him in pain.
Long story short, we went to Pete’s. I didn’t give it much thought because it had been a long day, and I just wanted to get it over with. Adam sat in the booth first, with Jordan sitting next to him, probably just to spite him. John Smith followed, then Patricia, and I sat next to her. Luz plopped down in my lap, of all places.
