Page 13 of Double or Nothing
“Have you never watched CSI or Breaking Bad?” Leroy asks with an irritated huff. “You always need a barrel for something when there’s a dead body to get rid of. I thought I’d better buy one just in case, to dissolve the body parts in acid or something.”
“Surely you didn’t buy acid?” Seven asks, horrified.
“Hell no, I didn’t buy acid,” Leroy replies. “Only because they didn’t have it in stock. We’ll figure out something when we get there.”
“Why do I get the feeling you’re actually enjoying this?” Seven asks him.
“You should be grateful I know what to do,” Leroy replies. “Hurry up and climb inside so we can go. Kit and Vulcan are waiting for us.”
“I’m ready.” I toss the bag of extra clothes inside and climb into the limo with Seven right behind me.
“Don’t drive too fast,” Seven tells Leroy. “We can’t afford to get pulled over by the police. Not with all these suspicious tools and blood. Take it slow and easy.”
“I’ll drive smooth as a baby’s butt,” Leroy replies.
“Did you have any trouble at the hardware store buying all this stuff?” Seven asks. “Didn’t you think it would look strange for a man to buy shovels and saws in the middle of the night? I’m sure you’re on the store’s cameras loading up a shopping cart.”
“You worry too much,” Leroy says. “I already thought of that. I chatted up the girl at the checkout when she asked what I was doing. I told her I worked for you, and all this stuff was for your show. She believed me. I promised to get your autograph for her, though, so I’ll have to make good on that.”
Seven nods. “That’s a smart alibi because I really could use all this stuff, except maybe the bleach.”
Leroy chuckles to himself. “I knew you’d appreciate the story. I told her to keep it hush-hush because of your new show on New Year’s Day. I said you didn’t want anyone to find out about the tricks you’ll be doing. She felt special thinking that I’d let her in on a secret. She won’t say anything.”
“You did good, Leroy,” I say. “Thank you.”
Seven moves closer to me and puts his arm around me. He tugs me against his body, and I snuggle closer to him. The night has been exhausting and the worse part isn’t over yet.
“Are you holding up, okay?” he whispers against the top of my head. “Everything that happened tonight is a lot to take in.”
“I’m okay,” I reply. “Shook up, for sure. For the Russians to have found me is one thing, but nothing compared to what happened with Vulcan. I’m very upset, but I’m not the type of girl to fall to pieces when bad things happen. Don’t worry about me, because I’m fine and can handle most anything that comes my way.”
“When we arrive at Vulcan’s, I want you to stay in the limo,” Seven says, tightening his grip around my shoulders. “I’ll tell the guys to come over to talk with you.”
“Surely you don’t want me to sit helplessly in the car? No way.”
“You shouldn’t see Ivan’s body,” he says. “It’s not something you’ll forget easily.”
“That’s an understatement,” Leroy pipes up to say from the driver’s seat. “I puked my guts out when a piece of his ear got stuck on my shoe. When Kit shot him, his head exploded like a pumpkin. Kaboom! Brains, eyeballs and goo everywhere. Actually, I’d better stop talking about it, or I’ll have to pull over and throw up again.”
“Damn Leroy!” Seven says. “Will you please stop comparing his head to a pumpkin exploding?”
“I can handle it,” I say. “I’m not sitting in the car while you’re disposing of his body. You killed him to protect me. The least I can do is try to help.”
“Has anyone ever told you that you’re stubborn?” Seven asks.
“Not really,” I reply. “No one ever paid enough attention to me to call me anything except another mouth to feed. You’re all in this mess because of me. I can pull my own weight. Don’t try to protect me, okay?”
“That’s something I can’t promise,” he says. “But you’re right. It’ll take all of us pulling together to get through this. It’s only a matter of time until the Russian mafia connects us to Ivan’s disappearance. Maybe they already have. We should plan and be prepared for when they come for us.”
“How do you prepare for war with the Russian mafia?” I ask.
“That’s a good damn question,” he replies. “I wish I could talk to Dad. He could advise us what to do. Unfortunately, it’s not as if I can pick up the phone to call him. Even if he called me from the prison, our conversation wouldn’t be private.”
“Don’t take the chance,” I say. “And we already have enough people involved in this situation without dragging your father into it, too. Didn’t you say he has a parole hearing soon? Don’t jeopardize that.”
“You’re right,” Seven says. “I can’t involve him. It’s too risky.”
Leroy turns the limo off the main highway and onto the dirt road leading to Vulcan’s RV. The last time I was here, I tried to escape from Vulcan in the dark while coyotes were stalking me.
