Page 37 of The Return
Three… two… one.
“What the hell are you wearing?” Corey demanded, right on cue.
Matt glanced down. “My uniform. Why? Is something wrong with it? I remembered to polish my shoes this time.” He stuck a foot out, and it was true. His shoe was gleaming. Matt looked spit polished and ready to work. The problem? It didn’t seem like Matt anymore.
“Go get changed,” Corey insisted. “If you’re going to be hanging out at the store, you need to be comfortable.” He glanced at Kinsey, who sat there in black pants, a white shirt similar to Matt’s, and a black blazer. “You too.”
“This is our uniform,” Kinsey said. “We have to wear them.”
“Uh, no. You don’t. What you need to do is fit in with everyone at the shop. You two stick out like sore thumbs.” He peered at Matt. “You, jeans and a T-shirt with sneakers.” Then his gaze cut to Kinsey. “You, jeans and a pullover. You’ll give off a preppy vibe.”
Kinsey’s eyes narrowed. “You can’t—”
“He can,” I insisted. “If the two of you want to sit in the shop, then you dress the part. Think of it as going undercover. There’s no need to draw attention to Corey like that.”
Matt seemed over the moon, while Kinsey glowered, but then left the room. When they came back, each was dressed as Corey said they should be. Before we went to the car, Kinsey put his glasses on. Matt sighed. We slid into the car—a jet black 2021 Cadillac Escalade, with me and Corey in the back, and Kinsey up front with Matt.
“Why?”
“What do you mean?” Kinsey asked, obviously confused.
“Why do you wear the mirrored glasses.”
He looked over his shoulder and gave a wolfish grin. “It’s part of my charm and mystique.” He reached up and touched his nose. “Plus, it hides my scar, which scares kids.”
“It’s fucking dumb, is what it is. Only a douche wears sunglasses inside a building.”
“What about blind people?” Matt threw out.
“Okay, douches and blind people,” Corey corrected. “Which one are you, Kinsey?”
“You know, you’re….” He closed his mouth, his teeth grinding.
“You can say it, go ahead,” Corey told him. “I’m a big boy, and I can handle it.”
A quick shake of the head. “Never mind.”
“Say it, Kinsey. He’s given you permission,” I told him.
His lip quirked up. “Are you sure?”
“He said you could, so yeah, go for it.”
His head snapped over his shoulder. “You’re a dick. I might let you get shot just for shits and giggles.”
Matt gasped and looked absolutely stricken. “You wouldn’t!”
Kinsey was immediately contrite. “No, of course I wouldn’t. You know me better than that.” He nudged Matt’s shoulder with his left hand. “Right?”
Matt didn’t say anything. He sat there, his lip trembling.
“Hey, c’mon, Matt. You know me. I have never spiked an assignment, and we’ve had way worse people to deal with. Remember that guy in Michigan? The one who wanted you to drive him to a brothel, then expected you to wait outside, and wanted me to stand guard in the room while he… did the deed. Nothing could be worse than that.”
In the rearview mirror, I could see the shine in Matt’s eyes. Corey was right. Matt needed to be protected. “Matt, they’re goofing around, I promise. Corey isn’t angry with Kinsey, and I know Kinsey is teasing.”
“It’s just… I look to you because you always know the right thing to do. I figure if I follow your lead, I’ll be okay.”
“I won’t ever let you fail,” Kinsey replied, putting a hand on Matt’s forearm. “We’re a team, me and you. Right?”
