Page 145 of Things We Hide from the Light
Fed and walked Piper. Be gone by the time I get back.
L
I remained amused by Lina’s terse note until I returned to the bedroom and spotted her suitcase sitting open on the floor. It was empty, thankfully. But I had a feeling the fact that she’d left it out meant she was still considering leaving. If she thought she was going anywhere, Lina Solavita had a rude awakening coming. We had business to settle. Scales to balance. Deals to make.
Any doubt I’d had about my feelings for her had been erased last night. She didn’t have to open her door. She didn’t have to let me in. And she sure as hell didn’t have to fall asleep in my arms. But she did, because despite the fact that I’d pissed her off, she cared about me.
And I was gonna use that to my advantage.
“Come on, Pipes. Let’s go home. We’ve got some thinkin’ to do,” I said on a yawn.
I was still yawning when we let ourselves out of Lina’s place only to find Nolan raising a fist to knock on my door.
“Brought you a coffee,” he said, eyeing my appearance. I was wearing nothing but sweatpants and was in desperate need of a shower. “Shoulda got the bucket size,” he observed.
I took the coffee and opened my door.
“Long night?” he asked, following me inside as I guzzled caffeine.
I grunted. “Why are you here? Besides to play coffee fairy.”
“Ran into your soon-to-be sister-in-law at the café, who did order the bucket size. She said Knox is pullin’ out all the stops for Career Day.”
“Fuck me. That’s today?”
“Today in”—he paused and checked his watch—“two hours and twenty-seven minutes. Figured since I had to tag along anyway, we could strategize. Can’t have law enforcement takin’ a back seat to some lottery-winning, bar-owning barber. No offense.”
“He’s my brother,” I said dryly. “None taken. How’s he gonna make paperwork interesting?”
“Naomi doesn’t realize how deep male competition runs. She told me the whole plan. He’s gonna let the kids mix virgin drinks and then shave the vice principal’s head.”
“Damn. That’s good.”
“We can be better,” Nolan said with confidence.
“Hit the siren, Way,”I instructed, gripping the wheel tight.
Waylay grinned wickedly and punched the button. The siren wailed to life.
“Anybody back there get car sick?” I asked the passengers in the back seat.
“No!” came the giddy chorus.
“Then hang on tight.”
I turned the wheel hard, sending the back of the cruiser into a gentle slide around the last traffic cone. Then I stomped on the gas.
“Go! Go! Go!” Waylay screeched.
I crossed the makeshift finish line inches ahead of Nolan and his cruiser full of kids.
The back seat erupted in wild cheers.
I brought the car to a stop and that thing hurting my face, stretching muscles that hadn’t been used lately was a God’s honest grin.
It was safe to say we’d blown Knox’s stupid presentation out of the water.
“OMG! That was the best!” Waylay’s friend Chloe said as I opened the back door for her. She and two other sixth graders piled out, all talking at once.
