Page 108 of Riot Reunion
Her mouth falls open.
“Pounds,” I add.
Outraged, Mercy balls up her fist and slams it against the table. She’s in no position to complain, though. I’m about to tell her that she can use some of the money I just sent her to get herself a room for the night at the nearest Holiday Inn, but my phone starts blowing up in my hand. Carrie feels it vibrating against her leg and bites my earlobe suggestively. “Couple of inches higher and I might find myself getting a little antsy,” she whispers.
“If you two are gonna fuck, at least have the decency to go and find a room like Pax and the redhead did,” Mercy grouses.
“Aren’t you supposed to be leaving now?” Pax demands.
“Aren’t you supposed to be inJapan?” she fires back.
“I’m not going back. They weren’t big fans of the ink.”
“Urgh. I’m gonna go ask Pres what she wants for dinner,” Carrie says under her breath. “Back in a second. And you should get that. Seems important.” My phone buzzes again, another string of text messages coming through. I block out the bickering racket going on around me as Carrie leaves the room, checking the phone, grateful of the distraction.
Odette’s Country Farm Kitchen:Congratulations! You’ve won our summer sweepstakes!
Odette’s Country Farm Kitchen:We’ve updated our local prize winner details!
Odette’s Country Farm Kitchen:Only took one finger.
Only took onefinger?
Am I confused? Hell yeah, I’m confused. Fuckingbewildered, more like it. Odette’s Country Farm Kitchen is not a diner in the deep south, though it might sound like one. It’s a name Michael sometimes texts me from, the business name a pseudonym created for what he called ‘safety reasons.’ Normally, he messages me about Carrie, the content of the message veiled but obvious enough that I get the general gist of whatever he’s trying to communicate. But this time his message is too confounding to figure out.
ME:Elaborate.
Odette’s Country Farm Kitchen:You got the job! Your new role’s commencement date is July 15th. We look forward to seeing you then.
ME:What job???
Odette’s Country Farm Kitchen:
(link) https:/musiciansdigest.com/piotrrichec-6507783
WORLD CLASS PIANIST PIOTR RICHEC LOSES FINGER IN FREAK ESCALATOR INCIDENT.
My heart hammers out of my chest. Piotr Richec lost afinger? What the actualfuck? I click the link and feel bile rising up the back of my throat. Good job I’m already sitting down.
“The career of one of the world’s most promising concert pianists, Piotr Richec, is over before it even started today. Richec, who won the coveted Rider Award at the age of just twelve years old, was earmarked as the upcoming generation’s next Argerich. That is, until this morning, when the now twenty-two-year-old Czech national was involved in a tragic accident involving an escalator. Reports from St. Peter’s Hospital, Seattle, are vague, stating only that Richec’s right hand was badly injured, resulting in the loss of a finger. Which finger is unclear, but that detail is irrelevant, according to Damien Loughborough, of the New York Academy of Music. “A pianist without ten fingers is like a five-foot-eight basketball player. Sure, they can still participate in the game, but they’re never gonna be as good as LeBron. I don’t mean to sound callous, but that young man’s career is over. I know it. You know it. Richec knows it. He’s already surrendered his position at the Seattle Composition Conservatory—”
ME:YOU CUT OFF HIS FINGER?!
Odette’s Country Farm Kitchen:At Odette’s Country Farm Kitchen, we pride ourselves on our workplace safety. Employees at Odette’s are insured to upwards of six million dollars should any personal injury take place while at the work. Rest assured that, here at Odette’s, we have your best interests in mind.
Six million dollars? Richec was insured for that much? The money doesn’t change anything, though. Michael mutilated someone without a second thought. Because ofme?
ME:You’re insane! You did that? Why the FUCK would you do that?
Odette’s Country Farm Kitchen:Our newhome cooked recipes are very COMPLICATED, but there’s A GREAT REASON behind every ingredient!
Why the fuck can’t he call me from a payphone and just talk to me like a normal paranoid person? This is too much.
ME:I need more information.
Odette’s Country Farm Kitchen:We’re open 8 am – 7 pm, Monday through Saturday. Feel free to reach out to us during business hours, and we’ll be happy to assist you with your inquiry.
Itisthe middle of the night in Seattle. He should have waited to message me until he could talk properly, though. What am I supposed to do with half a story? My mind races as I close out my messages and open up my email account. Sure enough, there’s a new email from the PNW Institute, sent five hours ago, waiting to be opened. I scan through its contents, unsurprised by what it says.
