Page 20 of Hallow’s Eve
Riff spoke, “Yeah, brother, we’re going to cut and run before anyone else dies.” He made a show of shivering. “I don’t like all these people dropping dead unless I’m doing the killing. It being Halloween and all.”
Hallow asked them, “You still don’t know who killed Wolf?”
“We have our suspicions,” Thorn said, while Riff answered, “No.”
“Hallow,” I said his name like they had, realizing these bikers were a bit too chummy with him. “You’re one of them,” I accused him as the thought cemented in my mind.
Hallow’s lips disappeared.
Buzzard patting him on the back answered my question, “You didn’t tell her you’re a Royal Bastard?”
Thorn interrupted, “Hush your mouth, Buzz. It’s supposed to be a secret.”
“A secret?” My voice bore my anger.
Thorn continued, “Got this girl to fall in love with you yet, man?”
Riff hooted. “Oh man, sorry ‘bout the cock block.”
I started to stomp away. Hallow caught my upper arm and stopped me. I tore from his grip. “Get off me, you liar.”
“Where do you think you’re going?” Riff stepped in my way and lit a cigarette, blowing smoke in my face.
“You can’t smoke in here. And I’m leaving.”
“We’ve not questioned you yet. Sit down.”
Hallow snatched me again by the arm and drug me into a chair at the break room table. Riff sat in front of me flanked by the other two. Hallow stood at my side, his hand on my shoulder like he’d make me stay put if I tried to stand up.
“You take orders from them?” I glared up and asked him.
“I do,” he answered, his mouth tight like a little butthole. What an asshole!
Riff began his interrogation. “You fuckin’ your boss?”
“Wha…no…” I choked out. “I don’t mean to sound rude, God rest his soul, but Grady was old enough to be my dad.”
“Everyone else seems to think you two were bumping uglies.”
“Who?”
“I’ll ask the questions,” Riff said and puffed on his cancer stick.
I waved my hand in front of my nose. “Do you have to poison me while you do it?”
Hallow’s hand squeezed my shoulder as a warning.
Riff ignored my comment about his smoking. “Everyone says Wolf had a crush on you. You know anything about that?”
“Well,” I began and grimaced.
“So, you know?” Hallow spoke up at my side.
“Yeah, but…”
Riff went on, “They say he let you sing every night.”
“He does. He did.”
