Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 105815 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105815 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
Damn. People love to gossip. Even dudes.
Crew sends, You alright, River?
Not really, but I picture Crew and Hollis sitting in the den next to each other texting me, and I push up a smile.
I’m okay. She came to the house, yes, but we aren’t over.
I might be late, I send. I’ll knock on your doors in the morning.
Weirdo, Crew sends.
I laugh. You love me, Hollywood.
Wake me. I’ll share my Ding Dongs with you, boo bear, Hollis adds.
There’s a joke here somewhere, Crew sends.
They say bye and I stick my phone back in my jeans.
“We could hit the ATO party. They’re having one every night this week,” Benji muses as he hums “Sweet Child O’ Mine” to Spike on his shoulder. He’s buzzing, but I only had one drink. My head doesn’t need alcohol muddling it up.
“Nah.” I’m not in the mood to party.
Benji hops in the passenger side and Spike never flinches. I shake my head, a rueful laugh coming from me. “I can’t believe Marilyn let you bring him in.”
“He doesn’t bark. He smiles. It’s kind of weird, but he does. He doesn’t pee—much.”
“He pissed on your shirt. And I think he was trying to hump a beer mug.”
“No, he was just looking at himself in the reflection of the glass. He’s a sexy beast.” He tugs at the flannel he’s wearing. “Good thing Crazy Carl had an extra in his truck. Dude’s alright, isn’t he?”
I nod. “Carl’s the shit.”
“I’m gonna get Spike a collar. Engraved. Something poetic. Spike, you horny lizard, I love the fuck out of you.”
We go down a rabbit hole of possible messages to engrave on the lizard’s collar.
I crank the truck.
“Where we going?” Benji asks as I miss the turn for Greek Row and head farther into Walker.
“Drive-by.”
“Who? Oh, Ana. Cool. I’m down.”
My hands tighten on the wheel. Maybe she’s still at the Kappa house, and I guess I’ll know if her car isn’t at her apartment. I’ll know to prepare myself when I drop Benji off.
When we pull in, Anastasia is outside her complex with a guy wearing a tool belt around his waist. She’s tugging on his arm.
“Something’s wrong,” I say as I park and get out. Benji follows.
“What happened, Sam! Start from the beginning,” comes Anastasia’s voice, raised and layered in urgency. “Here. Give me Oscar.”
“Please.” He heaves out a long exhalation and hands a dog to her, a small one, and she takes it.
“What’s going on?” I ask.
She flips around, her face wet from tears.
My adrenaline spikes. “Are you okay?”
Her throat bobs as she wipes at her face with one hand. “No. June… I came home, and she wasn’t here. Sam said she was hurt!”
Sam fidgets as I fix my gaze on him. “What happened?”
He blows out a breath, a harried look on his face. “The furnace blew out and a repairman came out to fix it. He saw June, and I guess he’s buddies with the landlord. He must have called him, then Mr. Winston showed up and tried to run her off. She threw some stuff at him then Oscar acted like a big dog and nipped at him. Poor dog is old and can barely move, but he gave him a good run. Then he started asking me questions.” He looks at Anastasia. “Ana, I had to tell him the truth. She’s been here too long.” He sighs. “He called the cops, said he was attacked by a dog and had a vagrant on the premises he wanted removed.”
Anastasia shakes her head. “Oscar would never hurt anyone, and neither would June!”
Sam nods. “Cops showed up, blue lights blazing. She started running, slipped on the pavement and fell, damn sleet, then jumped up and ran down the road. I didn’t see Oscar till they left. He was hiding behind one of her crates.”
Anastasia exhales. “I should have found her somewhere to stay. This is my fault. I should have made her stay with us—”
“You can’t do that,” Sam says. “Her name isn’t on the lease, Ana—”
“Forget that. It’s sleeting tonight!” She gives him a pleading look. “Which direction did she go, Sam?”
He grimaces. “She ran off down the street toward Highland. The cops took a look around and said to call them if she comes back. I’ll have to, Ana.”
She blinks rapidly. “She’s not a criminal. No one cares about her. People don’t see her. They don’t get that she’s a person! We aren’t all the same, we aren’t, and it’s okay if she’s different, it’s okay…” Her voice trails off, her face crumpling.
“Anastasia,” I say and pull her against me, my arms going around her. “Shhh, I got you, I got you.” Oscar squirms between us, and I give her some space as I tip her chin up. “We’ll figure this out.”
“I’m here for this!” Benji announces jovially. “Let’s find this June chick. She hot?” No one replies, and he shrugs. “Tough crowd. Maybe she likes lizards.”