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Duncan answered before Jay could say something snarky and get them all trouble. “There’s no work. We’re done with all three, just need to put them on the lot.”
“It’s fifteen minutes till we close up the bays, anyway,” Jay said, because his favorite hobby was poking the bald bear who sat at the head of their table. He started a new round on the Bop It, like Eight wasn’t still glowering at them.
Jay washed out on the sixth action. By then, Eight had come fully into the bays and was close enough to watch over Duncan’s shoulder.
“Let me see that,” the president said.
Jay clutched it to his chest. “You’re not gonna fuck it up or anything, are you?”
“No, I’m not gonna break your toy. Let me see.”
Reluctantly, Jay handed it over.
“How’s it work?”
Duncan demonstrated the Bop It to Eight, who then took a turn of his own. He made it to four before he wiped out. “I’m goin’ again,” he said.
“You want in, you’re gonna have to take your turn,” Jay said, pulling the toy from Eight’s hands and handing it to Monty. “Now it’s Monty’s turn.”
Eight actually let that happen. He leaned back and crossed his arms. “Where’d you get that?”
“It was mine when I was little,” Duncan explained. “I found it in our storage locker, when I was looking for furniture to take to the ranch.”
“That’s right!” Eight hooked his arm over Duncan’s neck, “Baby Bird Helm is flying the nest. How’s your little chick doin’?”
Monty started his round while Duncan answered.
“She’s good. She’s grateful for the help.” He didn’t want to get into particulars about Phoebe’s state of mind without her permission.
“As long as it doesn’t come back on us, I’m glad we could help. Apollo said they found the car this morning. He tell you that?”
“No. When did he tell you—and how did he find out so quick?” Also, why hadn’t Apollo let him know?
Eight shrugged. “I don’t understand half the shit that dude can do. I guess he was monitoring the radio for the staties, or whatever he does. He told me about an hour ago.”
“Is he still in the clubhouse?”
“Far’s I know.”
“Dunc, you in?” Monty said, shaking the Bop It at him.
“Nah, you all play—but don’t fuck it up. I gotta go next door.”
“I’ll take Dunc’s place,” Eight said, snatching the toy before Jay could take it.
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~oOo~
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“Sorry about that, brother,” Apollo said, offering Duncan a folding chair in his cramped, crowded office. “I’ve had my head down with Eureka shit, and I thought we decided Phoebe shouldn’t know anything ahead of time.”
They’d decided it was better for her if she was as in the dark as possible, so her reaction would be as authentic as possible if any official types talked with her.
“Yeah, but I wanted to know.”
“I would’ve got to you soon. Before you left for the day. Anyway, yeah, they found the wreck about ten this morning. I didn’t hear it come over when they found it, but I heard them at the scene, arranging to haul the wreck up, all that. It’ll get investigated, but I don’t think they’ll dig deep. I did some digging myself, and Lydia Copperman had three DUIs in the past seven years—all three pleaded down to reckless driving, which is some aggressive twisting of the law, by the way—thirteen speeding tickets, about fifty unpaid parking tickets. A fatal accident is probably the way she was gonna go out someday anyway. The only reason that woman still had a license is the size of her bank account.”
