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“So why would Doc have Brad’s piss?”
I have absolutely no brain space to devote to that. “Fuck.” I shy away from the pad. “Shit, that stings.”
“I’m sorry, my baby boy.” She wrinkles her nose and pops a kiss on the end of mine, squeezing my jaw in her hand. I curl my lip and growl to make a point, and she laughs. “You don’t scare me, son.”
I grin, pulling her hand down, watching her faff like she loves.
“What?” she asks, getting a tube of something from the box.
“I love you, Mum.”
She tries to hide her surprise, squeezing a bit onto the tip of her finger and moving into my side, dabbing at my lip. “What’s got into you?”
“I want you to be happy.”
“Okay,” she says slowly. “I am happy.”
“The happiest you can possibly be.”
“Danny, why are you talking like this?” she asks, withdrawing. “I don’t like it. Is something about to happen?”
I smile, hearing a couple of cars pulling up outside. Otto’s not asked her. And I know that because she will definitely say yes. She loves him. I’m slowly accepting that. I stand and kiss her cheek. “Something’s always about to happen, Mum. Goodnight.”
“Night,” she whispers, unsure, letting me wander away half cleaned up. I make it into the entrance hall and meet Otto, Ringo, and Goldie. “Good evening,” I quip, because it’s far from good. I try to smile and feel it pull on my lip, opening the wound again. Fuck it. I latch on and suck it clean.
“Fucking Christ,” Otto mutters, taking in my war wounds.
“Mine’s better than yours.” I point to his quite pathetic swollen nose, and he shakes his head. “How did you get on?” I ask, willing someone to take my mind off my woes.
“You’ve not spoken to James or Brad?”
“No, I’ve been busy bleeding.” Face and heart.
“The Escalade we checked out has been cloned. The ex-cop is an eighty-year-old charity worker with a wholesome wife, two-point-five children, five grandchildren, a retriever, and a lake house.”
“Perfect.”
“And heads-up,” Otto says.
“What?”
“James overhead a call Brad took from Higham.”
“What’s he calling Brad for?”
“You were busy.”
I huff, vaguely remembering Brad mentioning Higham’s trip’s been extended. “When’s he back in town?” I need to find out what’s going on with Amber’s body.
“Don’t know. But that’s not what you should be concerned about.”
“It’s not?” Amber’s body feels like a big deal.
“No. Higham mentioned Richard Bean to Brad.”
Shit. “How does Higham know about Bean? He’s on holiday.”
“I’d say ask Brad, but I’m not sure you want to go there yet.”
