“Yeah,” I said, tucking her hair behind her ear. “You’re gonna be alright. But I do think we need to get that foot checked out by Salvatore.”
“Between me and you, I’ve always kind of wanted to be examined by Salvatore ‘the Surgeon’ Costa. What a brag that will be.”
“Sure,” I agreed. “But maybe you could have stubbed a toe or gotten a nasty splinter, not been brutally attacked.”
“Yeah, I’m really not happy about my foot.”
“I think I’m gonna have to piggyback you out of here. Those steps are too steep and narrow to go down carrying you.”
“Can I get cleaned up first? I feel gross.”
“Depends. Can you do it without stepping on that foot?”
“It’s a small room. I can hop. Can you get me a change of clothes, though?”
“Yep. Give me a few.”
With that, I made my way back out of the bathroom, closing the door for her. But also because I didn’t want her hearing me on the phone as I went into her room.
Her room was made, though mussed at the bottom like Tuna had slept there at some point.
“Hey, bud. I think you’re coming with us too,” I told him as I went to her closet.
And there it was.
Her stalker board.
I thought she was exaggerating.
She wasn’t.
There we all were. Organized by family, sure, and with silly little notes about how we took our coffee or things we hated. Apparently, Leo hated sauerkraut. I had known him basically my whole life and didn’t know that about him. But anything else she had written or color-coded was done so in some code that only she knew. There wasn’t even a key to be found. The kids were only noted by the initials of their first names.
She was careful.
The Family would appreciate that.
“Hello?” Brio’s voice met my ear.
“I’m calling you before Lorenzo because it’s more personal to you,” I started. “Alara was attacked. She’s alright. Busted up. Fucked up her foot or ankle, so I’m taking her to Salvatore. But I wanted to tell you.”
There was a pause.
“Tell me we know who it is?”
“Honestly, I didn’t get a lot out of her yet. She was really out of it when I got here.”
“I’ll call Salvatore and meet you there.”
I grabbed some loose black pajama pants, in case she needed a cast, a tee, and a zip-up hoodie before going into the dresser at the back of the closet.
“What’s up, Chris?” Lorenzo greeted me as I tried not to notice more about the underwear other than I grabbed a pair and some socks.
“Alara was attacked.”
“What?”
“Yeah, I don’t have a lot of details yet. I will get them, though. But she’s pretty worked over. I need to get her foot checked out by Salvatore.”
