Page 58 of Nothing Special X: The Last Stand

He grabbed his phone, thumb hovering over Syn’s contact, not moving.

Nah, I need to talk to him face-to-face.

A couple of hours later his nerves began to get the better of him.

Maybe I should talk to someone and ask what’s the best way to tell him.

Yeah, he would get some advice first from people he and Syn both trusted, to encourage or coach him.

Ro answered on the third ring, voice smooth and friendly. “Well this is a nice surprise. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

Furi almost laughed. Almost. “Can you meet me?”

Ro went quiet.

That was one of the infuriating things about the men, the detectives, in God’s orbit. They could recognize instantly when something was off.

“Where?”

“Our spot.”

“When?”

“As soon as you can.”

“Furious.”

“Please.”

Ro softened his voice. “I’ll be there in half an hour.”

Furi ended the call before Ro could ask anything else.

Next, he called Michaels. Then Hart. Both heard enough in his voice not to argue as well.

Michaels said, “Give me thirty.”

Hart hung up, sounding as though he was already moving.

Furi changed out of his overalls and washed up in the tiny bathroom until the worst of the grease was gone. He dragged wet hands through his hair and pulled it back into a messy bun.

Wearing black jeans and a fitted charcoal shirt, he stared at himself in the mirror above the sink. “Coward,” he muttered.

Furi locked up his empty shop, straddled his bike, and rode hard enough toward the bar to make the wind punish him.

Their regular spot was a queer-friendly bar nicknamed Blue Central because of how close it was to the courts and police station.

It wasn’t fancy, which was why they all liked it. The beer on tap was always ice cold, the wings were phenomenal, and the bartenders knew when to keep the shots flowing.

Furi got there before the guys.

He ordered a beer—he didn’t particularly want it—and sat at a high-top near the pool tables, his back to the wall out of habit.

The place was half-empty and quieter than normal.

His worry easily drowned out the low bluesy music buzzing under the clack of pool balls and a couple of boisterous construction workers critiquing last night’s baseball highlights playing on the flat screen overhead.

Ro was the first to arrive.