Page 130 of The Company

Harper leans over the stupid table hump in between the two bucket seats and grabs her hand. “Don’t cry, Sasha. I’m fine, OK? I’m fine.”

I push Harper back into her seat, lean over both of them so I can find her belt, and then drag it across her body. “Just keep still.”

“James, that guy said he sent you to get the card.”

“Don’t,” I growl at her. She recoils a little but I don’t care. “Don’t mention him again. I’m gonna take care of it. But I’m not gonna explain what happened, because I’m not sure. So no more.” I pull back and stand at Sasha’s door. “We’re not talking about today. Ever. Do you understand?”

They just look at me and I guess that’s as good an agreement as I’m gonna get, so I shut Sasha’s door and open mine. Harper is on the passenger side in back, so I can keep an eye on her as we drive. She’s still drowsy so I’m hoping she’ll fall into a light sleep as we make our way to the airport. I can use some quiet time to sort this all out.

I put the Hummer in gear and back out of the garage, then head up the alley so I can catch Beach Boulevard up to Fullerton.

My blackouts are a problem. I’ve pushed them off as short-term and transient, but I can’t be certain.

Too many things are missing.

I could be missing so many details.

I could have made more deals.

There’s a Wal-Mart near the 22 freeway, so I park the truck and check on the girls. Sasha is wide awake, her eyeballs huge saucers as she waits for me to explain myself.

Harper is asleep.

“Stay here and this time, kid, if someone comes to hurt you or Harper, you shoot those fuckers.”

She swallows and nods.

I go inside the store and buy a disposable phone, a book about vampires, and couple of celebrity magazines, and some junk food and soda. We are camping out in the parking lot until this phone is charged and I can make a call.

I take it all back out to the Hummer, turn the engine on so I can plug in the phone and run the AC… and we wait.

Sasha reads the vampire book out loud as Harper drifts in and out of her post-narcotic slumber, and when the battery light on the phone finally turns green, I step outside and make my call.

“Harrison,” I say with relief when he picks up on the second ring. “Did you get it?”

“Shit, dude, you are fucking crazy! Sending me all the way down to Colombia for this!”

“So you got it?”

He laughs. “I got it. And you got a huge bill, both from me and Roberto.”

I smile, then look back at the Hummer where Sasha is watching me. “Good,” I say, turning my back on her, “because here’s what I need.”