Page 105 of Overkill

Griff, on the other hand, had no problem with his purchase. Smug bastard.

We walked out several thousand dollars poorer, and he surprised me by offering a cigarette.

“I thought you quit,” I mumbled.

“I did.” He pulled out Taz’s Zippo—the one with the Lucky 13 four-leaf clover on it. The logo of our old ODA team.

He lit his own cigarette and took a drag, then handed me the lighter.

“I thought Taz quit, too.”

“Yup.”

We smoked at the corner, emerald-green jewelry bags dangling off our arms.

“Don’t tell Taz.”

“You’re cheating on her with a Camel, you know that, right?” I teased.

Smoke came out of his nostrils as he scoffed. “Yeah, well…I’m thinking about quitting my job and setting myself up behind a desk.”

“Holy shit.” That was big news. Surprising, too.

Griff had always said he’d never give up being an operator.

“Maybe…” He sighed. “Get into politics. Nothing like my dad, don’t get me wrong. Local, school board kind of shit. Something on the town level, maybe.”

“Running for mayor of Mourningkill?” Was this an alien in a Griff suit? Because this was not what I expected him to say. Especially to me.

“Shit, I dunno. I’m just missing home a lot these days.”

“You talk to Taz about it?” Seemed like the logical person to have this discussion with.

“Not yet. I’m worried she’ll think she pressured me into coming home, and she’ll beat herself up about it. She’s going through enough as it is, you know?”

I knew.

Taz was anxious and wild in the best of times. With a baby in her? Yeah…

“She likes it out here. Doesn’t like DC much. I don’t either, I don’t think.” He gestured to the street. “This is the kind of place you wanna raise your kids. Mostly. There are some problems, though. Leadership type things that need to be figured out, ya know?”

“Yeah, I know what you mean.” Look at how they treated Melody.

The land was good. Most people were well intended and just trying to live their lives. But when they failed someone, they failed hard. And that shit started from the top in a shit-rolls-downhill way.

“Maybe the Griffiths need to displace the Grays as the big shots of the town.” I chuckled. “Hell, I hate you, but I’d vote for you.”

“Yeah?” He looked at me and smiled. Then he went to a trash can and crushed the cigarette until it stopped smoking before tossing it in. “Don’t tell Taz.”

He started to walk away, then he stopped.

“Don’t tell Daria, either. She can’t keep secrets from my wife worth a shit.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. His wife and his best friend were as thick as thieves, and he was third wheeling in his own marriage sometimes.

Good for him.

“Now whatever bullshit you’ve got going on”—he gestured to me and the bag in my hand—“knock it off. I’m willing to bet my mom’s entire fortune the only reason you’re standing here alone and not in her house right now is because you hate yourself too much to walk through the door she’s holding wide open for you.”