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They all stared at me open mouthed.
“Why wouldn’t you be the first person the police contacted?” Viddy asked.
“I was, but Brody had tried to teach me multiple times how to drive a stick shift. I never figured it out. I was so pissed at that moment, though, that I just slammed my foot onto the gas, put it in first, and let off the clutch. I’m not quite sure I meant to drive it through his house or anything, but I did anyway,” I clarified.
The women surrounding me giggled, making the baby snuggled into my chest stir and let out a whimper.
Putting my hand under her bottom, I bounced her up and down, while I looked around the room.
“This is a nice place. Is this new?” I asked as I took in the nearest waiter who happened to be a firefighter with the Benton Fire Department.
I’d lived in Benton for a while now, and this was the first time I’d even heard of Halligans and Handcuffs.
The décor in the place was stunning.
All of the tables were made of diamond plated chrome, and the chairs were made out of what I expected was the material that firefighter’s bunker gear was made out of.
The lighting was suspended from the ceiling with handcuffs linked one by one. They had a perfect blend of both firefighting and policing. I loved it.
“Yep. We’ve put a lot of work into this place. All of us have done a little something. My contribution was the fire hoses that are housed in the glass of the bar. Adeline found all of the fire department signs. Viddy designed the handcuff lights. Minnie embroidered all the chairs. The guys did their part, too. It was a long process, but we like the outcome,” Bayleesaid.
“You should’ve done those police grates that separates the cops from the criminals between the booths. It would’ve looked cute,” I said absentmindedly.
“That’s a good idea,” Loki’s deep voice said from my side.
I jumped, startled to see him that close.
He was standing directly in front of the table, surprising me, because I’d been so into the décor that I hadn’t paid attention to my surroundings.
Something that I never forgot.
“Hey,” I said distractedly. “Are you ready to go or something?”
Loki had worked this afternoon, and while he’d done that, I’d gone in early and finished all of my work that I usually saved for when the mortuary was less crowded. But I’d had few distractions today, enabling me to get out early and come to the bar for dinner.
I’d been surprised to find my father already here, but he fit in well with the crowd, and I was grateful.
I would’ve hated to have to choose between Loki and my dad.
“Did you happen to see anybody or anything following you today or yesterday?” he asked nonchalantly.
Thinking back to when I drove yesterday and today, I thought about how many people were following me. I’d stopped counting at four, but there could’ve been more.
“Three bikes, and a police car. The bikes were further back than the car, but I caught on about a mile away from my house...why?” I asked. “I thought you put them on me.”
He looked stunned. “I did.”
I cocked my head to the side, wondering why he was looking at me like that. “Then what’s the problem?” I asked.
He shook his head, a smile tipping up the corner of his lips. “Nothing. I just wanted to know how many you saw.”
“Cleo and Sterling were good. I clocked Tunnel in his cop car first. I saw Silas last. I probably wouldn’t have seen him, either, if I hadn’t gone out the back. He was sitting in the very edge of my yard in the shadows. Is he a spook or something?” I wondered.
My dad taught me most of what he knew when it came to defenses, blending all that he knew from the other branches into one long lesson that spanned years. Too bad all the lessons in the world didn’t help me when I needed it the most.
If it had, I wouldn’t be as fucked up as I was.
My innocence was lost that night, even if I didn’t have it, technically, taken from me.
