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“If you say so.” The begrudging softening curls inside me.
I nod. “I do. What did she want?”
“I asked her about . . . about the principal.” She straightens like all the burdens are hers. “I think he’s involved. He knows the mayor, he doesn’t want the gangs around, but really, he doesn’t want me calling attention to the school by helping the kids who need it. A lot of them are related to or in the gangs like the ones from today.”
“I gotta fuckin’ ask.” How big is this thing if she’s on the right track. “What about Riff?”
“What about him?” She puts the phone in her pocket and takes one small step. “Am I trying to what? Help me, please.”
Fuck I’m a heel. “Are you protecting him, trying to lessen the blow?”
“Not at all. I went to press charges against him, and he followed. Begged not to do that, and he dropped everything against you.”
Oh, fucking yeah, the worst heel on the planet.
Even if it’s a legit question and I’d ask anyone.
But this is Nadie.
“I showed them the photos and . . .” She looks away a moment, then straightens her shoulders and looks at me. “I think he put in money to make money and maybe dabble at feeling bad ass by walking the line, but criminal? Not knowingly, not to that extent. I don’t think he has it in him. He rides his frayed coattails of past success, he’s not a man given to initiative. He’s so far from you that it’s probably why I went out with him. He was safe. You’re not.”
Shit. Fuck everything. “The kids and Zane don’t like Peabody. It’s a different thing to that hate of a mean teacher. Like they intrinsically got something.”
I think she’s going to brush me off, but she doesn’t. “Why?”
“Thing is, Nadie, I didn’t put it together until here and now and you.” I send a quick couple of texts. The RoadSide new manager because courtesy is courtesy, and it’s O’Grady property, but just in case he’s in this up to his ears, I alert the bouncer too.
Then I text Tizio.
“Zane told me something interesting, I figured it was a nineteen-year-old just talking the shit because he could, but now . . .”
Nadia takes one more step. “And?”
“Zane had a girlfriend who left school when he did. Her family moved, she stayed, abruptly disappeared last year. Peabody was seen by Zane talking to her before—”
“She disappeared.”
“Yeah.” My phone lights up, and I read the messages that come in. Then I look at her. “Your ex probably won’t fare well in all of this. The mayor sure as hell won’t. And Peabody, let’s hope we get him too, though it’s a long shot right now. With what we know, it’s not enough to prove anything, but it’s enough to leave those still involved running scared. O’Grady’s people are scary, as are those who work at RoadSide.”
Basically, we can’t do anything. I can’t, beyond what I have. This isn’t my jurisdiction at all and it’s up to the local elements to band together.
I reach behind me and grab the flowers, holding them to her.
“What’s with you and flowers?”
“These . . . well let’s just say I found the way things are smuggled and passed along through this town. Not sure how big distribution is, but I’m betting it’s drugs, guns, and cigarettes bound for places that tax them heavily.”
“So,” she says, her voice barely above a whisper, “it’s done.”
“Yeah.” I stand, come to her and look down. “How are you feeling?”
But Nadia eases away and with the flowers in one hand, goes to unlock her door. She opens it and gestures inside. I do as asked.
“I don’t want to talk about it,” she says. “Actually, I don’t want to talk at all.”
Neither do I. Shutting the door, I capture her mouth and coax it open, sweeping my tongue in, angling her head up with my hands.
She tastes like coming home. Tears, laughter. Hot sex and sweetness. She tastes like heaven.
