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Instead, I lean against the car next to him, close enough so our shoulders touch. Eli returns to the passenger seat, groaning as he sits down.
About ten minutes later—the waiting is oddly peaceful—a car pulls up. Eli’s son steps out.
CHAPTER 21
Sam
“Paul.” Eli clambers from the passenger seat, almost falling until I dart forward and take his arm, supporting him as he climbs down. “You’re the lady who bought the jewels, are you?”
“No, Dad,” Paul grumbles, in a leather jacket, a black-gray mop of hair on his head, and a cigarette dangling from his mouth as he approaches. “The owner is a friend of mine. He recognized you.”
“The lady is on the way,” Eli murmurs.
“He doesn’t remember who he sold it to, Dad. It’s all gone, but he called me because you seemed erratic. He didn’t know you had company.” Paul eyes me, then flashes a strange look at Katy, a look that has my hackles rising. “Hello again.”
“Hi, Paul,” Katy says with dignity, but her voice has an edge.
I remember what she said about Paul trying to shake Eli down and how she stood up for him. Paul has the eyes of a bully, but he’s repressing his instincts around me. He can sense what would happen if he didn’t.
“What’s that you’ve got there?” I say when he turns to gesture at his dad. His inside pocket gleams. Jackal walks up next to me with a growl in his throat, then lies prone when I click my tongue. “In your pocket, Paul.”
He laughs, slowly moving his hand there, and I realize I haven’t got my gun on me. There are legal issues with the sort of weapons I have. The distance is about ten feet, maybe more. Jackal’s lying prone, a spring twisting tighter and tighter. I don’t have to look at him to know his legs are shaking.
“I never could’ve guessed it,” Paul whispers.
“Keep your hand still,” I snap.
He pauses when his hand is almost inside his jacket. My woman is sending off as many fear signals as Jackal is sending off signals of pure death. My canine knows how important it is to protect Katy. He knows she’ll give him more humans to protect. I can sense it in him.
It’s instinct. Jackal ran to Katy so quickly earlier, as if he already knew her. I put my hand out, gently cautioning Eli back when he moves as if to walk toward his son.
“Can you imagine?” Paul laughs shakily. The pawn shop owner is peering through the window. “What are the chances? But it’s you… the same building. I was going to visit you once, Dad, and then I saw her.”
He looks at Katy, his hand still near his pocket. My body fumes, every inch taut and ready with muscle. My soul swells with the same fury. The same rage that bubbled up every damn day when I was a kid. I bare my teeth.
“I saw you.”
“Me?” Katy says from beside me.
“You don’t recognize me?” Paul is almost crying now, eyes red. Eli tries to move forward again, and I gently take the old man’s forearm, pushing him back. “It was dark, and… and he fought. Why did he have to fight? You were in the car. You saw it, didn’t you? You saw…”
Suddenly, Katy shudders. She makes the most heartbreaking noises. Jackal lets out a yap, causing Paul to flinch. I can’t turn and look at Katy. I can’t take my eyes off his goddamn hand.
“It was you,” she whispers.
“Who is he, Katy?” I growl.
“He’s my son.” Eli is crying, his tone confused. “My baby boy. My angel. My precious from above. He had wings when he was born. I saw them. I held him. I gave him a home.”
“You didn’t give me a fucking thing!” Paul suddenly roars, tears streaking down his face.
“He killed my dad,” Katy says, her voice cracking. “A mugger when I was thirteen, but you swallow these things. You don’t let them get you down. You can’t. Mom needed me.”
“You were just there, across the hall from Dad’s new apartment. I never believed in God.”
Sirens touch the air. The pawnshop owner must’ve called the cops, but they’re still in the distance. I can just about hear them past some construction noises. They’ll be minutes, at least.
“But you were right there, and now I get it. I see it. You were right, Dad. Why even bother? Why bother trying to be a good person? I didn’t mean to kill that guy. He reached for my knife.”
“You gutted him like a pig!” Katy suddenly screams.
Jackal stands up, barking ferociously.
“Down, boy,” I say.
He looks at me, looks at Katy, then growls at Paul, slowly lowering his butt so it barely touches the ground. Paul huffs, laughing wildly, hand still near his pocket. It’s been there this entire time.
