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“Then what do you want?”
He points his chin across the parking lot where there’s a classic blue Volkswagen bus. Roach and the other guy take that as a cue and poke me to move it, Churro’s arm still slung around my shoulder like we’re the best of amigos.
“I just want to talk, that’s all.”
They lead me inside the bus, Churro and Roach slipping in with me. Seconds before they slam the door shut, my gaze shifts to Olive again. She runs inside the restaurant.
“Where are we going?” I hiss.
“Ah, that is a surprise, bromigo.”
A mere month ago I would have imagined myself brave enough to say, “If you’re going to kill me, do it now.” But that’s the thing about imaginations. When faced with a real-life situation such as this, all you can think about is your family and the woman you love, and you’ll do anything to live for them.
Naturally, the fear still plays on my features like a bad drive-in movie, and that gives Churro ammunition to intimidate me even more.
“Relax, dude. You’re not going to end up in a ditch somewhere.”
He chortles and is joined by Roach and the other guy who’s driving, blubbering with maniacal laughter.
“If I wanted to kill you, I would have done so already.”
He laughs again and slaps my knee.
Eh, nope. That line isn’t even funny in old mobster movies. I can just picture Joe Pesci or Robert DeNiro delivering that line with a Brooklyn-Italian accent instead of sounding like that turtle in Finding Nemo.
My phone goes off in my pocket, doing the double duty of sounding the ringtone and buzzing incessantly.
“I wonder who that could be,” says Churro. “Could it be that babe waiting for you outside the restaurant? Well done, amigo.”
I swallow hard. They saw Olive.
Churro jerks his chin for Roach to search my pockets. Roach finds my phone and hands it to Churro just as the ringing ends. Churro looks at the screen.
“Who’s… Olive?”
“Just a stupid waitress.”
He raises a brow. “Whoa! Doin’ it with the waitress. I like your style.”
“It’s not like that. She’s… annoying.” I toss my hand to the side, trying to act casual about it. “We’re probably gonna fire her soon.”
I am really bad at lies, but I have to come up with something. I can’t have Olive connected to me in any way. If anything goes down tonight and I don’t make it, I don’t want them going after her.
Churro narrows his eyes at me. “Why wait?”
Sucking in a breath through my nose, I hold it inside, hitching up one shoulder as I purse my lips.
“We gave her a warning.”
He leans in and whispers in my ear. “If I want to terminate someone… I do it.”
The phone rings again. Churro swipes the screen and hands it to me. “She’s a little bloodhound, isn’t she?”
The call is live, and even before I accept the phone from Churro, I hear Olive’s voice.
“Hello? Ignacio?”
“Ignacio speaking,” I say.
