Chapter Eighteen
I was squirming in my seat because Manuel was giving me the silent treatment. When I ditched the psycho hit man and got to the front of the mansion Manuel was not pleased. Apparently he had all the undercover guys in a frantic search for me. I figured since he was already simmering I’d better not tell him about Ortiz. Why bother? He would be long gone by now anyway.
Manuel didn’t yell or say he was angry, but I could feel the frustration radiating out of him. And it was kinda scary. I tried to apologize, but he only slid his eyes over to me then back again.
“Where’d you get the bruises around your neck?” He asked in a voice that was almost Zen like.
“Bruises?” I asked playing dumb.
“Yeah. The ones that look like someone tried to choke you.”
I wanted to tell him the truth, but old habits were hard to break. I was so used to covering my tracks I couldn’t stop now.
“They must have come from Ali?” I said. Then for some reason unknown to me I opened my eyes wide, moved my head like a mechanical doll and stared out the window.
I was such a weirdo.
“Goldie they weren’t there after Ali.”
I should have known Mr. Mystery man would know. He probably had a built in bullshit detector attached to his brain.
“Ortiz gave me a meet and greet in the garden,” I said giving him a sideways glance.
“I know.”
“How?”
“He was spotted by one of the men, but he got away.”
“If you already knew why’d you ask me?”
“I wanted to see how long you’d go before you told me the truth.”
I crossed my arms in front of me.
“Why’d you run off? You know Ortiz is out there waiting for his chance.”
It was sad to admit, but I’d rather face Ortiz than Bryan. If he found out what was going on there would be a lot of yelling about how I put myself in danger blah, blah, blah. We were already going to have to talk about ripping each other’s clothes off. How many discussions could a girl take? I wasn’t a let’s talk about our feelings kind of person.
“I’d rather not say.”
I knew from past experience with Manuel he wasn’t a big discussion kind of person either.
“That poor guy,” he said shaking his head.
“Who?”
“That guy back there. No wonder why you drive him crazy.”
“Thanks a lot,” I said making a face then looking out the window.
I had just been attacked by a guy who wanted to buy me, choked by another who wanted to kill me and I was going to have to tell a drag queen I ruined his favorite dress. I didn’t need Manuel adding to the list of sins from tonight. And the scary part was it wasn’t over yet.
“When we do the exchange you’ve got to find a way to get Abdoul to tell you where he got the USB drive.”
“How?”
“I’m sure you’ll come up with something,” he said.
I made a face. Was he kidding? It wasn’t like I could use any feminine charm considering I looked like I’d been attacked by a pack of wild dogs.
I thought we were heading straight to meet Abdoul, but instead Manuel took me home to get changed. Thank God. We had just stepped off the elevator when I heard a scream coming from behind us. I tried to turn around to see what was happening, but Manuel already had his gun drawn and tucked me behind him with my back to the wall. Where the gun came from I didn’t know, but it looked big enough to blow a chunk out of someone.
“What have you done to Sloane’s dress?” I’d recognize that shriek anywhere.
I peeked over Manuel’s shoulder and saw Jeff with his hand covering his mouth staring at me like I was brought back from the dead.
Manuel shoved his gun into the back of his pants and covered it with his jacket.
“I can explain,” I said.
Jeff did a little wave with his hand and said, “Don’t waste your breath on me. You’re going to need it all for Sloane.”
Jeff came closer and looked me up and down. “Oh, honey, your hair.”
I had bruise marks on around my neck, cuts on my knees and my dress had been turned into something out of the prehistoric era and all he was worried about was my hair?
Jeff shook his head.
Is it that bad? Now I was getting sucked into caring. I instinctively felt around my head and pulled out a couple sticks.
I held them out to Jeff to hold. “Are there more?”
He nodded. “Um, hm.”
“A lot?”
“Um.” He said biting his lip.
“You could have told me,” I said to Manuel.
Silence.
Waiting….okay nothing.
I told Jeff to keep quiet about the dress. I didn’t want Sloane to find out any sooner than he had to. Then I remembered what Manuel had told me.
“You’re going to handle the dress thing right?”
He nodded.
I let out a loud sigh of relief. I didn’t think Manuel knew what he was getting into with Sloane. Had he ever seen a drag queen in a rage? I knew from experience it wasn’t pretty. Manuel had obviously lost his patience with the dress talking because he rushed us off and into my apartment. He had me wait in the hall while he checked everything was clear.
“You’re going to have to wear a wire,” he said once we got inside. “So put on something loose.”
“No more bracelets?”
“No. Now you are going to have to wear an old fashioned wire. We need to record any conversations.”
So that’s why he insisted I go home to change. I knew it had to do with something more than fashion. Well at least now I wouldn’t forget I had it when I went to the bathroom.
My phone was on the bar and it was buzzing so much it almost fell off the counter. I stared at it and debated whether I should pick it up. Nah I told myself. It could only be bad news. If it was Bryan I wasn’t ready to go there on so many levels. And if it was Jeff and Jason stressing about the dress that was a no go too. Better leave it.
“Aren’t you going to get that?” Manuel asked.
“Nope.”
He thought about it for a moment. “Wise choice. I wouldn’t answer it either.”
I nodded. Yep. Even sexy, manly Manuel agreed with me.
I went into my bedroom to change. It felt like I hadn’t been there in years. I wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed and go to sleep but knowing Manuel was waiting, I grudgingly grabbed some sweats out of my dresser and put them on.
My phone rang beside my bed. I was going to ignore it, but my curiosity got the better of me. All the people who were annoyed with me would call on my cell phone. I only had the land line for the family members who still hadn’t grasped the concept of cellular technology.
I looked at the caller I.D. and didn’t recognize the number. I picked up the receiver.
“I have your fat friend.”
My stomach fell when I recognized the voice. It was Ortiz.
“Goldie, don’t do anything stupid,” Hector said before the phone must have been yanked away.
“Meet me on the corner of Santa Monica and Fairfax in twenty minutes. And come alone. If you bring anyone else he’s dead.”
My heart felt like it was ready to beat out of my chest it was thumping so loud. Think. Think. I told myself. Then I realized there was nothing to think about. I couldn’t risk it. I had to do what he said and figure out something when I got there.
I laced up my sneakers and snuck out the bedroom window and shimmied down the drain pipe landing on the pool courtyard where I was greeted by Mr. and Mrs. Markowitz. They were a couple in their eighties who had originally come from Poland and still sounded like they arrived yesterday.
“Steebie, vhat are you doing?” Mrs. Markowitz asked looking at me over her glasses while lounging by the pool with a martini.
“Oh…hi Mrs. Markowitz I’m…just trying to…um work out
more and thought this was a good way to start,” I babbled looking up at my apartment hoping Manuel didn’t hear me.
“Vhat did she say?” Mr. Markowitz asked cupping his hand around his ear.
“She said she vants to vork out,” she said.
“Vhat?” He shouted.
I couldn’t stay for the next round and took off only to hear Mr. Markowitz say, “Vhat is that crazy gurl doing now?”
I raced out the front door and ran down Santa Monica Boulevard checking the watch I had the foresight to put on. I was running as fast as I could. All I could think about was saving Hector.
Halfway there I had to stop on the corner of Crescent Heights. I put my hands on my knees, took a deep breath and started hacking. Unfortunately instead of air I sucked in a cloud of second hand smoke. I was surrounded by a group of people getting out of an AA meeting and they were puffing up all around me.
I really needed to get to the gym more. This was pathetic. Here I was rushing to save Hector and I could barely make it five blocks. What was I thinking running down there? I should have driven. No one walks in LA people work out for hours to get body beautiful then drive around in the parking lot at the mall for an extra ten minutes just to find a spot closer to the elevator.
“You okay?” asked one of the AA smokers who had piercings on his face in places I didn’t even know you were able to get pierced.
“I’m fine. Thanks for asking,” I said deciding I must look really winded if even the guy with his eye lids pierced was concerned.
I glanced back towards my apartment hoping I wouldn’t see Manuel. I relaxed when I only saw the usual assortment of well-dressed hunky looking boys. I trusted Manuel but I couldn’t risk not listening to Ortiz. I couldn’t do that to Hector.
I breathed in one last gust of second hand smoke and took off again. When I made it to the corner at Fairfax I didn’t know what to do. Did I wave letting him know I was here? I didn’t have to think for long. I knew he was coming up behind me when I saw the homeless guy who was searching for plastic bottles in the trash can glance my way and run for cover.
I turned around to face him. “Where’s Hector?”
He smiled and I saw he was missing one of his front teeth. A sense of satisfaction spread over me knowing it was probably Hector who gifted him with the gap tooth look.
“He’s in the car,” he said with a nod towards the grocery store parking lot across the street.
I thought it was suspicious he’d leave Hector like that out in the open. He wasn’t exactly the type to sit there quietly.
“I don’t believe you,” I said.
“I prefer a clean kill, but if you don’t come with me I’ll manage here.”
At least he was tidy.
“Fine,” I snarled.
We walked across the street with Ortiz sticking close to my side. I was sure when he looked at me all he saw were dollar signs. We got to a large black SUV with tinted windows. I was getting nervous. There was no screaming or yelling. If Hector was in there he’d be trying to tip the car over. Ortiz nodded for me to get in.
“Open the door,” I said. “I’m not getting in until I see that Hector is okay.”
His face twisted with frustration, but he went around to the back door and cracked it. I peeked inside and saw Hector lying down on the flattened seats with his hands and feet tied up and his mouth gagged. He wasn’t moving. Tears started to well up.
“You killed him?” I asked.
I was ready to scratch his eyes out when he said, “He’s not dead. He wouldn’t shut up. I shot him with a tranquilizer gun.”
Thank God.
I sucked in a big gulp of air. I hadn’t realized I had stopped breathing.
Hector started groaning.
“Get in the car,” Ortiz said looking worried.
I did what he said then glanced back to check on Hector who was slowly regaining consciousness. I knew I had to wait for him to wake up if we had any chance of escaping. There was no way I could lug Hector with me. It would be like trying to pull an Orca down the street. I was in survival mode trying to think of a way to get us both out of there alive.
“So why did you get into this business?” I asked Ortiz stalling for time. “Didn’t get enough hugs from your mom?”
He raised one lip in response looking like a dog ready to growl.
“Got picked on too much at school?”
The other side of his mouth shot up.
“Small dick? And now you’re getting your revenge for getting short changed on the appendage department?”
“If you wanna stay alive for the next couple of hours you’d better shut your mouth.”
Hours? At least that was a good sign. That would be enough time for Hector to be back in full Hector mode.
“Haven’t gotten laid lately? Is that where the all the anger comes from?”
I knew that wasn’t true if the Botox ladies had anything to say about it.
His mouth tightened and he looked like he wanted to smack me across the face.
“Do you want to die now?”
“No. Not really.”
“Then shut up. You’re just as bad as that fat fuck back there,” he said pointing to Hector.
“Why do you say that?” I asked.
“Shut up.”
I was never good at following directions.
“So why’d you kill Davies?”
“He didn’t answer my questions right.”
“How?”
“He said he didn’t know you. I don’t like people lying to me,” he answered.
“So killing is okay but lying crosses the line.”
I knew Davies was a creep but I didn’t like the idea I was somewhat responsible for his death.
“Don’t you ever shut up?” Ortiz growled.
No.
“Where are we going?”
“There’s been a change of plans,” he said giving his creepy gap tooth grin.
“Why?”
“I was going to enjoy killing you.”
“Was? You’re not going to kill me?”
“It’s all about the money baby.”
I made a face at the baby comment.
“I was given a better offer to deliver you alive,” he said with obvious disgust.
I glanced back at Hector who was now fully awake and trying to untie the ropes around his wrists. I could tell by his expression it was way past snack time. He almost had steam coming out of his ears. When Hector got free he was going to kick Ortiz’s ass all over the place.
“Really? Who are you delivering me too?” I asked not sure I believed him remembering what Abdoul had told Manuel. We were going through the canyon heading towards the valley.
“The guy who hired me just offered double to keep you alive.”
Abdoul did lie about being able to contact Ortiz. Or maybe his goons saw him at the party?
“Who was that?” I asked stalling for time.
“You’ll find out soon enough.”
“I thought you didn’t have a boss?”
“I don’t.”
“Then why do you let him push you around?”
“You’d rather me pop a bullet in your head?”
He had a point.
“Why does this person want me alive?”
Abdoul was going to get his information so why save me now? He could easily just have told Ortiz to wait until after the exchange tonight.
“He doesn’t, his son does.”
Ali. Dammit. Why did Jeff and Jason put me in that dress? Maybe if Ali saw what I really looked like he’d give up trying to make me his love slave.
“Take that! You fucker,” Hector yelled.
Hector had put his still tied hands around Ortiz’s neck and was pulling back hard strangling him. Ortiz grabbed Hector’s arms and tried to peel him off. I tried to grab the wheel but it was almost impossible because Ortiz was thrashing about grabbing anything in front of him. Including my hair.
>
“Hector, do something,” I screamed.
I could handle a lot of things, but having my hair pulled wasn’t one of them.
“I can’t let go of this fucker. Scratch him. Do some girlie shit,” he yelled.
That wasn’t such a bad idea and unleashed my claws on Ortiz’s hand.
“Goldie. Get the steering wheel,” Hector screamed.
I shot my eyes to the front windshield and saw the street sign getting closer. I reached out and grabbed the wheel turning it a sharp right. Whew. We missed the sign, but I turned the wheel too far and we were heading for the embankment. I squeezed my eyes shut wishing I would have listened to Bryan. Maybe those fundraising dinners weren’t that awful after all. I mean how bad was it to have to plaster on a fake smile? Lots of people did it all the time. I was supposed to be an actress wasn’t I? Why couldn’t I just pretend I was in a role that never ended?
When the car hit the embankment it sounded like something out of the movies with all the scratching metal and curse words flying through the air. The air bags popped open and my face was buried in what I imagined a giant silicone breast would feel like if my face collided against it.
I pushed the bag away and swung my head around to survey the damage hoping Ortiz somehow flew out the window and smacked head first into a tree. Instead I saw he was groggy but still in his seat trying to fight his way through it. But where was Hector? I unbuckled my seat belt and scrabbled over to the back seat where Hector was lying face down mumbling something about donuts and Yolanda. I jostled his arm trying to keep as quiet as possible. I didn’t want to awaken Ortiz from his haze with any unnecessary noise.
“Hector?” I whispered in his ear.
No response.
I tried again. “Wake up Hector,” I whispered while tugging on his arm. “We’ve got to get out of here.”
Hector started moving his head side to side moaning. He had a cut over his eye that was trickling blood down his face. Behind the cut was a lump the size of a golf ball that looked like it was growing by the minute into a baseball.
I poked his stomach a little from the side.
He rolled over, but was still out of it.
I hoped some good Samaritans would come and help us, but it was too dark down in the embankment for anyone to see us. It didn’t help the SUV was black and hidden by a bunch of bushes we had slammed into. I heard Ortiz groaning in the front seat. We’ve got to get us out of here. Mr. Evil wouldn’t be asleep for long.
In a burst of nervous energy I punched Hector hard in the stomach. He sprung forward and hit his head on the roof of the car.
“Shit. That hurts like a motherfucker,” he yelled.
His motherfucker was so loud and drawn out it took ten seconds for him to finish the word. I tried to shush him, but he let out a few more shits and fucks before he remembered where he was. We locked eyes knowing what the other was thinking. Holy Shit. Let’s get the hell out of there.
“Now,” I said and flung open the side door dragging him with me.
Hector and I stumbled out of the SUV just as Ortiz was just waking up. We pushed our way through the bushes and ran straight into a spider web. I hopped up and down completely grossed out trying to get it off my face. I shook my hair frantically back and forth thinking a mama tarantula had laid thousands of babies in my hair.
“Girl, have you lost your fucking mind? Move your ass.”
“I ran into a spider web,” I whimpered.
“No shit Goldie. We’re in the middle of a forest,” he huffed.
Laurel Canyon was hardly a forest.
“Can you check to make sure there are no spiders on me?” I begged.
A bullet skimmed past us.
“Okay forget the spiders,” I said.
Hector and I took off and made our way onto the street. We tried to see if there were any cars we could flag down.
“Don’t go in a straight line,” I said between breaths. “It will be harder for him to get a clear shot.” We zig zagged back and forth looking like characters straight out of a silent movie.
“I can’t keep this up,” Hector said huffing so hard behind me he sounded like a steam engine.
I was barely holding it together too.
“Let’s hide over there,” I said pointing to a tool shed.
“As long as it’s close I don’t give a fuck.”
The shed hopefully was on the outskirts of someone’s property. When we got there both of us leaned over and tried not to throw up.
“Man, I really need to lay off the donuts,” Hector said barely able to get the words out. “I thought I was going puke.”
I nodded taking in a deep breath. “Me too.”
I needed to start running with Bryan who was Mr. No Nonsense when it came to working out. I go jogging with Jeff and Jason sometimes but I purposely try to distract them by looking at the clothes in the windows, then we stop for a cappuccino.
“Man that dude is one crazy motherfucker,” he said.
“No kidding.”
Hector peeked around the corner to check to if Ortiz was coming.
“Where is he?” I asked.
“Who the fuck knows?”
“Maybe he got sucked down into the bowels of hell.”
“I fuckin’ hope so,” Hector said. “That piece of shit rammed Baby and pulled a gun on me. When I popped him the mouth he pulled out a weird gun and shot me in the ass.”
“Are you feeling okay?” I asked remembering the cut on his head.
“Fuck no. My head hurts and I’m fuckin’ hungry.”
“Are you dizzy?”
“Yeah. I need some food. Yolanda is going to fucking kill me. She’s been calling my phone non-stop.”
“What? You have your phone with you?” I asked ready to wring his neck.
“Don’t get so excited. The battery must be dead ‘cause Yolanda sure as hell would still be calling.”
Just then we heard footsteps.
Hector checked around the corner.
“Is he there?” I asked peeking around the corner with him.
My stomach dropped when I saw Ortiz with a gun the size of a bat in his hand coming in our direction.
“If we stay quiet maybe he’ll go away,” I said.
I was living in fantasyland.
Hector picked up a couple tree branches from the ground and passed one to me.
“If he gets near us we’ll jump out and kick his ass with these,” he said holding up his branch.
I doubted they were going to do much against what looked like a rocket launcher but at least it was worth a try. When the alternative was death Hector and I could be surprisingly still. We held our breath waiting for him to pass when out of nowhere Marvin Gaye’s, “Let’s get it on” blared out into the canyon from Hector’s pants.
What the hell? When did he take his ring off vibrate?
Hector fumbled around for his phone. We exchanged frantic glances grabbed our branches and ran for the hill behind us.
“I thought your phone was dead,” I said and scrambled for cover behind a tree as bullets pinged around us.
“Me too,” Hector said. “Must’ve been in a dead zone instead.”
We had almost made it to the top when Hector hollered out in pain and fell to the ground clutching his butt.
“Are you okay,” I asked and crouched down beside him.
“Fuck. He shot me in the fuckin’ ass again.”
“Can you still run?” I asked just as a piercing pain wrenched through my shoulder. I fell back against the ground and felt the warmth of my blood gushing out of me.
“Shit.” Hector said.
I couldn’t agree more.
“I’m going to enjoy this,” Ortiz growled and stepped out from the shadows. He raised his gun taking aim. I put my hands over my eyes waiting for him to finish us off.
“Put it down Ortiz.”
I opened my eyes and made sure I wasn’t hallucinating. Manuel was sta
nding behind Ortiz with a gun pointed directly at his head.
Finally.
Ortiz’s mouth curled up with frustration. “This doesn’t concern you Coli.”
Coli? I remembered the tattoo on Manuel’s arm.
“You heard me,” Manuel said in a voice that sent chills through me.
I didn’t even have a gun, but if I did I would have chucked it down by now. Manuel could be very scary.
“You’ve gone soft. In the old days you would have already wasted me,” Ortiz said while still keeping his gun trained on Hector and me.
“I’m losing patience,” Manuel said. “Put the gun down.”
“So you can kill me? I don’t think so,” Ortiz said.
“You’ll live if you go against Abdoul.”
“I’ll be dead either way,” he said.
Manuel didn’t say anything.
“How ‘bout we split this job,” Ortiz said. “Be like that time in Peru. How many kills did we get that trip?”
What was he talking about?
“Like hell he will,” Hector said.
“Shut up you fat fuck,” Ortiz growled.
“Okay now you done pissed me off,” Hector said. “You’re lucky you have that big mother fuckin’ gun or I’d sit on your fuckin’ ass.”
Ortiz’s face twisted up in anger. He wanted to shoot Hector, but he knew if he did he’d be dead.
“Last chance Ortiz,” Manuel warned.
“You know I’ll kill one of your friends before you can take me out. Are you willing to risk that?”
Manuel didn’t answer. He shot him instead.
Ortiz fell to the ground. Blood gushing from his head.
Manuel calmly tucked his gun into the back of his pants.
“Am I dead?” Hector asked with his eyes squeezed shut.
“No?” I said.
“Then are you dead?”
“No.”
Hector opened his eyes.
Did he eat some magic mushrooms while we were up here?
“What the fuck happened?” Hector asked Manuel.
“He asked the wrong question,” Manuel said holding out his hand to help me up.
Seeing Ortiz lying on the ground with a chunk out of head made me feel sick. I had never seen anyone killed before. Was it wrong to feel relief someone was dead?
“Are you okay?” He said glancing at my arm. I looked and saw blood was soaking through my shirt. I sat back down feeling woozy then embarrassed at being such a wimp. I didn’t mind blood as long as it wasn’t coming from me.
“You k…k…illed him,” I stammered out.
Manuel crouched down next to me and said, “If I didn’t, you’d be the one with a bullet in your head.”
“But…”
I still couldn’t grasp he had just taken someone’s life.
Manuel gently pulled my shirt up so he could get a look at my arm. I glanced down amazed at how calm he was. I was still shaking whereas he looked as if he just left planet Zen.
“It’s only a flesh wound,” he said.
Was there any other kind of wound? I was covered in flesh. In fact I had too much flesh especially in certain areas.
He took off his jacket and pressed it against my arm. “Hold this down and keep applying pressure.”
I did what he said, but tried not to look while I was doing it.
“What about my fuckin’ wound. My ass is gushing over here,” Hector moaned. “Don’t I get any help?”
Manuel looked up and said, “There is no way I am helping you with your ass.”
“Oh. That’s fuckin’ great. Give Goldie all the special treatment and not me. I’m in a lot of pain over here.”
I heard sirens in the distance.
Manuel looked at Ortiz on the ground. “You two didn’t see what happened here.” It wasn’t a suggestion it was more like a command.
I glanced at Hector who was nodding in agreement.
“But the body is right in front of us,” I said stating the obvious.
I wasn’t an expert, but I did watch people on television who were. I knew the amount of information the cops could find out with one of those little plastic bags and a Q-tip.
“Let me worry about that,” Manuel said.
Within a few minutes I understood what he meant. His rough looking friends I saw earlier at the party swooped in and took the body before the cops got there. A couple of them stayed behind and quickly cleaned everything up.
“Let’s go,” Manuel said pulling me up off the ground.
Was he kidding? I was bleeding. I didn’t want to go anywhere but the back of an ambulance where hopefully they had a lot of drugs.
“Where?”
“To meet Abdoul.”
Didn’t he ever take a break?
“But I’ve been shot,” I said playing for sympathy.
“It’s just a scratch.”
I wasn’t being a baby. There was a hole in my arm. And it really hurt.
“I don’t wanna go,” I whined.
I knew I should care about getting Abdoul, but I figured he wouldn’t find out about Ortiz for a while giving me time to take a bath while shoving my face with chocolate.
“Ortiz will be replaced. We need to get to Abdoul,” Manuel said.
I nodded reluctantly. “Wait I sec,” I said holding up my finger. I went over to Hector who was still lying on the ground. “Are you going to be okay?”
“Hell no. My ass is fuckin’ killing me.”
I knew if he was that grumpy he was going to be fine. I smiled then gave him a kiss on the cheek and walked back to where Manuel was waiting.
“You guys are leaving me?” Hector called out.
“Sorry Hector,” I said over my shoulder.
“But how am I going to explain my ass?”
“I’m not touching that one,” Manuel said while leading me to his Mustang.
Manuel eased me into the passenger side.
“Is he going to be okay?”
I was worried my partner might get in trouble with the police. Hector with a bullet in his butt and a pool of Ortiz’s blood in front of him was trouble.
“He’ll be fine.”
Maybe he thought that was an answer, but it wasn’t.
Manuel slid me a sideways glance before he punched the gas and took off into the canyon heading back towards the city.
“What happens when the police get there?” I asked starting to panic as three squad cars raced past us heading in Hector’s direction.
“He’ll be gone already. They’ll make sure he gets fixed up and back home with Yolanda.”
His explanation made me feel better knowing he wouldn’t have to do the explaining or rather bullshitting for all of us to the cops. I felt sorry for Hector having to face Yolanda.
“She’s going to kill him,” I said.
“No she’s not.”
I glanced sideways at him. “What do you mean by that?” He was out past his curfew and was going coming home in his wedding tuxedo with a bullet in his butt. Yolanda was going to flip a biscuit when she saw him.
“I’ve taken care of it?”
“How?”
“I called her.”
“And?” I pressed.
“That’s it?” I pressed.
“Yes.”
I guess even Yolanda was intimidated by him. I sunk down in my seat trying to contain my yawns. All this drama was exhausting.