We careened down the street and around the corner. I screamed the whole time. Twice I almost wrecked the truck.
Gary shoved the paper bag under the seat. The bag with drugs. The bag that had just caused the death of at least two people.
A few blocks away, Gary barked at me to pull to the curb. I jerked from behind the wheel, and he climbed over me to drive.
No one had followed.
Maybe they were all dead. Maybe they shot each other. Panicked as I was, I hoped it was true. I just didn’t want any of them coming after us.
Five minutes passed before I could speak. We were back on a main road, lots of traffic. My heart had slowed to triple time.
“What happened?”
Gary shook his head. “Rival gangs.”
Like one gang wasn’t enough. I wiped my forehead. “What do we do now?”
“Take the stuff back to Bart. At least I didn’t drop it on the street. If I returned without the money, without the drugs …”
A shudder clawed at me. “What’s he going to do?”
“I don’t know.”
When we got to Gary’s house, Bart was standing on the lighted front porch. Waiting.
I gasped. Grandma Donovon! Gary yanked up the paper bag and leapt out of the truck. He strode toward Bart, arms pumping. Bart came down the steps.
“Somebody knew I was coming.”
“Yeah, I got a call.” Bart eyed the bag. “That better be full.”
Gary’s face purpled. He thrust the bag at Bart. “Nothing’s lost. Nearly got killed, but what’s that to you?”
Bart’s eyes narrowed. He pulled his head back like a snake. “Wouldn’t be taking that tone if I were you.”
“Well, you’re not me.”
“If that’s the way you want it.” Bart shrieked a whistle. Immediately his two roommates stomped out their door, their figures barely visible in the dark. Bart gestured toward them. “You got somethin’ else to say to us?”
I pressed my hand into the seat. The coward. Couldn’t even take on Gary alone. He’d be squashed like a bug, and he knew it.
Bart’s friends stalked across the lawn.
Gary held his ground. “You got what you wanted. Now get off my property.”
“I didn’t get what I wanted. I expected cash. You brought me the bag.”
“What’d you think I’d do, stay there and get shot?”
A curtain edged back from Gary’s front window. Grandma Donovon peeked out. Gary’s head jerked toward her. She dropped the curtain and disappeared.
Bart’s two grunt friends planted themselves a foot from Gary, one on each side. Both of them folded their arms and glared, daring him to keep it up.
“What I know”—Bart shoved his face into Gary’s—“is that you’ll do this job tonight, like I tell you to.”
“No!” Gary slashed an arm through the air. “I’m not doing this anymore for you.”
“You don’t have a choice!”
“I just made one!”
Bart held his position, breathing like a bull. Slowly, his body relaxed. He eased back, gave a lazy shrug. “Tony.” He raised his chin toward one of his friends. “Go get the old woman.”
Tony swiveled toward the house.
“Stop!” Gary jumped him.
They crashed to the ground, fists and curses flying. Bart jumped back as the second guy dove on top of Gary.
“No!” I scrambled out of the truck. My heels hit a bump in the grass, and I went sprawling. I landed hard, the wind knocked out of me. All I could hear was the sound of punches and grunts.
Gary.
I flipped over and pushed myself to my feet. Tony and the other guy had Gary down, kicking and beating with all their might. I tottered over, screaming. Caught one by the arm and yanked. He threw me backward like I weighed nothing. I hit the ground on my side.
“Ungh.” Air forced out my lungs. My teeth clattered together.
Behind me the smacks grew louder. They were going to kill Gary.
No. No. I managed to get up again, shaking and bruised. My legs turned to water. Vaguely I registered Bart pulling Grandma Donovon out of the house. White-faced, she pleaded for them to stop.
Bart raised a hand. “Hold it.”
Tony and the other guy backed off, chests heaving.
“Gary!” I flailed over to him and dropped to the grass, sobbing. “Garyyyyy.” Blood covered his face, oozing from his nose and mouth. He barely moved.
Bart sauntered over like he was waiting for a bus. He sneered down at Gary and sniffed.
“I’m going to be extra nice and give you some time to think about your attitude.” He motioned to his two friends. “Let’s go.”
As they walked away, Bart threw final words over his shoulder. “We’ll be back.”