All the Inside Howling by Gregory Ashe

Author:Gregory Ashe [Ashe, Gregory]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2017-02-11T00:00:00+00:00

As soon as the sheriff had disappeared behind us, Becca yanked on my arm. “What was that? Why did you lie to him?”

“Because I don’t want to get tied up in Lawayne’s murder. Or with Salerno’s, for that matter.”

“What do you mean? You didn’t have anything to do with that.”

“I . . . Jesus, I know it’s stupid, but I touched Salerno. After he was dead. I didn’t know he was dead. I mean, he just fell down, and it was dark. I grabbed his clothes when I rolled him over. I might have touched his skin, I don’t know.”

“So?”

“So you heard him. He thinks I’m hiding something. He knows I hate Lawayne. All he needs is one thing—”

“Vie, don’t you think he would have said something—don’t you think we would have heard something—if the sheriff had found two dead bodies in downtown Vehpese? Especially if they were the richest man in the county and his personal bodyguard? It’s not that big of a town. The news would have been all over the place as soon as it happened.”

“What are you saying? That I’m making it up?”

“No, dummy. I’m saying that the sheriff might know something happened last night, but he doesn’t know what. He’s fishing. And he’s asking you because, after everything you’ve been up to this weekend, it makes sense for him to think you’re involved. Technically, I suppose he’s right, since you were involved, but he doesn’t know that. He’s just guessing.”

“God, this is just more and more of a mess.” I looked up and down the busy stretch of road that ran through the middle of Vehpese. My stomach gave a queasy grumble, and a headache had started behind my ears. If I followed this road, it would take me to the state highway and then out to the broken asphalt lot where Slippers stood on one end and, on the other, a row of apartments sagged like dirty laundry. If I went back to that apartment, what would I find? A DFS social worker waiting for me? Or would it just be Dad, coming down after days of being strung out and ready to knock my ass into left field because I looked at him the wrong way, or because I breathed too loud, or because I didn’t have any cash when he needed it?

“You don’t look so good,” Becca said. “You’re all pasty and sweaty.”

“Thanks.”

“When was the last time you ate?”

“I had a burger last night.”

“When was the last time you ate real food?”

“A burger is real food.”

“Let’s go.”

“Where?”

“My house, dummy. I guess we’ll have to walk.”

“On account of the wheel rolling off your car?”

Becca groaned. “When my dad kills me, please make it quick.” She turned and started walking the other direction, towards the foothills where her house sat. After a few yards, she looked back. “Well?”

“Becca, I don’t—”

“I swear to God, if you say you don’t need help, or you can look out for yourself, or you don’t want to inconvenience me, or anything like it, I’m going to .

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