Hollow Girl (The Girl Who Would Be Sheriff Book 1) by Alan Lee

Author:Alan Lee [Lee, Alan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-02-27T16:00:00+00:00

Guy Dotson reclined on the observation deck at the top of Wachovia Tower, the twenty-first floor. The sun had fallen and visiting hours were over. Only a handful of men possessed a key to this particular deck, looking northwest to the rail yard and Salem beyond. A lesser view than the other corners, but it was theirs. Outdoor heaters blasted the space but the stiff wind eventually seeped through.

Guy’s feet were up, a forgotten marijuana cigarette in his fingers, a half smile on his lips. He’d consumed half the hand-rolled blunt which was enough; he was high.

The other two men were high also. The smaller of the two, dressed like a young rugby player going bald, was his investment partner. Kevin Whitaker. Most ventures they took on together, two trust fund kids trying and failing to grow up, somehow maintaining an equilibrium in their modest fortunes. Kevin worked for Wachovia, a silent VP essentially, the source for their keys.

The other man was a captain for the State Police, a childhood friend of Guy’s. Not rich but well connected, doomed to fail a drug test one of these days. Captain Bruno, he’d passed the last two by procuring clean urine.

A weekly ritual. They hadn’t spoken in ten minutes.

Guy heard himself snore. He shook his head and sat up, grinning about it. “Always weird when that happens.”

No one answered.

“You know,” he said, blinking, cold. “I don’t love this like I used to.”

“Shut up.” Captain Bruno still wore his uniform.

“I used to looooove it.”

“You heard the captain. Shush,” said Kevin Whitaker.

“Now, what I do is, now I think about the stuff I miss. About waking up bleary tomorrow. About my kid. About, hell, I don’t know. I’m baked.”

“Yeah you are, so, shut, the hell, up.”

“You don’t feel it? You don’t get that we’re not twenty anymore? Or even thirty? Or how ever old I am.” Guy laughed.

“Seem happy to me, you prick.”

“I am. But the cost.” Guy had trouble saying cost.

“You can afford it. Hell you sell the stuff,” said Bruno.

“Not that kind of cost. And I don’t sell it.”

“You know what I mean.”

“No, I don’t. I don’t sell it. Say it with me, plausible deniability.” Guy grinned more, getting the syllables wrong, but he saw himself do it from an outside perspective and thought he looked stupid. “God I’m baked. I’d hate for Andie to see me like this, I guess, is what I mean. She broke her hand, you know.”

“Who’s…” said Kevin.

“The girl.”

“The city cop,” said Captain Bruno.

“That’s the one. She’s not calling me back.”

“Who caaaaaares.”

“I caaaaare.”

“Maybe ‘cause she knows you’re a stoner,” said Kevin Whitaker.

“I’m not.”

“Look at your dumb ass right this second.”

“That doesn’t mean,” said Guy. He sat up and pinched the bridge of his nose between his eyes. “I’m thirsty as hellll.”

“I’m hungry,” said Kevin.

“I gotta quit this stuff.”

“You say that once a month.”

“Maybe I mean it this time.” Guy stood up. His eyes were scratchy. “I gotta go.”

“Me too,” said Captain Bruno but he didn’t move.

“Gonna drink about a gallon of water and order some takeout.

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