Roadrunner by Michael Lilly

Author:Michael Lilly [Lilly, Michael]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Vulpine Press
Published: 2018-02-22T22:00:00+00:00

Twelve

I try to be embarrassed, indignant, but I end up laughing. Maybe the indignation centers of my brain haven’t quite booted up yet.

I pull out my phone and find that it is indeed just after four o’clock. Four whole hours of glorious, sweaty car sleep, and … no news from Beth? I have no missed calls or texts. Just an e-mail from Barnes and Noble urging me to use my fifteen percent off coupon.

And as though prompted by my thoughts, my phone starts to ring, and the screen displays Beth’s name and number.

“Talk to me,” I say.

“Holy fucking shit,” says Beth. I miss her vocabulary.

“What? What is it?”

“This guy’s been stalking you for months. Ever since November, it looks like. He has notes about your schedule, where you and Todd like to go on walks, eat, your favorite outfits, everything. There’s bits about me, too, but mostly about you and Todd. Also, we found a series of notes between him and Keroth from before. Most likely they were using a dropbox system to pass notes, as they knew that it carried the least risk. The notes use a lot of code words, so we’re still trying to figure out if there’s anything else there. Anyway, he also has some stuff from the uh … Keroth brand of products. Fucking pervert. And there’s a file here that we think he was either using or going to use for blackmail, target’s initials A.R.”—son of a bitch—“and a brief outline of his plan of how to use it. I guess the A.R. guy is involved in some kind of business that Perkins wanted to use to frame you, but the notes don’t really say. How’s that? Did I do good?”

“Ya done good, Connors. I could kiss you. Figuratively, of course.”

“Of course.”

“I’m gonna get on that. I’ll let you know how things go. I owe you so hard.”

“Shit yeah you do, I was already halfway into my pajamas.”

“Halfway?”

“My popcorn got done faster than I thought it would.”

“Ah, of course. Zombie night?”

“Zombie night. Anyway, take care of yourself, Thorn.”

“You too.”

Every once in a while, Beth and I used to be hit with an inexplicable, intense urge to watch a throng of zombie films. But we exhausted the list of decent stuff pretty quickly, so we were left with terrible, not-even-B-list movies that made up for in pure, accidental comedic value what they lacked in production value or directing skill. This tradition persisted right up until my departure, and I’m sure that, were I to return, the tradition would continue.

Now I need to explore the relationship between Perkins and Romero. Something there is crucial, essential. Perhaps not the engine of the operation, but maybe a belt or the steering wheel.

I need to speak with Andre Romero. But it’s lights out and he’s asleep.

After stretching for a minute, I head back inside to find Officer Lund asleep on one of the chairs in the lobby, his feet crossed and resting on another.

“Lund, where did you say Andre

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