Gretchen went up to Eddie and gripped the guy’s massive upper arms. Standing in front of him, she was both tiny and fierce. “I owe him my life.”

“Both our lives,” Vin chimed in.

Eddie hugged her briefly and nodded once at Vin. Clearly, he was the type who controlled his emotions—which was something Vin could respect.

“I appreciate it. And now, why I’ve come.” Eddie reached into his pocket, and when he brought out his palm, in the center of it was the diamond ring and the gold earring. “Adrian did what he had to and got them away from her. You’re both completely free, and the way it works is you’re now off-limits to her. You don’t have to worry about Devina coming back. Just hold on to these, okay?”

As Gretchen took the pieces and hugged him again, Vin let her embrace say everything he wished he could, but didn’t dare. He was getting a little choked up, and not because his stomach was rolling into another evac: Sometimes sharp gratitude had the same effect on the gut as nausea. The thing was, he just couldn’t figure out what these men had gotten from helping him and Gretchen. Jim was dead, Eddie looked like shit, and fuck only knew what Adrian had done with Devina.

“You guys take care of yourselves, okay?” Eddie murmured, turning to leave. “I’ve got to go.”

Vin cleared his throat. “About Jim…I’m not sure if you were planning on claiming his body, but I’d love to give him a proper burial. Nothing but the best. Straight up.”

Eddie looked over his shoulder, his odd red-brown eyes grave. “That would be cool—I’ll leave you in charge of him. And I’m sure he’d appreciate it.”

Vin nodded once, the deal struck. “You want to know when and where? Can you give me your number?”

The guy recited some numerals, which Gretchen wrote down on a piece of paper.

“Text me with the details,” Eddie said. “I’m not sure where I’ll be. I’m taking off.”

“You don’t want to be seen by a doc?”

“No need to. I’m fine.”

“Ah…okay. Take care. And thank you…” Vin let the words drift because he didn’t know how to say what was in his heart.

Eddie smiled in an ancient way and held his hand up. “You don’t have to say anything else. I feel you.”

And then he was gone.

As the curtain flapped shut, Vin watched under its hem as those shitkickers turned to the right, took one step…and disappeared into thin air. Like they’d never been there in the first place.

Bringing his right palm to his face, Vin rubbed his eyes. “I think I’m hallucinating.”

“Do you want me to get the doctor?” Gretchen came over, all worried. “I can use the nurse’s button—”