Chapters (57)
Jacqui laughed. “There’s so little you know, William. Daddy Bysen will have six kinds of fits when he learns that you swear.”
I stuffed the recorder into my hip pocket and ducked under the big cutting table. Red-and-white bunting hung over the sides like a heavy curtain—maybe I’d be safe under here.
“Maybe he’ll choke on them, then. I am sick, god damn sick of him treating me like I don’t have the wits to run my family, let alone this company.”
“Willy, Willy, you should have taken your stand years ago, the way I did when Gary and I first married. If you didn’t want Daddy Bysen running your life, you shouldn’t have let him build your house for you out in—what was that?”
I had tripped on a chair leg and banged into the table as I went under it. I held myself completely still, squatting behind the bunting, barely daring to breathe.
“A rat, probably.” Grobian spoke for the first time.
Light flicked around the floor.
“Someone’s in here,” William said. “There are footprints in the ash in here.”
I had the Smith & Wesson in my hand, safety off. I slipped through the bunting on the far side of the cutting table, calculating the distance to the hole in the front wall.
“Neighborhood is heavy with junkies. They come in here to shoot up.” Grobian’s voice was indifferent, but he up-ended the cutting table so fast I barely had time to move out of the way.
“There!” Jacqui cried as I stood and started running toward the front.
She shone her light on me. “Oh! It’s that Polish detective, the one who’s been lecturing us on charity.”
I didn’t turn to look, just kept going, skidding around the tables, trying to sidestep debris.
“Get her, Grobian,” William shouted, his voice going up to a squeak.
I heard the heavy steps behind me but still didn’t turn. I was two strides from the door when I heard the click, the hammer going back. I hit the floor just as he fired. I tried to keep hold of my own gun, but my fall sent it spinning out of my hand. He was on top of me before I could get to my feet.
I grabbed Grobian’s left leg and jerked upward. He stumbled, and had to twist around to keep from falling. I sprang upright backing away from him. My head was wet. Blood was pouring down my hair and neck, into my shirt. It made me dizzy, but I tried to concentrate on him. Jacqui and William were helping him, shining their lights on me; Grobian was a shape in the dark, two shapes, two fists swinging at me. I ducked under the first one, but not the second.