“I am. I just want some answers, but you can stay in the car. I don’t want to put you in a difficult spot or anything.”

“No, I think I should talk to him, too. I just… it doesn’t make any sense. And what the hell are we going to say? Why are you threatening me with a bloody chicken head and following me around?”

“We can start with that, yeah.” I reached over and rubbed Noah’s leg. “It’ll be okay. If things get heated, then we leave, but I plan on keeping everything civil. I’m not a fighter.”

“Neither am I. Much more of a lover.”

“I could vouch for that,” I said with a wink. “Maybe I can get some of that lover side of you after this is done?”

“We’ll see,” Noah replied, his tone implying that we would most definitely see.

I don’t really know what came over me, what pushed me forward, but I didn’t really care either. I kissed Noah. Soft and sweet, tasting the reminders of our night together. He smiled, lips slightly parted.

Unexpected, my friend. Unexpected.

I didn’t give him a chance to respond. With a deep breath, I opened the door and got out, unsure of how this would go but feeling good that I was at least doing something. Noah was at my side as we walked down the flower-lined path and up the cracked concrete stairs. One of the handrails was missing, which made it very easy to imagine someone tripping and slamming themselves down on the ground. The beat-up green car sat out on the driveway next to a newer and recently washed Mercedes. The candy-blue paint job glittered as if the car was encrusted with diamonds.

Interesting how he didn’t drive that one around. It was as if he wanted to get recognized by Noah.

I rang the bell, the chime sounding through the house and causing a chorus of dog barks to float through the open windows. Moments later, the door opened, a woman wearing an apron and holding a jug of milk appearing in the doorway. She tucked a strand of brunette hair behind an earring-lined ear, the trail of diamond studs shining almost as bright as the car. “Can I help you?”

“Hi, yes, we’re looking for Franky. Is he home by any chance?” I tried to sound as unassuming as possible, even though my nerves were buzzing.

“What is this about?” She sized the two of us up, taking a step so that she planted herself firmly in the center of the threshold.

“We’re old friends,” I lied, hoping that would get her to relax a little bit. “I know showing up unannounced isn’t the most polite thing to do, but we—”

“Susan, who are you talking to?”

She looked over her shoulder. “I don’t know. These two guys say they’re old friends of yours?”