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Back No Going Back: a Novel Save as PDF
Chapters (84)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. Part 1
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. Part 2
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. Part 3
  38. 33
  39. 34
  40. 35
  41. 36
  42. 37
  43. 38
  44. 39
  45. 40
  46. 41
  47. 42
  48. Part 4
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. Part 5
  60. 53
  61. 54
  62. 55
  63. 56
  64. 57
  65. 58
  66. Part 6
  67. 59
  68. 60
  69. 61
  70. 62
  71. 63
  72. 64
  73. 65
  74. 66
  75. 67
  76. 68
  77. 69
  78. 70
  79. 71
  80. 72
  81. Acknowledgments
  82. About the Author
  83. Also by Sheena Kamal
  84. About the Publisher

“You continue this way”—I nod to the empty boxes of cheap wine lined up by the sink—“and I won’t even have you. So what are we going to do about it?”

“Rehab,” she says. “What else? I can’t do this alone. I’ve already made arrangements to go today.”

The relief I feel is almost overwhelming. You can’t make someone go to rehab. You can’t make them value their lives. So at least she knows she’s ready.

Business is booming with her cyber security company so she can afford one of the good ones, the one on a Gulf Island where you can’t escape confronting your poor choices and destructive habits because it’s an island. I drive her to the ferry and fill her in on what’s been happening.

When the ferry arrives, she tells me I can keep the spare keys to her apartment but doesn’t say why. Only “just in case.” After the ferry leaves, I take Whisper for a walk down by the water and think about Joe Nolan, bleeding out on the rocks. Maybe his death was quick. I hope it was. But he doesn’t seem like the kind of guy who’d catch a break like that.

One thing is certain. I know, without a doubt, that this path I started him down led to his death. That I am, again, responsible. There’s another name to add to the list.

28

“What do you mean he wants more?” It has been a day and Dao is in no mood for this shit. “I pay you to pay him to go away.”

Jono, his Humas, his local fixer, is adamant. He names a figure, a new demand from the workers. “This is not possible with the budget you gave me last. Sammy says he will not go without more. After the earthquake everybody has more bills to pay. Oh, and he says there are a couple reporters on their way.”

They’re looking at a protest racket blocking the access road. Picket signs, the works. Catnip for the media. Bad for the mine. A smirking youth with bills to pay watches them from the sidelines.

“Okay,” says Dao, eyeing the kid. He can’t be more than nineteen. Any more years on him and that smug expression would slide right off his face at the way Dao’s looking at him now. “Tell him I’ll meet him in twenty minutes round back, by the offices.”

“And I will tell his cousin this is not how to do things. For now, I will give the money to Sammy if you just—”

“No, I’ll do it.”

“But—”

“But nothing. I’ll do it. This isn’t ever going to happen again, you hear me? You’re the fixer, right? Fix it better next time.”