words being exchanged. Rabbit greets us with a relieved smile. “Hurry, hurry,” he whispers, ushering us through the dark bar.
I glance over my shoulder at Dyl. She gives me a reassuring smile, like everything’s okay between us now. I’m not reassured. Still, I smile and nod back, willing to pretend too.
When we reach the front door, Rabbit cracks it open. He sticks his head out before quickly drawing it back inside. “Lennie, you go first. We’ll be right behind you.”
“Are you coming with us?” I ask.
He nods. “Can’t stick around here after helping you escape. Your father will have me taken care of, if you know what I mean.”
I give him a weak smile in response. “Yeah, I know what you mean.”
“Now go.” Rabbit gives me a little push. I glance back at Dyl once more. She’s not looking at me, but down at her hands, or more specifically, at her missing fingers. I watch as she grimaces and then balls her hands into fists.
Impulsively, I reach out and give her a quick hug. It’s a little weird since Dyl and I are more the type of friends to punch each other in the arm. Still, it needs to be done. And as my arms wrap around her I realize that I should have overcome the weirdness of it and done this the moment she first woke up.
“Is it wrong I’m glad you’re here?” I ask as I pull away.
Dyl gives me a twisted smile, like even that pains her, but all she says is, “Of course it is, you freak.”
“Touching,” Rabbit says. “Really. But can we go now?”
In answer I shove the door open. Smith’s Cherokee idles only a few steps away and I run toward it, fling the back door open, and throw myself inside. “Augh!” I scream as I bump into Benji. I lean way forward to see around his bulk and sure enough, Jules is tucked next to him, still giving me the evil eye. “What the hell are you doing here?” I demand.
“Change of heart,” Benji says, at the exact same moment a shrill cry rings out.
I twist around in time to see my father stab a knife into Rabbit’s gut. Everything seems to freeze for a minute or two, but it’s really just my brain that’s slowing down as it tries to make sense of the long silver blade, so terrible and smooth, sliding into flesh.
Eyes red and watering, Rabbit stares down at the knife piercing his abdomen, then back up to my father. “You said you’d stick a knife in my heart if I ever betrayed you.”
“Yes, I know,” Cash answers in his casual, only vaguely menacing voice. “Sometimes it takes me a few times before I get it in the right place. Here, let me try again.” His hand reaches for the knife . . .
“No!” I leap from the car.
“This is grown-up business, Lennie.” My father’s glance flicks my way and then back to Rabbit, dismissing me.
“I’ll wish you to the bottom of the ocean,” I announce in a trembling voice. “I’ll wish that you drown slowly but never die. I’ll wish that the fish slowly nibble away at your skin. I’ll—”
Cash breaks in. “That’s quite enough.” He pivots slowly, so that he’s facing me. “I must admit, you paint a compelling picture. The question is, who would ask you to grant that wish?”
An angry, guttural growl comes curling up over my left shoulder. I know without looking that it’s Jules. “Me too,” Benji adds, to slightly less dramatic effect.
“Try us,” I challenge, without hesitation. That knife did more than wound Rabbit, it also cut free any last bit of tender feeling I’d had toward my father. And without that small trace of sentimental emotion, I am able to tell him with absolute honesty, “I’d gladly see you dead.”
“I believe you would.” He smiles then. “This must be what parental pride feels like.”
“Rabbit, get in the car,” I say, never taking my eyes off Cash. When Rabbit only continues to tremble, I nearly lose it. “Get in the damn car! Now!”
Finally, he side-shuffles toward the Jeep. Once he’s within my reach, I grab hold of him and help him into the backseat. Benji helpfully hauls Jules onto his lap to make more room for the rest of us.
“Dyl,” I call once Rabbit is seated. Scanning the area, I find her huddled near the front door. “C’mon.”
Cash laughs. “She’s staying with me. And before you start making threats again, please understand that