“Copy that. I’l cal him,” Jack responded.
“Out,” Luke said and hit a button.
Silence.
“War,” Mace declared.
“Fuck yeah,” Luke replied.
I didn’t know what they meant but I didn’t like the sound of it.
Effing hel .
Chapter Two
Hunky Dory
Stella
When they referred to “The Castle”, they meant an actual castle. I didn’t know Denver had a castle but there it was, right in front of us.
We’d driven to the ritzy part of Englewood, down a winding lane in a heavily wooded area and, al lit up with a shitload of lights that would make even your average environmentalist shudder, was a stone castle, complete with turrets and a moat.
During the drive I decided that it was evident that I was not going to die of my wound.
I also decided I did not want Mace to know I was injured.
If he knew I was injured, it might mean I’d have to spend more time in his presence. The last time I’d spent more than a few minutes in his presence was when he’d come to a gig with the Rock Chicks. I ended up singing Hank Wil iams’s “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” directly to him. I had no control over it. It just happened. Even the band was taken aback. I did not want a repeat of that moment of weakness.
Unh-unh.
No effing way.
I had a plan. I’d slip into a bathroom, clean up, maybe confiscate a washcloth then I’d cal Floyd to come get me.
This was a total y stupid plan but I wasn’t thinking clearly.
Floyd was my pianist, older than anyone else in the band by a decade and a half. Floyd was married to Emily, had a steady day job, two kids in col ege and could play and sing Bil y Joel’s “And So It Goes” so beautiful y that if you didn’t at least tear up, you had to be made of stone.
His lead on our rendition of “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant” didn’t suck either.
Floyd and Emily would take care of me, I knew it.
Especial y considering there was a bleeding bul et wound involved.
They were the only ones in my whole life who took care of me or at least the only ones who did it for any length of time. I didn’t cal on them often because I didn’t want that to end like it had with Mace that night when he stood, shoulder leaned up against my doorway, and told me I needed him too much.
That wasn’t going to happen to me again, not if I could help it.
Two men wearing dark suits, white shirts and slim ties and carrying big guns materialized and approached the Explorer as we swung into the drive. I sucked in breath, thinking this was not exactly a welcome party but they spied Luke and Mace and disappeared in the shadows again.
I had no time to dwel on castles with moats and men with guns because Luke’s lights flashed on a limousine that was parked in front of the house. We could see the bul et holes along the side. At the sight, the cab went electric and this electricity was emanating from Luke.
“He should have gone down like a man,” Mace said softly.
“Now he’l pay,” Luke replied.
“Now he’l pay,” Mace agreed.