“Yeah. Are you okay?”
“Sort of. It’s all surreal. Now we won’t be able to get any information out of him. Since he’s dead and all.”
“I know. Jonah said the same thing. But at least he can’t hurt anyone else.”
I inhaled. “Amen to that. When did this all happen?”
“Earlier tonight. I figured you hadn’t heard yet, since the Snow Creek police handled it.”
“No, I hadn’t. Thanks for letting me know.”
“There is another reason I called, Ruby.”
“Yeah?”
She cleared her throat. “How would you like a vacation?”
A vacation? I hadn’t had a vacation in… Well, since never. I’d been working my ass off since I was fifteen. Work was my refuge, my solace. If I was working, my mind was occupied, and things I didn’t want to think about couldn’t creep in. A vacation? Nope. Not for me.
“I’m not sure what you’re getting at, but I’m pretty busy at work.”
“I know. Cops always are.” She sighed. “This may seem like a crazy time to bring up a vacation.”
“Kind of,” I said.
Silence for what seemed like a small eternity.
“You still there?” I asked.
“Yeah. It’s just…”
“What?”
“Jonah and I are getting married.”
So that’s what this was about. I couldn’t begrudge her some happiness in this sea of misery and psychopathy we were both embroiled in. “Congratul
ations!”
“Yeah. Thanks. And I’m…pregnant.”
I jolted a bit. “Oh? So…”
“That’s not why we’re getting married.”
“Oh. Good. I guess.”
“Anyway, we’re going to Jamaica. Talon and Jade are getting married too. A double wedding.”
“How nice.” I wasn’t sure what to say. I knew nothing about weddings. Nothing about men. Nothing about…any of it.
“Anyway, the reason I was asking if you wanted a vacation is that…I don’t really have any close friends. I’ve been a workaholic my whole life.”
“I hear you.” Seemed we were two peas in a pod as far as work was concerned.
“I don’t have any family members I’m close to, so I was hoping that you might…”
Was she saying what I thought she was? Was she about to ask me to stand up for her at her wedding?