Jonathan repeated the story for four hours straight while the chief, police officers, and I corrected the statement so it sounded more believable. The hearing’s set for Tuesday, so there’s not much time to perfect his testimony.
Getting in my car, I light a cigarette, dialing Spades.
“How did it work out?” he asks.
“If he doesn’t change his mind at the last minute, he’s going down. He wants McDonald’s for dinner. Get it sorted.”
“Seriously? He can have caviar, lobster, or the most expensive steak money can buy, but he wants burgers?”
“Get him whiskey and heroin while you’re at it.”
“Heroin? Fuck. He’ll be dead in three months.”
I can’t disagree. Heroin addicts don’t last long in prison. Most overdose in their first year. Jonathan has nothing to lose or gain, no motivation to crawl up from the bottom. “Take it over to him today and another package tomorrow. I want you in court on Tuesday. And call Luca. Tell him to lay his fucking head low until this blows over.”
“No problem. I’ll make the delivery and call the dumbass.”
I make a U-turn in the middle of the road, heading back the way I came. “Did the load from Detroit arrive?”
“We’re at the warehouse, waiting. The driver called to say he’ll be here in ten. Go home, Dante. I’ll take care of it.”
Thank fuck. I don’t feel like checking the load despite doing so every time since I started working with the V brothers. I’m barely able to keep my eyes open as it is. The only thing on my mind now is a drink, a couch, and Layla whining in my ear that she’s bored because there’s no fucking way that girl can focus on a movie for longer than five minutes. Sex would be better, but I bet she’s still sore, so it’ll have to wait.
Half an hour later, after speeding down the interstate, it’s time to head home. I call my girl, hoping she has said her goodbyes to Julij and Nikolaj by now.
“Hello?” she shouts over the background noise.
“Where are you?”
“We’re bowling, or rather finishing up now. We’ve got three shots left each. I’m losing! Julij’s plane leaves in an hour, so he needs to go soon. Can you pick me up? Can we watch a movie? Or not. Let’s go to bed. I’m sleepy.”
I rest my forehead on the steering wheel, closing my eyes. She’s a little chatterbox when she’s tipsy, and I’m too tired to get annoyed. “How much did you drink?”
“Not much, just a glass of wine and two small drinks, but I haven’t eaten since breakfast. Cream of mushroom with wet bread was served for dinner...eww.”
At least she’s in a good mood.
“Where are you? I’ll pick you up.”
“Oh, okay. Tenpin on State Street.”
“I’m on my way. And baby? No more drinking.”
“I promise.”
Twenty minutes later, I enter the bowling alley. The stench of burnt fries, burgers, and beer hangs in the air. Layla’s at the back of the room in a snow-white girly dress. Loose hair frames her glowing face as she laughs, holding an orange bowling ball. She pushes her shoulders back, taking a firm stance, turning to face the lane. Instead of putting her fingers in the holes, she throws the ball as if playing basketball. No wonder she’s losing. I want to take her home but can’t let her fail like that. She needs to learn how to play properly. I pay for a few more games, ready to save my girl from embarrassing herself. Repeatedly.
“You came!” Layla jumps, wrapping her hands around my neck, her sweet lips on mine for a hot kiss.
Good thing Julij stands nearby and takes the tray of drinks from me in time, or it’d end up on my shirt.
“How are you getting on, Star?”
“Great! I knocked over three pins!”
A guy from the other lane looks at her with a frown. “Too bad they weren’t yours.”
“Yeah, sorry about that,” I throw two tokens for two more games for him to catch.