Page 28 of Thirst Trap (Carter Brothers)

—Quinn’s secret thoughts

QUINN

“What’s up, Fletch?” I called into the phone distractedly.

The gang-on-gang violence never took a break, hence the reason I was at work on a Sunday night with no end in sight.

Two gang bangers had walked into the same grocery store, which apparently was on neutral territory, and had decided that the grocery store belonged to them. Words were exchanged, and then further talks escalated into outright violence.

Overall, those two gang bangers had caused over a hundred thousand dollars’ worth of damage to the store, the food in the store, and the parking lot after one decided to run the other one over with his car.

“Hey,” Fletch said without preamble. “I just ran a call. I’m sorry to hear about Shayne’s grandma, man. I didn’t see you there, or I would’ve offered you the condolences in person.”

I froze. “What?”

“Her grandma, man.” He sighed. “I know y’all loved her like your own. She used to make those super awesome cookies that you’d bring to the locker room. I’ve been dreaming about those cookies since high school.”

My stomach dropped. “What are you talking about, Fletch? Did something happen to her?”

Fletcher Daniels paused for an extremely long time, and then, “Has Shayne not called you yet to tell you? Man, y’all were attached at the hip in high school. I know I just got back a few years ago, and we don’t see each other that much, but why would you not know that your girl’s grandma just died?”

I closed my eyes as waves of emotion poured over me.

“We broke up,” I croaked. “A long time ago.”

Fletch remained silent for so long that I thought I’d lost him. Not that I cared.

My mind was on other things.

Other people.

Shayne.

Then again, my mind was always on Shayne. Not once in the last fuckin’ ten years had my brain not been focused on Solei Shayne Rodriguez in some way.

“I don’t even know what to say,” Fletcher said quietly. “I just assumed when they were talking about not being able to afford embalming and all that jazz that maybe the grandma hadn’t left the money in the bank to allow for it. I offered that crematorium place on Sixth Avenue. The ones that take direct cremations? I just… Wow, Quinn. I can’t believe y’all aren’t together anymore. I thought for sure y’all would be together forever. The way y’all loved… That’s why I divorced my ex-wife. I thought y’all’s love was what I needed to strive for.”

I rubbed at my heart.

I’d made a stupid, brash decision when I was twenty years old, and I’d never been able to fix it.

Shayne never gave me the opportunity to fix it.

Every single time I tried to bridge the gap, there she was, closing another gate to keep me away.

“How long ago did you leave her place?” I asked.

“About five hours ago.” He paused. “I had a few more deaths to pronounce before I could sneak time to call.” He hesitated. “Texas law states that she has twenty-four hours from time of death to get the body either buried, cremated or embalmed. If she’s as bad off as I think she is…”

“She’d take the body to wherever she needed to herself,” I said. “What’s the name of this place again?”

He gave it to me, and I started to say goodbye, but Fletch stopped me before I could.

“You know, man.” Fletch sounded worried. “She didn’t look good. She looked like she’d lost a lot of weight recently, because her clothes were hanging on her. She had dark circles under her eyes. Her brother was a complete and utter prick to her. And if you’re not with her anymore…”

Fletch would be.

He didn’t need to voice the words to say that he was going to shoot his shot.

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