Page 43 of Loco

“Yeah, why?”

“I don’t know, you just seem kind of, sad?”

“No, I’m okay. Probably just tired. I had a full day.” It was the truth. I’d booked one appointment after another to keep busy and to keep my mind off of Loco and wondering why I wasn’t hearing from him. “I had four dogs, six cats, three birds, a ferret, a pot-bellied pig, and a huge salt water aquarium to deal with today.”

“You must be exhausted!”

I nodded even though I knew that V couldn’t see it. “I am exhausted. After I finish my ice cream I’m going to get a long, hot shower and go to bed.” I was so glad that I had tomorrow off. I picked up the container of ice cream to see that it had melted.That’s okay,I thought to myself. Now it was a milkshake.

“I’ll let you go, then. When I get home, we’ll go shopping for dresses for Annabelle’s wedding. We’ll take Lissa so she can give us her expert fashion advice.”

Smiling, I agreed. “Sounds like a plan.” We said our goodbyes and I drank down my melted ice cream, careful not to choke on the nuts.

I wasn’t really sleepy, just damned tired. I got up and threw the empty container into the trash and then went to the bathroom for that shower. It didn’t take me long to strip and step inside the glass enclosure. I set the temperature as hot as I could stand it and washed away the day’s sweat and animal smells, shampooing my hair twice. With a towel wrapped around my body and one around my head, I went to the kitchen for a glass of wine.

The way I was feeling, I knew it would knock me right out.

And I would not dwell on Loco! The jerk!

I poured my wine and had just taken a sip when I heard someone pounding at my front door. It was strong enough to shake the frame, and loud enough to wake the neighbors.

“Open the door, bitch!”

I halted halfway to the door, my eyes widening with disbelief. This was not happening! I recognized Russ’s voice. What the hell was he doing here, and how had he found out where I lived? His beef was with Loco, and probably the club, so why was he intent on involving me?

“Open the fucking door!” he hollered, pounding on it again.

Was he drunk? He sounded drunk, but I didn’t know him well enough to know for sure. He was loud, so maybe he would wake the neighbors and someone would call the police.Ishould call the police. I turned to where I’d left my phone and picked it up, but then hesitated. Maybe calling the police wasn’t such a good idea. It might piss off the wrong people.Shit!

I could tell that his hand was on the doorknob because it was rattling. “Open the fucking door right fucking now, or I’ll break it in!”

I laughed at that threat. Russ wasn’t a big man. I doubted he would be able to break in my door. Then I heard what sounded like a kick, and my eyes nearly popped out of my head when I heard the door frame make a sound like wood snapping. The sound of several more kicks at the same time made me realize that he wasn’t alone. In an instant I was right back to the time when Stuart had broken into my apartment, only he’d come in through a window.

What if Russ and his friends got inside?

I backed away from the door slowly, my heart pounding heavily in my chest. My eyes were glued to the door, as if waiting for it to burst open at any second. Russ was enraged. Anger gave some men freakish strength, even the small ones, and he had help with him. Panic engulfed me as the memory of that night with Stuart returned in full-force. I hated the feeling, the fear, that stopped me in my tracks and made me too afraid to move.

Several more kicks, the rattling of the doorknob, and I was certain that they were going to get inside. What did they want with me? “What do you want?” I finally screamed at him from where I was cowered in the middle of the kitchen.

“You’ll know what I want when I get my hands on you, bitch!” He pounded the door with his fists. “You’re a fucking snitch!”

Snitch? The man was delusional. He had to be. “I have nothing to do with whatever trouble you’re having with the Desert Rebels,” I said. “I’m just a pet sitter!” Did he think that I’d had something to do with Loco showing up that day at his grandma’s? “Just go away before I call the police!”

Please, please just go away!

I thought about threatening to call Loco instead.

It suddenly sounded as if they were attacking my door at the same time. Grunts and the sounds of male frustration filtered through the door, and then I heard the door frame crack loudly, but thankfully not give away. The unexpected sound of gunfire caused me to shriek, and I stared with disbelief at the neat, round hole that had appeared next to the doorknob. They were crazy! If the sound of that didn’t cause someone to call the police, then I didn’t know what would.

“Shit, you missed!” I heard someone swear from the other side of the door.

They were trying to shoot out the doorknob so they could get inside! A chill traveled over me, and I ran to the kitchen drawer to grab a knife. I stared down at it in horror, my hand trembling as once again a memory that I didn’t want to recall came forth. What was I going to do with a knife when they had a gun?

I heard aclick, click, clickin rapid succession, and then someone else snarl, “Piece of shit! It’s jammed!”

One last pound on the door, and then there was silence.

I stood and waited, and then sank to the floor as relief that they were gone rendered me boneless. I needed to call someone, but who? Viola? Someone from the clubhouse? And then the matter was taken out of my hands. Someone else had phoned the police. I heard the sirens. As I raced to my bedroom for my robe, I pulled the towel off my head. I had no idea what I was going to say, but one thing I did know, it couldn’t be the truth.

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