Page 20 of Saving Bonnie

“Yeah, dude, I ’member.” His fingers tighten on the steering wheel.

“You ain’t gonna wuss out now, are you?” That’s all I’d need after making everything look all professional and shit.

“No, man,” he says. He’s all quiet, maybe trying to find his balls. “I know what you’re doing.”

He puts the car in park, turns off the headlights then takes off the seat belt. Taking a deep breath, he opens the door to go talk to them. Erica stretches her neck to see around him. Her face is white. I can’t help but grin. She keeps trying to check the car. Iz opens the door, and Sergio checks the car, same way I did with Dante.

“Sit down, man.” I’m all in on feeling the power I got over these assholes.

Dude comes in, slumping against the seat as the door closes and Iz goes to keep Erica busy.

“What the fuck, man?” I give him one of those angry looks Dante uses. The one where his eyebrows are all straight. “Where’s the delivery?”

Sergio puts a hand through his hair. “I was stashing some stuff in my bag when I got busted. Bonnie canned me on the spot.”

“Dude, you need to get my shit back.”

“Yeah, man. Of all the freakin’ luck.” He stares through the window, moving around like he can’t sit still. “My chick was gonna bring it the next day, but Bonnie realized she didn’t make the deposits and canned her, too.”

“I already told you, it’s on you to get my shit back.”

“Hey,vato,” the dude barks, his face contorting as he turns on me. “First of all, this ain’t just your shit.” He jabs a finger toward Erica. “We put in money for the shipment.”

“The money wasn’t yours to begin with, man.” Can’t believe he’s trying to play that card. “Now y’all running around with your tail between your legs.”

“I got half riding on this, man,” Sergio says, taking a stand.

Ain’t touching that. Dude doesn’t have to know I didn’t add in any green. He agreed to hook up, and my part is getting the supplier. Thing is, I took credit for the deal. Would have been perfect if this shithead hadn’t fucked us.

“When the owner comes looking for his shipment, he’s gonna come after me.” I point at my chest. “Unless you want me to shoot him straight to you, I’d be trying to see how to make this right. You get me, bro?”

Sergio sits back, digging his ass deeper into the seat. “I already lined up a guy to go in for the last delivery.”

Relief slams through me. “That’s what I’m talkin’ about.”

“Yeah, well…” Sergio runs his hand along the side of his neck. “The run went south.”

“What the hell do you mean?”

“My guy was supposed to go in a couple nights ago while Bonnie was over with her mom.” His breath shoots out, and he folds in, like an old balloon. “But he was in an accident.”

“Seriously, dude.” I can’t believe I have another asshole I have to hold by the hand. “Can’t you just go ask him to—”

“He’s dead, man.”

“Dead?” This is beginning to sound more and more like we’re fucked.

“I don’t know what he was doing in Nuevo Laredo, but the SUV he was in skidded. He went through a window or something and landed on some rebar. Punched right through his heart. So he can’t answer no questions.”

I cringe. “What a way to go.”

“Didn’t even make it to the hospital.”

My mind’s already running ahead. “Well, find someone else.”

“Problem is”— Sergio swallows hard before continuing—“I don’t know if he made it into the storeroom or not.”

“Fuuuuck.” I’m no pussy, but fear, or something, came to tighten around my neck. If I thought the owner was going to be pissed before, it’s nothing like what’s gonna happen if he finds out we lost the heroin. “Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!” Screaming and stomping the floorboard isn’t helping. Now Erica is looking over again. That fat bitch can probably bulldoze over Iz, so I take a deep breath and try to concentrate.

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