Page 28 of Sully

“Cut the shit. Get real with me for just one night, okay?”

“I’ve been racking my brain, Fallon. I can’t think of anyone that would be this unhinged. I mean, hating me is one thing. Wanting me dead, even. But involving some innocent woman? That’s some sick shit. I can’t think of anyone I know like that.”

“Fair enough. But keep thinking on it.”

“Don’t think I’ll be doing much of anything else.”

Fallon watched me for a minute, a muscle ticking in his jaw. “You good?” he asked. “This gotta be a lot.”

I shrugged at that.

What could I say? That this was digging up a lot of shit I wanted to stay buried? That I was struggling more than I had in years to keep up a somewhat easy-going outward demeanor? That I was having a harder time not falling into a hole?

“I’m dealing.”

“Do you want me or one of the girls to step in with Bonnie?”

“No.” Shit. That came out too fast, too eager. “She’s anxious. I don’t think it’s a good idea to try to change shit up on her right now.”

To that, he nodded.

“I get that. But if it gets too much, you can tap any of us in. And the girls are never far away either. Except Vi. Apparently, she’s MIA.”

“What do you mean MIA?”

“I mean, she’s on a job. Chasing a skip. But she’s been kind of off the grid, I guess.”

“Are we worried?”

“We’re… watching the situation,” Fallon said. “Her parents are ready to skip town if they don’t hear from her soon.”

Vi was a big girl. And she was a badass bounty hunter. But, you know, she was our girl. We all worried.

None of us would say the quiet part out loud. That as forward-thinking and feminist as we all were, there was always the fact that Vi was a woman. Who was often chasing men twiceher size, twice her strength. Even though she was well-trained, sometimes pure strength won out.

If she didn’t check in by the morning, I was pretty sure we would all be thinking the worst.

But that was a problem for another time. Right now, I had a bomber to try to find. And a traumatized, fragile girl to take care of.

“Listen, I need you on the ball with this. But don’t go into a dark place. This goes without saying, but no parties or club girls until this is all cleared up. And we’re all hands on deck here now. Guard shifts day and night. Gates closed up. If you need to order food for the girl or the club, you gotta meet delivery outside the gates. No one is going out on the town. And if you’re hitting the streets to follow a lead, I want you to have backup.”

“Got it,” I agreed, nodding.

Sure, I was often a thorn in his—and mostly Brooks’s—side. I did everything I could to avoid responsibility or bow to authority. That said, I spent a lot of years in the service. I could take an order when I knew it was for the best for everyone involved.

“Did Hailstorm take the vest?” I asked.

“No. They made sure it was safe, but they left it for you to look over, see if there is any sort of hidden message on it.”

“Where is it?”

“Basement. Perish is up in the glass room. Voss, Dezi, and Nave are on guard around the grounds. You, me, and Rowe are inside right now. We’re going to have at least a five-man guard twenty-four seven.”

“Wherever you need me.”

“Well, we need you in here for the girl. But tomorrow, maybe, if we can finagle it, you should visit her place. See if there are any signs that the place has been messed with. I know you said you don’t know her, but just in case you’re mistaken.”

“Okay. She’s probably gonna want to get some of her stuff anyway.”

---