Page 103 of Them Bones

“Cary knows that we were partying together.”

Nick felt all the blood drain out of his face. “Does he know that we were…”

“No,” Laney said, “but at this point I don’t think that even matters. You need to go.”

“How long do I have?” Nick asked.

“Jerry’s talking some sense into him, but honestly Nick? I don’t know. He could let it go for today, maybe tomorrow, buthe won’t let it go forever. He needs a villain, for this story, and you’re it.”

”What about Linette?” Nick argued, the panic rising.

“She’s being… dealt with. But he’ll come for you. This is the only warning you’re going to get. I’d suggest you take it.”

“Laney… I’m so sorry. I’m really sorry, about the coke. Okay? But… I love you. I do. I love you and I want to make this right – ”

“The only way to make this right, Nick, is for you to leave.”

“Come with me,” Nick begged urgently. “Let’s just disappear, together. Please, Laney. I really do love you…”

“I love someone else, Nick. I mean, not right at thisexact moment…” her voice was almost sarcastic, and he imagined the asshole Other Guy sitting there with her on the other end of the phone. “But I do love him. I'm sorry. I don’t want to see you get hurt. Please, look after yourself.”

And then she hung up.

As he threw some things in a suitcase, he felt his anger ballooning into a Macy’s parade-sized inflatable monster. It was Shane who did this. He knew it in his bones.

I’m going to kill him,Nick thought.I’m going to come back here, and I’m going to find him, and I’m going to fucking kill him.

SHANE

Shane wasn’t sure what twist of fate had convinced Cary to give him and Laney his blessing, but to everyone’s shock, he did.

It wasn’t a glowing endorsement, exactly. Cary still watched Shane like he was a bug to be squashed. But it had been made clear that he and Laney were dating, what with Shane being unable to keep himself more than two inches away from her at any given time, and Cary seemed to be tolerating it.

Shane was careful. He never kissed her in front of Cary, was never overly affectionate, never whispered in her ear and really, barely touched her at all in front of the guy. But anyone who looked at them would have known that they were a couple, with Shane constantly hovering possessively like she might fall down and die, asking her a hundred times a day if she was feeling okay, and while he didn’t sleep over, hedidspend time in her room with her.

To her annoyance, he wouldn’t fool around.

It wasn’t even just about Cary. It was that he was scared shitless. He kept picturing her hooked up to that IV, the sound of her vitals on the hospital monitor like a siren blaring in his head round the clock. It was still school break, so Shane was at thehouse with her from sunup till well after sundown, watching and worrying and trying to keep the lid on his fraying nerves.

Cary kept him in a constant methadone supply, which helped, although a week into the new year Shane did find himself struggling quite a bit, fighting the daily urge to call Cody.

The Sunday before school went back, they were laying in bed, Shane propped against the headboard and Laney tucked between his legs. Her head was on his chest, elbows propped on his knees as she read a fantasy novel calledA Song of Ice and Fireout loud, when Cary appeared in the doorway of her room.

“Can I talk to you?” he asked.

“Sure,” Laney said, closing the book and sitting up.

“Not you, Laney. Shane.”

Laney bit her lip but Shane untangled himself and dropped a kiss on the top of her head. Cary’s nostrils flared but he didn’t say anything, and Shane followed him down the hall and out into the garage. He lit a blunt, took a hit, and passed it to Shane who accepted, taking a few drags, and passing it back.

They stood in silence for a few minutes.

“I hear you’re good with cars,” Cary said slowly.

“I’m alright,” Shane said.

“Jerry says you’re better than alright, but that you’d be modest about it.”

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