Page 216 of Waiting Game

Glancing around the room, I find a roll of paper towel. Determined not to ask why Chuck had that in an office that was also his bedroom, I snag a piece and use it to awkwardly pull out the second card.

When I see the face staring back at me, I blink.

Then, I read the name.

Then, I swallow.

Then, I stagger back, except behind me, there are a bunch of parts from Chuck’s recliner so I go down like a lead weight.

Amid that, I hold the trading card to my chest so I don’t damage it when, ignoring her shriek of, “Cole! Oh, my god, are you all right?!” I land flat on my ass again.

“Honus Wagner.”

I practically breathe the holy name.

“What?!”

As she starts trying to haul me up again, I whimper, “Not what.WHO.”

“Huh? I’m Mia Charles, Cole. Remember me? You kinda like me. Did you hit your head? Oh, god, do you have a concussion?”

“Honus. Wagner.”

“No. I’m?—”

“Mia! I know who you are. I didn’t hit my head. This is Honus Wagner’s trading card!”

“What about him?”

“What about him?” I shriek. “It’s a HONUS FUCKING WAGNER card, Mia. Holy goddamn shit! It’s HONUS WAGNER.” I realize I’m bouncing on the floor but I don’t give a damn. “Don’t you know what this is?!”

“A baseball card! Come on, let’s get you up. Fuck, if you’ve made your leg worse, I’m going to cry, do you hear me?”

That has me shaking my head. “I’m not hurt, Mia.” Her prodding hands have me growling, “Baby, listen to me.Thiscould be the answer to your prayers!”

That earns me a scowl. “Cole, I need you to get up. You’re bleeding and I have to?—”

“I’m bleeding?” I pass her the card. “Put that somewhere safe! It has to remain in pristine condition.”

“For God’s sake, screw the damn card, Cole. We need to stop the?—”

“MIA! You have to listen to me. This is worth millions of dollars.”

“You’re lying about hitting your head, aren’t you?”

“Why would?—”

Both of us fall silent at the sound of glass breaking.

Frozen, we stare at one another until she whispers, “You heard that too, right?”

“It was a window,” I confirm.

The sound of more glass breaking shatters through the stillness.

But it’s followed by another sound, one I’ll never fucking forget.

My hands grab a hold of her arms. “Fire.”

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