Page 77 of The Woman in the Garage

“What?”

“Because I hit my head?”

“Oh, no. No, that’s mostly an old wives’ tale. Unless someone has a really severe concussion. You can rest your eyes while we wait for the food. You’ll be okay,” I assured her, running a finger down her cheek that was still tear-stained from earlier. “I’ll wake you when the food comes.”

“Santo?” she called, making me turn back.

“Yeah?”

“Thank you. For coming to get me. And bringing me back here. And—“

“You don’t have to thank me for any of that,” I cut her off. “But you can thank me for the brownies later,” I told her, shooting her a wink before walking back to the kitchen to find Dom trying to figure out how to put his bowl and fork into the dishwasher.

Brushing him away, I handled it myself.

“Surprised you didn’t ask her what happened,” I said as I set the dishwasher to run.

“Looks like she’d been through enough. Didn’t need me loading her down with questions.”

I hadn’t seen Dom since we were all in our early twenties. He’d always been a quiet guy, but there was a quiet intensity and wisdom to him now that was at odds with the carefree, sometimes reckless, young man I’d known.

“She that ‘sort of work’ emergency?”

“Yeah. Dasha inherited a business that pays us protection money. But… things have been… going on with us for a bit. Tonight, I got a call that she’d been attacked at work. Hence the ruined meal.”

“That you were already making for her.”

“Yep.”

“You need me to go hang out at her work?”

“Not right now. I might take you up on that, if you don’t have any other jobs going on. I’m gonna need some cameras up in the office and waiting room there.”

“This an ongoing thing?”

“I don’t really know what it is yet. I noticed she was anxious at work last time I was there. And one of the mechanics gave her shit once. I get the feeling they’re giving her a hard time.”

“That’snot a hard time.” He gestured out toward the living room, where a laugh track floated in our direction.

“No. But I don’t even know if it was one of her employees. The lights were all off and he had a hood up. He didn’t speak either. So… I dunno.”

“So cameras.”

“Cameras,” I agreed.

“She do any damage? Could keep an eye out.”

“She said she kicked him in the balls. But by tomorrow…”

“Is she gonna go back like that?”

“I didn’t ask yet. If it wasn’t someone at work, it would be good to know to be on the lookout. And if it was…”

“Can let ‘em know she’s not gonna back down.”

“Yeah,” I agreed as the doorbell rang.

I grabbed my wallet and headed toward the door. Only to have it push open.

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