Page 24 of The Last Flight

Dex had put his arm around her and pulled her close, as if they were a couple making their way home after a late night out. They’d slowed as they drew near, and Eva could make out a body, a puddle of blood seeping out from under it, a shoeless foot, the white sock practically glowing.

“Why are we here? Do you know that guy?”

“Yeah,” he’d said, his voice rough. “Danny. He supplied Fish with harder stuff. Coke. Heroin.”

Dex pulled her along, and they rounded the corner, the flashing red and blue lights still staining the backs of her eyelids. “What happened to him?”

“I don’t know,” Dex had told her. “Like you, I only see what I’m allowed to see. But if I had to guess, he was either double-dealing—working for one of Fish’s competitors—or he fucked up somehow, got snagged by police.” He paused. “That’s the thing about Fish. He’s not going to spend a lot of time asking questions. He’s just going to fix the problem.”

Eva couldn’t erase the image from her mind, the twisted form of the body, the sheer volume of blood, more than she’d ever imagined, a black-red shade that only appeared in nightmares.

Dex had dropped his arm from around her, and cold morning air chilled the place where it had rested. “Fish is a strong ally, but a ruthless enemy. He will not hesitate to eliminate anyone who betrays him. Maybe it was a mistake to have brought you here, but I needed you to see for yourself what will happen if you cross him.”

Eva had swallowed hard. Up until that point, she’d fooled herself into believing this job had been no different from any other—mostly routine, maybe a little dangerous in some abstract way. But Dex had insulated her from the worst of it. Until that morning.

“Full transparency,” Dex had warned, as they walked back up her street, the night sky finally shifting to a pale gray. He deposited her on the porch and disappeared, making her wonder if she’d dreamt it all.

* * *

Eva was just about to hop off the picnic table and head back to her car when a Mercedes SUV pulled up at the curb, a polished woman behind the wheel. In the back, Eva could make out a child’s car seat, thankfully empty. The license plate readFUNMOM1. Her lingering unease intensified, and she took a deep breath, reminding herself she was in control of the situation and could walk away at any time.

She watched as the woman got out of the car. “Thanks for meeting me!” she called. Her clothes were expensive casual. Chanel sunglasses tipped up on her head. Knee-high UGG boots, worn over designer jeans. This was not Eva’s typical ramen-fed student.

Up close, Eva could see the woman’s red-rimmed eyes, how her skin looked tired and stretched, though her makeup was flawless, and another tingle of apprehension zipped through her.

“Sorry I’m late. I had to wait for the sitter to show up.” She held out her hand for Eva to shake. “I’m Brittany.”

Eva let it hang there, keeping her own hands in her pockets, and Brittany finally let it fall to her side as she began digging through her purse as if she’d just remembered why she’d come. “I was hoping I could buy more than what we’d talked about. I know I asked for five pills, but I really need ten.” She pulled a wad of cash out of her purse and held it out to Eva. “That’s four hundred instead of two.”

“I only brought five with me,” Eva said, not taking the money.

Brittany shook her head, as if that were a minor detail. “I’d be happy to meet you again tomorrow. Same place, if that suits you.”

The marine layer from over the bay finally rolled in, skirting over the sun, casting gray shadows and dimming the light. Wind kicked up, causing Eva to pull her coat tighter. Brittany looked over her shoulder and then lowered her voice, although they were the only ones around.“We’re leaving on Saturday for a trip,” she continued. “We won’t be back until next month. I just want to make sure I’m not caught short.”

Eva’s body tensed. This woman drove a fancy car, wore expensive clothes, and had a big diamond on her finger. It was one thing to need the pills to push through a difficult task. This woman seemed to need pharmaceutical help to navigate her daily life. But Eva’s resistance felt more personal, bubbling up from her darkest corners, surprising her with its heat. This was a woman like her mother.

“I don’t think I can help you,” Eva said.

“At least let me buy what you brought,” Brittany said, her words loud, tearing through the empty clearing. “Please.”

Eva’s gaze snagged on several scabs dotting the backs of Brittany’s hands, picked red and raw by nervous fingers. Brittany thrummed with manic energy, and Eva only wanted to leave.

“We’re done here,” Eva said.

“Wait,” Brittany said, reaching out for Eva’s arm. “Tell me what I can do to change your mind.”

Eva yanked her arm back and turned to walk away.

“Come on,” Brittany cajoled from behind her. “It’s why we’re here. You make the sale and get your money. I get what I need, and we both win.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Eva called over her shoulder. “You must have me confused with someone else.” Then she strode toward the hiking trail that wound through the trees and down the hill to the lot where she parked her car.

As she passed the SUV, she looked in the window. The back seat was littered with Cheerios, an empty sippy cup, and a pink hair ribbon. Eva slowed for a moment, wondering what that child’s life was like, living with a mother who begged for enough pills to be strung out for weeks. She wondered if her own mother had been like Brittany, buying drugs in a deserted park while Eva was stuck at home with a sitter. Beneath it all, she hated herself for the fleeting whisper of jealousy that this little girl still got to know her mother while Eva had not.

As she moved into the woods, Eva heard Brittany yelling obscenities after her. Then she heard the slam of a car door and the engine rev, before tires squealed away from the curb. She looked over her shoulder and saw the car swerve, skidding against the curb as it careened around a bend in the road. Eva held her breath, bracing for the sound of impact that didn’t come, then hurried back to her own car.

* * *

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