Page 29 of Callahan

He held up a hand containing his wet polo. “Do you have a plastic grocery bag I can stick this in?”

“On the cabinet door, under the kitchen sink.”

A minute later, he returned, this time holding his black backpack.

“I’m going to head over to the diner and see if I can catch Brian. I need to apologize to him. I was supposed to crash at his place last night. I don’t want him to think I blew him off, although I guess that’s exactly what I did.”

“He texted me last night. I explained you fell asleep on my couch.”

Adam winced. “Do you think he was mad?”

“I don’t think so. He said not to leave town without saying goodbye.”

“Unless he wants to see me to punch me in the face. Give me a black eye for my bus ride home.”

“That’s not Bri’s style.”

“That makes me feel better. I’ll stop by the bakery before I head out, okay?”

The idea that he was already leaving town made me sad, but I offered him a smile. “Make sure you do.”

Seconds later, I heard the door leading to the outside staircase close, followed by his heavy footsteps as he descended the stairs. Then there was shouting and a lot of commotion.

****

Adam

I went down Lainey’s stairs and put my backpack on as I walked along the alley to the corner of the bakery’s red brick building.

I’d just got the bag situated onback, with both hands on the straps when I turned the corner and was met withpow!and immediately saw stars as I staggered a little.

On instinct, my hand flew to where I hurt—the back of my head. There was red on my fingers when I pulled them away from my scalp.

“Son of a—”

Bam!

My head jutted back at the force of the blow to my nose.

I realized I was being attacked. In Haven Springs. What the actual fuck?

Standing in front of me was a man in a black ski mask, long-sleeved grey t-shirt with a hood, dark jeans, and black tennisshoes. He was shorter than me, and on the skinnier side, but his sucker punches had still landed, especially since the first had been delivered via a baseball bat.

But now I was ready, and I was going to kick this fucker’s ass, then pull that mask off his face to watch him bleed.

He spun the bat in his gloved hand like a baton.

“Come on, jarhead,” he sneered as he kept twirling the bat.

He hadn’t expected me to kick it out of his hands and send it flying, but that’s exactly what I did. It landed with ating!and bounced end over end until it stopped and rolled further away.

“What now, bitch?”

He raised his fists and danced around like he was a boxer.

Whatever, dude.

Without warning, I delivered a one-two punch to his side and stomach, then came in with an uppercut to his chin when he bent over.

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