Page 96 of Not Quite Dead Yet

‘I found something out,’ she said, choosing her words carefully. ‘And I think I should tell you, because it’s you, and it’s me.’

Luke shifted in his seat, facing her. ‘What?’

Jet swallowed. Luke could never hide his temper, never, so if it came out, then didn’t that clear him?

‘Dad isn’t planning to leave the company to you,’ she said, quickly, before she lost her nerve. ‘I know that’s what we all thought his plan was, when he retired. But …’

A shadow crossed Luke’s eyes, face shifting, crowding the corners of his mouth.

‘… He’s planning to sell the company, to Nell Jankowski,’ Jet continued, studying Luke, watching the shadow spread farther, bringing a flush of angry red out in his cheeks, creeping down his neck. ‘She owns a big home constructionbusiness, wants to expand here in Woodstock. Dad’s planning to sell to her, because he doesn’t think it’s fair to give you the company when he has two kids. Even though I would have never wanted it, Luke, you know that.’

His bottom lip dropped open, teeth bared.

‘Is this true?’ he said, voice just a dark whisper, holding it all back. ‘Or are you trying to hurt me?’

‘It’s true,’ Jet said. ‘I spoke to Nell.’

Luke exploded, came apart at the seams, his eyes empty black holes, mouth one too. ‘Fuck!’ he roared, strings of saliva binding his teeth, just about holding his face together. ‘FUCK!’

He punched the steering wheel.

Screamed.

Punched it again with the other hand, opening the scabs on his knuckles, a trickle of blood across his wedding ring.

‘Fuck!’ Luke screeched, taken over by his temper, possessed by it, hitting the steering wheel over and over.

The horn rang out as his fist connected.

And again.

Kept going, bloody knuckles, like the noise fueled him somehow. The soundtrack to his fury.

‘FUCK!’

Jet stepped out of the car, left the door open, left her brother behind.

She walked down the darkened street.

Luke’s screams and the staccato of the wailing horn followed her all the way.

21

A car beeped outside on Central Street, the sound rattling the windows in Billy’s apartment, breaking up the silence.

Then Billy broke it again.

‘I’m sorry, we’re going towhat?’

He stared at her, sandwich clutched between his hands, open-mouthed, matching the bite mark in the bread.

‘We’re going to break into Mason Construction,’ Jet said, pulling her jacket zipper all the way to the top, one-handed. She could do it now, if Billy started it off for her, pulled the two halves together, up a few inches. ‘You really should listen the first time.’

‘I did listen, I was just giving you a chance to reconsider.’ He abandoned the sandwich.

‘I’ve considered,’ Jet said. ‘Reconsidered.’ Grunting as she stepped into her shoes again. ‘And re-reconsidered. Luke is hiding something. There’s a reason he doesn’t want me to have that list of employees; he’s notthatforgetful. What’s the time now?’

Billy tapped his phone screen. ‘Nine-forty.’

---