Page 29 of The Birthday Girl
Mercedes’ words seeped into the silence, sticky and foul, but they clung to Tahlia all the same.
Her jaw tightened as she crouched beside Mercedes again, gripping her chin so hard her nails dug into her flesh. “Who?” The word cracked like a whip. “Say the name.”
Mercedes whimpered, her throat raw, her lips struggling to shape sound. “I… I don’t… know…” she rasped, the syllables collapsing against each other.
Tahlia’s mouth lifted into a smile. “Then you’re useless to me.”
She released Mercedes and brought the hammer down on her head.
11- Money Talks
Vega lay in bed staring at the ceiling, one arm tucked behind his head, the other curled around his wife, Kim. Her cheek rested against his chest, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat relaxing her. The room was quiet, but Vega’s mind refused to follow. He was there, but he also wasn’t.
Kim lifted her head to look at him. “Penny for your thoughts?”
Vega palmed her head and lowered it back to his chest. “I think I want to quit.”
“What? The force?” She shrieked, caught off guard by his admission.
“Yeah. It’s wearing me down, Kim. The hours, the mess, the way the department’s run… sometimes I wonder if it’s worth it anymore.”
She laid her hand flat on his chest, feeling the rise and fall beneath her palm. “Marcus, you’ve been doing this too long to just walk away. You love that job, even when you’re mad at it. Let’s not mention how good you are at it. Damn good.”
“I know, but it still doesn’t negate the fact that I’m over all the bullshit. I just want to say fuck it all, and maybe open a business.”
“With what money? Opening a business isn’t cheap.”
Vega signed. “I know, but I could get a loan from the bank or something.”
“And put us further in debt?” Kim asked, looking up at him. “You know I got your back, right?”
“Yeah.” Vega nodded.
“Then you know I’ll ride with you no matter what you do. All I ask is that you refrain from making life-changing decisions when you're exhausted or upset. Think things all the way through and know without a doubt that you’re ready to go. If not, you’re going to be miserable.”
“I know. It’s just that I don’t love the job anymore.”
Kim rubbed her hand down the side of her husband’s face. “Give it time. That passion will come back to you when you least expect it.”
“I hear what you’re saying, babe, but—"
The phone buzzed on the nightstand, cutting him off before he could finish his sentence.
Vega pressed a kiss to his wife’s forehead before he reached over and answered. “Vega.”
“Detective, we need you to report to the abandoned house in Brentwood Park, the one the city turns into a haunted house every year. It’s a crime scene.”
Vega gently tapped his wife’s thigh, sat up, and swung his legs off the bed. “I’m on my way.”
In less than twenty minutes, Vega showered and dressed, his badge clipped to his belt, and his tie knotted tight. The smell of coffee pulled him into the kitchen, where Kim stood waiting. A steaming mug of fresh brew and a bagel sat on the counter.
“Put something on your stomach,” she said, sliding the plate to him. “It’ll give you a burst of energy.”
He managed a tired smile as he walked over and pressed a gentle kiss to his wife’s cheek. “You always look out.”
“Somebody has to.” She rolled her eyes with a grin.
“Thank you, baby. I appreciate it.”
