Page 37 of Head Over Feels
Hey, you said you’d be here this morning and we haven’t heard from you.Iseverything okay?
Ibit back a sob.No, everything was not okay.Iturned to face away from the street and typed.
I’mso sorry.Therewas an explosion on the street whereIwas this morning.I’mfine.Onlyone person with minor injuries.I’mhaving to talk to the cops though.I’msorryIdidn’t contact you earlier.I’lltry to make it out there tomorrow.
There.Thatsounded professional, and not at all likeIwas on the verge of losing it.IpressedSendand then just stood with my head leaned back as if that would keep the tears from falling.
Thephone rang seconds later.Will.Crap.Iwiped my eyes and sniffled hard in the vain hopeIcould pretendIhadn’t been crying.
“Hello?”
“Felix, are you okay?”Willasked urgently.Icould hear him more easily on the phone thanI’dbeen able to hear the detectives in person a few minutes ago.
Colewas there too. “Whathappened?”
“Felix.”Jasonthis time. “Yousaid someone had minor injuries.OneofSheltonSecurity’semployees was involved in an explosion this morning.MalcolmFaulk.Ishe injured?”
Well, fuck my life even more than it already was.Malcolmhad said he worked for a security firm.Whatwere the odds it would beJason’scompany?
“Yeah,Malcolm.Hefell on his bad leg, but the paramedic is looking at him right now.”
“Okay.MybrotherBrian’son his way over there.”
“Oh, um, okay.I’lltellMalcolm.”
“Thanks.We’vebeen trying to contact him, but he isn’t responding.”
“Well, he’s with the paramedic, andIknow at least earlier he was having trouble hearing anything.”
“Fuckinghell, how close was he to the explosion?”Icringed.Atsome pointI’dhave to fess up about how it was my faultMalcolmhad gotten hurt, but right thenIcouldn’t deal with it.
“Hey, guys, my phone’s about to run out of battery.I’vegot to go.I’llletMalcolmknow aboutBrian, okay?”
Willprotested, “Wait,Felix.Younever said howyou’redoing.Ithad to be scary.”
Coledidn’t give me time to answer. “Youshould come out to the ranch after you’re done there.We’llhaveBrianbring you.Ihate to think of you being alone after what happened.”
Andthat’s whenIstarted sobbing in earnest.Butthere was a good chance they hadn’t heard me, because my phone chose that moment to die.
Ilet myself wallow for a minute or so, thenItried to get it together.Wipingmy eyes and nose on my arm wasn’t going to cut it.Iwas bracing myself to turn around, when a hand appeared over my shoulder holding some tissues.
“Here.”
Igrabbed the tissues, wiped my face, and blew my nose. “Thanks.”Iswung around to look at my rescuer, who turned out to be the petiteBlackdetective who’d been one of the pair talking toMalcolm.
“Yourguy was worried about you.”Shejerked her head back toward whereMalcolmwas sitting.Hewas holding his hands palm out toward the paramedic.Nodoubt he was declining to go to the hospital.
“Thanks.I’mFelix,”Itold her belatedly.
“Niceto meet you.I’mDetectivePalmer, but you can call meAmy.”Shesmirked. “Sinceyou’re such close friends withMalcolmand all.”
“Um.Okay.”Iwas too tired to worry about whateverMalcolm’sfriends thought was happening between us.
DetectiveCallahanstrode over, followed closely by an officer in anAustinPoliceDepartmentuniform. “Hey,Felix, this isSergeantSoliz.He’swithAPD’sBombSquad.”
Inodded at him. “What’dyou find out about the bomb?”
Solizsaid, “We’restill gathering the evidence, so we don’t know a lot at this time.”
