Page 50 of Endless

“Exactly. You, me, Hunter, Bill, and our law friend, Marshal, that’s who knows what really happened. And it’s gonna stay that way. Bill, he knows a couple people where Walker’s locked up, so he’ll keep an eye as much as he can.”

“Bill found my drunk ass at Lizzie’s hotel.”

“Let’s just say you’re not scoring points with him at the moment. With me getting sliced up at work when you and your dumbass buddy robbed the convenience store, then the shit after that happened with Walker and Sarah’s pimp, no. But when you tackled Walker to avenge Mom you earned a little respect back.”

“Only to lose it during my spectacular drunk episode that led me to Lizzie’s.”

“Why’d you end up there, you think?”

I shrugged, knowing exactly why, but not ready to go into all that with Drey.

He laughed, and I felt the car swerve. “Get your stick out, we’re almost here.”

“Say stick again, and you’re going to really feel its full effect.”

He chuckled. Sure, he could, but I wanted to crack it over my knee. Blind for life?Damn it.

“Sorry you missed the service for Mom,” Drey said. “We couldn’t wait.”

“I get it. Glad she got something nice. She deserved it even if she was screwed up.”

“We checked the records. Walker visited her at the rehab center the day she left.” Drey paused, and I felt the car swerve slightly, making another turn. I had no idea where we were. Talk about being at the mercy of whoever I was with.

That sucked ass.

“You think he did something?” I asked.

“Spooked her maybe. Told her something about me or you. Whatever happened, she bolted out of rehab. Counselor said she looked scared.”

I hammered the door. “And she used. He probably handed her the damn needle.”

“That’s my guess. Evidence didn’t support that, but whatever.” Drey coughed. “We’re here.”

Drey’s door opened, and I unpacked my stick. Even though I had someone to guide me, I needed to figure this dumb thing out. My Magic Stick. Yeah, I’d call it Mr. Magic. And, damn it, I’d learn this thing so I could get around if it was the last thing I did. If I still had a chance with Lizzie and this was the cost, I’d do it.

I’d known her only since I’d woken up from the coma, but it felt like I’d nevernotknown her. Maybe all the reading and cuddling she did while I was out of it made an impact.

My brain told me I should back off, that she’d be much better without me, but my body strongly objected to that. Even now I wished she were here with me, helping me through this.

Drey was awesome, sure, I was glad my big brother was helping me out, but Lizzie, she got me. As inreallygot me.

My door opened, and I turned to hop out.

“Tell me what you need me to do,” Drey said.

“Call out the steps if you can, tell me what’s coming. Give me your elbow.” I got my bearings and gripped his elbow with one hand and Mr. Magic in the other.

“Grass. Moving straight ahead about thirty feet or so.” Drey led me. “How’s the head?”

“Fine. No skull-splitting headaches since last time. That shit is jacked up, too.”

“I read up on that. It’s common with head injury patients sometimes. Dizziness, too.”

“Yeah. I get a little of that. They want to dope me up, but I can’t touch that shit.”

“Safer not to, probably. Turning right in a couple steps. Then about fifteen.”

We made it, me with only a couple stumbles, to Mom’s grave. I dropped my hold on Drey and stepped forward.

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