Roman’s chest expanded as he sucked in a breath. This wasn’t his usual bag. His whole image relied on being a “bad boy,” and that meant that not only did he not want to get involved to save that image, he didn’t want to get involved in that world if he could avoid it.
But he wanted Mary, and he wanted to make sure that she had what she needed. He’d already stuck both hands into the water, and at that point anything she wanted to drag out with her was coming, or he was going to leave her behind. There was no alternative. He already knew all that.
But there was plenty about it not to like, regardless.
There were a thousand things wrong with Tommy’s approach in trying to turn Mary down. First, because he wasn’t going to turn her down. But he could have made the effort to be a little less of a complete prick about it, for one thing. Maybe if he had, there would have been room for some kind of discussion. But that was how Tommy always was. Just one of the many, many reasons that nobody could stand the man.
“This is the place?”
“This is the place.”
“Did you see her on the drive over?”
Mary closed her eyes and sucked in a breath. “No, I didn’t.”
“Then I guess there’s no guarantees that she’s even here. Is that alright?”
“It’s going to have to be, isn’t it?”
“I just want to make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into.”
“I know.”
“Alright then. I believe you.”
“Thank you.”
“Don’t think me yet, we haven’t done anything.”
Mary looked like she was surprised and thankful that we’d even gone this far. Like she expected me to bail on her the second we left the house. Maybe Tommy had her more rattled than I thought. Or maybe she was always this jittery when someone she knows and trusts falls off the wagon.
“Hey.”
She looked up, and rubbed the bridge of her nose. It was an obvious nervous gesture.
“Everything’s going to be fine, okay?”
“If you say so.”
“I say so. Now, calm down, okay?”
“I’m calm.”
“Good. Take a breath.”
She breathed in.
“Now. We’re going to go find your friend. You said her name was Cara?”
“Cara White.”
“Okay. Cara White. Let’s go ask around, I guess. How long since you were here? Twenty minutes?”
“If that.”
“Then someone might be around who saw her. We’ll make the effort. If we don’t find her in a few minutes, we can always try her house and see if we find out the story there.”
“Okay.”
Roman stepped out of the car. Mary stepped out on the other side. They’d talked the plan over three separate times now, and it still seemed like it was a bad idea. But at the very least, she could try to stay safe. He could take the risks.
She was going to stay on the main streets, ask folks who looked like they were loitering if they’d seen a woman of Cara’s description. Roman would take the back streets, look for people who might stay around here longer-term than a couple of hours out of the day. Together, they’d find her somehow.
“Hey, boss,” he said to a man who sat on the street with his legs splayed out. He was only a little ways into the alley at that point. But in a big city, you don’t have to go that far to find people hanging out. “You been here long?”
“Little while,” the guy said. “You got any spare change? For the bus.”
“The bus, huh?”
The guy shrugged. “Yeah.”
Roman reached into his pocket, pressed his back against the far wall, and pulled out a folded stack of bills. He peeled a twenty off.
“You seen a girl? About yea high, light-colored hair? Hanging out around here, maybe twenty minutes ago?”
“Maybe I seen her, maybe I ain’t.”
“I think I got a buck fifty here, sure,” Roman said. He put the wad away and scrounged in his pocket.
“Wait a minute.”
“What? You got something for me?”
“I might know your girl.”
“That’s an amazing recovery.”
“She might be down there, a ways. She goes down there to, you know…”
“What?”
“Her stuff. Whatever, man. None of my business. I don’t get involved in that stuff.”
“Drug stuff?”
The guy shrugged, but his expression was as clear as could be. Yes.
“She down there now?”
“Sure.”
Roman handed the guy the bill. “Get yourself something to eat, boss.”
“Thank you kindly,” the guy said. He didn’t move to get up. Roman hoped dimly that he was serious about not getting involved in that stuff.
Then he made his way over in the direction the guy had indicated. He made no effort to walk quietly. Someone who was high, he figured, might be dangerous. More dangerous if they’re spooked. He’d be better off if they heard him coming.
The big risk there was, she bolted when she heard him. Or bolted when she saw him, or he saw her. But she didn’t. None of those things happened.
A woman looked up at him with a glassy-eyed expression like she was about to burst into tears. Or like she was high. Or both.
“You Cara?”
“She sent you, didn’t she?”
“She’s looking for you. She’s worried.”
“She’s too nosy.”
“She says you’re married.”
“Yeah, well, she shouldn’t be giving relationship advice.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You’re him, aren’t you?”
“I’m who?”
“The guy.” She started to laugh, a thick belly laugh. “You’re the guy she was worrying about.”
“What’s so funny?”
“You don’t get it at all, do you?”
“Don’t get what?”
“You’re the guy from before, too. The rock star guy.” She reached into her coat and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. She dug around inside the pack with a finger and pulled out a single smoke, put it to her lips. “Damn.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You got her all fucked up, man. That kid and everything? Damn. That’s cold.”
“What are you talking about?”
She took three attempts to flick the lighter on before it lit. But eventually it did light, and she set her cigarette burning.
“What, you don’t know?” Cara laughed again. “Whatever, man. Your kid, your business. not mine, right?”
He looked over. He must have misheard. His heart thumped hard in his chest. Mary had caught sight of him from the street.
“I found her,” he said, loud enough to be heard from the distance, even over the din of the street.
“Uh-oh. Here comes the drug police.”
“You don’t look great,” Roman said. “You feeling alright?”
Cara let out a long breath. “No.”
“That shit helping?”
“No,” she said.
“Then why?”
She sucked hard on the cigarette. “Why not?”
Mary’s jaw tightened looking at her friend. Roman watched her with a vague sense of disaffection.