hung out with Frankie the Razor? Frank the monster who had killed my family? That info didn't swallow easy. “Alright, okay. What if...” Furrowing my eyebrows, I dug into my purse again. It was my magic bag of tricks tonight. The twinkle in Juice's eye said he thought I had more money for him. Instead, I slid out the photo I'd been keeping at my side since Jacob had handed it over. “Maybe seeing him would jog your memory?”
In front of me, Juice's eyes boggled. I thought he'd drop the cash and just run. “Holy shit,” he whispered. He studied me with new respect—or was that disbelief? “You're looking for Lars Diani? ”
A rubber band snapped in my chest. Lars Diani. The roof of my mouth trapped my tongue. “Is that his name? This guy... are you sure?”
“Fuck, yeah. That's his ugly mug.”
It was finally happening. I knew who the man I was chasing was. I knew his fucking name.
Lars Diani. He was going to die. Trembling, I jammed the photo away. I wasn't careful, it crinkled and tore. I didn't care at all. “Lars Diani. His name is Lars Diani.”
“Uh, yeah. You okay?”
I realized I was smiling. I looked insane, but that was just dandy. “I'm great. Juice, can you tell me where I can find him?”
“Like, right now, or in general?”
My stomach dropped through my feet. “You know where he is right right now?” Could my luck be this good?
Itching nervously at his cheek, he tucked the money away and lifted a palm. “Okay, so look. I'll tell you where he is, but you need to let me know you'll never, ever , say you heard anything from me. I'm out of this life, I'm moving on. I won't be the next body found in an alley.”
Everything was reverberating, even my teeth. Looking at his hand, I slid more money into it. The number of things I owed Kite an apology for was growing. It'd be nice to get a chance to make it up to him. “My lips are zipped. Now tell me, please.”
Juice rocked on his heels. His dilemma was nothing compared to mine, and apparently, nothing compared to his greed. “Tonight is Hecko's wake. I was thinking of paying my respects, but now... I might hang back. Visit his grave later, or something.” The kid pulled his thick sweater around tighter. Armor to save him from what he was unleashing by giving me this info. “It's happening way out, corner of Smith and Pine. Open door, anyone can pay their respects. Word is... well, Lars has been out of the city for awhile. I heard he was coming back for this. Guess he thought of Hecko as family.”
If I'd been Jacob or Kite, I think Juice would have eaten a bullet. I wasn't the type to clean up like that. He didn't deserve being killed just because he'd met me or could put me in danger later. Besides, I wasn't sure I had a later waiting for me.
“Thank you,” I said, and to both our surprises, I gave him a hug. I don't know. He'd opened the path to my redemption. It was spontaneous, over so fast he was left standing with his arms lifted at his sides. Through the chilly night, I sprinted to Kite's car and climbed in.
I had a wake to catch.
****
T he place was exactly where Juice had said. A stubby building, hard stone and soft yellow lights. The front door was wide open, allowing people to mill in or out. Whoever Hecko had been, he seemed to have a large family.
Sitting in Kite's car, I peered through the windshield and just... waited. I didn't know what to expect. I'd never been so close to the confrontation I'd been envisioning for years. I'd expected that Juice would give me something to go off of. That I'd need this money and the Ruger to threaten and bribe my way to that man. To Lars Diani.
It could have taken days or weeks, but no. Here I was, waiting for him to appear like a celebrity. Perhaps karma did exist.
Everyone wore black; suits, dresses, you name it. They funneled into the building or hovered by the edges. It reminded me oddly of the charity ball, when I'd stood in the garden with Kite. The night they'd both spun
In front of me, Juice's eyes boggled. I thought he'd drop the cash and just run. “Holy shit,” he whispered. He studied me with new respect—or was that disbelief? “You're looking for Lars Diani? ”
A rubber band snapped in my chest. Lars Diani. The roof of my mouth trapped my tongue. “Is that his name? This guy... are you sure?”
“Fuck, yeah. That's his ugly mug.”
It was finally happening. I knew who the man I was chasing was. I knew his fucking name.
Lars Diani. He was going to die. Trembling, I jammed the photo away. I wasn't careful, it crinkled and tore. I didn't care at all. “Lars Diani. His name is Lars Diani.”
“Uh, yeah. You okay?”
I realized I was smiling. I looked insane, but that was just dandy. “I'm great. Juice, can you tell me where I can find him?”
“Like, right now, or in general?”
My stomach dropped through my feet. “You know where he is right right now?” Could my luck be this good?
Itching nervously at his cheek, he tucked the money away and lifted a palm. “Okay, so look. I'll tell you where he is, but you need to let me know you'll never, ever , say you heard anything from me. I'm out of this life, I'm moving on. I won't be the next body found in an alley.”
Everything was reverberating, even my teeth. Looking at his hand, I slid more money into it. The number of things I owed Kite an apology for was growing. It'd be nice to get a chance to make it up to him. “My lips are zipped. Now tell me, please.”
Juice rocked on his heels. His dilemma was nothing compared to mine, and apparently, nothing compared to his greed. “Tonight is Hecko's wake. I was thinking of paying my respects, but now... I might hang back. Visit his grave later, or something.” The kid pulled his thick sweater around tighter. Armor to save him from what he was unleashing by giving me this info. “It's happening way out, corner of Smith and Pine. Open door, anyone can pay their respects. Word is... well, Lars has been out of the city for awhile. I heard he was coming back for this. Guess he thought of Hecko as family.”
If I'd been Jacob or Kite, I think Juice would have eaten a bullet. I wasn't the type to clean up like that. He didn't deserve being killed just because he'd met me or could put me in danger later. Besides, I wasn't sure I had a later waiting for me.
“Thank you,” I said, and to both our surprises, I gave him a hug. I don't know. He'd opened the path to my redemption. It was spontaneous, over so fast he was left standing with his arms lifted at his sides. Through the chilly night, I sprinted to Kite's car and climbed in.
I had a wake to catch.
****
T he place was exactly where Juice had said. A stubby building, hard stone and soft yellow lights. The front door was wide open, allowing people to mill in or out. Whoever Hecko had been, he seemed to have a large family.
Sitting in Kite's car, I peered through the windshield and just... waited. I didn't know what to expect. I'd never been so close to the confrontation I'd been envisioning for years. I'd expected that Juice would give me something to go off of. That I'd need this money and the Ruger to threaten and bribe my way to that man. To Lars Diani.
It could have taken days or weeks, but no. Here I was, waiting for him to appear like a celebrity. Perhaps karma did exist.
Everyone wore black; suits, dresses, you name it. They funneled into the building or hovered by the edges. It reminded me oddly of the charity ball, when I'd stood in the garden with Kite. The night they'd both spun
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