Ruby by Kathi S. Barton

her lesson from him killing me or he’d kill her too. I
think she’d give me over in a second if it saved her ass. Did you
know she was like this when you met her?”
    “ No. No, I did not. You
either for that matter.” Dwight felt his heart twist. His best
friend, his only friend, was disappointed in him. “You have to turn
yourself in. It’s the only way you’re going to be able to come out
of this alive.”
    “ She’ll have Manson kill
me before I get to the courthouse.” Dwight knew that now. Not only
that, but he was pretty sure that Teri would gladly pull the
trigger if Manson asked her to. “I’m in some serious shit here. Not
only did the money you took fuck us, but the supplier is demanding
that we continue on as if nothing happened. Only this time we’re to
pay up front for the drugs. I don’t even think we have enough money
to pay the phone bill next month, much less give him
money.”
    “ You don’t.” Of course
Josh would know that. He was good at finding out the most about
people and their businesses. He supposed if he wanted to, Josh
could find out how much Manson was worth as well. “Did you know
what you were doing when you starting fucking her?”
    It occurred to Dwight that his friend
could be recording their conversation. Dwight nearly let his
thoughts get him, seeing himself not only arrested with Feds
breaking into his now empty offices and taking him away in cuffs,
but tied to a chair with currents running through it. His mind was
very prolific when it was afraid, Dwight just realized. But then he
thought, what the fuck? He was as good as dead anyway. Either by
the Feds that could be lurking outside his office door or Manson.
Either way, he was dead.
    “ No. I mean yes, in a way.
She was always so together and had so much. And I didn’t…you know,
I’d never have taken her from you, but she….” Dwight let out a long
breath. “I sound like I’m blaming you for this. I’m not. This is
completely my fault. I should never had taken what was yours. Not
Teri or the business.”
    “ I’m glad you did,
actually. Not the way you did it, but…I’ve met someone.” Dwight
felt the tears again and wiped at them with the back of his hand.
He wanted Josh to be happy. He felt as though if anyone deserved
it, Josh certainly did. “She’s wonderful and smart. A doctor, no
less. And she hates parties and me giving her things. She’s
perfect. I’m a better man for having her in my life.”
    “ I’m so glad for you.
Really, I am. You needed someone that made you feel like this. I’m
sorry to say, I don’t think Teri was ever going to be it.” Josh
didn’t say anything, and Dwight leaned forward in his chair. “I
need you to help me. Not to get out of this, but to make it right.
I’m so fucked right now that there is no way for me to even think
I’m going to get out of this with anything short of prison. But I
do want out, to make it right, I mean.”
    “ I don’t know what I can
do for you.” Not what he wanted to hear, but mostly what he had
expected. “Are you willing to turn on this guy and Teri? It would
mean you’d have to go deep into hiding.”
    Dwight knew then that Josh was talking
to other people about this. If he had any idea, any whatsoever that
wouldn’t get him killed, Dwight would try it. “Yes. Whatever the
Feds want, I’ll do.”
    There was a long pause. Nothing, not
even breathing on Josh’s end, and Dwight waited. He would do
whatever it took, even if he had to wear a wire. He did wonder
briefly if they did that sort of thing still. With all the
technology nowadays, more than likely they’d come up with a better
system.
    “ Someone will be in touch.
Just don’t say a word to anyone or the deal is off.” Dwight nodded,
then realized that Josh couldn’t see him. “Do you hear me, Dwight?
Not a word or it’s over.”
    “ Nothing. Not even to
myself.” He was going for a joke and it was a failure like his life
was at the moment. “When?”
    “