Page 19 of Rough

“Who?”

“Them. The filthy Fuckers.”

“Why do you say that?”

He widened his eyes comically. “Let’s see. Extortion. Money laundering. Firearms. Arson. And, oh my god. Murder.”

“Murder?”

He straightened his posture, pointed his index finger at me, and then wagged it once at the instant he spoke. “Murder.”

I shrugged. “Obviously, it wasn’t him, or he’d be in prison. That’s what they do with criminals, they put them in prison.”

“You’re so optimistic it makes me sick. Not sick enough to rid myself of that chicken you just fed me, though. Oh my god. That was soooo good, by the way. Did I tell you that? If I didn’t, I’m sorry. Anyway, see how you do that? Your optimism diverts my thoughts,” he said in one breathless sentence.

“Slow down.” I said with a laugh. “You were talking about--”

“I was talking about your lack of participation in all things feminine.” He relaxed against his chair back and crossed his legs. “Any normal girl would say oh my god, who’d they murder?”

“Stop it. I’m normal.”

He looked me over, and then let out a sigh. “You stop it. You’re adorable, but that’s where the similarities between you and a woman cease to exist.”

“I have no interest in him. I’m caring for his father.”

“What if he comes home with a chainsaw and cuts off your arms?”

“He was a dick, but not that kind of dick.”

“And you know this how?”

“Women’s intuition?”

He coughed out a laugh. “If you were a woman, maybe.”

“I’m sure if one of them did something, he got locked away. If Pee Bee’s out roaming the streets, he’s not a murderer.”

“For what it’s worth, none of them are in prison. They’re suspected of those things, but none of them have been proven. Yet. Their little gang is listed on the federal OMG website. That’s where I got the information.”

“The federal government has an OMG website?” I laughed. “OMG.”

“OMG as in Outlaw Motorcycle Gang. Not the conjunction.”

“Oh.”

“That’s it?” His face contorted. “No more questions?”

“I don’t care,” I said. “His dad’s kind of funny, and it’s a great job.”

“His father probably helps hide the bodies.”

I laughed out loud. “He’s confined to a chair. He can’t even walk.”

“I bet he knows things.”

“He’s his father, I’m sure he does.”

He lowered his eyes to the table. After a few silent seconds, he let out a gasp and his eyes went wide. “Ask him.”