Page 46 of Bring Me Back

The shop door barely closes before my phone starts ringing. Unknown caller flashes across the screen as I walk into the coffee shop next door. The chances of this being anyone but Arsenio are slim to none.

“Seb, how’ve you been?” I ask, and his dark chuckle echoes through the speaker.

“Helo, I’m getting a little impatient with this cat-and-mouse game. I know you and Mr. Negan have been working to find the holes in my operation, but my patience has run out. I need names.” Over the past year, Breaker and I have discovered a coup in the works inside of Arsenio’s organization. We’ve been working silently to help him eliminate the smaller players, but I know he’s ready to cut the snake off at the head.

I order my black coffee from Vanessa, the owner here, giving her a friendly wave as I pick up my cup and walk back out to the sidewalk. I watch my wife through the front window as she talks charismatically with the girls checking in next door. The contrast between every ounce of color she brings into my life and the darkness surrounding my work is so blatant sometimes.

“I can give you the names, but are you really ready to act on that? I’m not questioning you, but this has the potential to obliterate your entire family. I don’t want to see this end badly for you, my friend. And I definitely don’t want to see this end badly for me if anyone should catch wind of our involvement together.” I tell him, thinking of the safety of my wife and my son.

“I need to get away from here. It’s no longer safe for me to stay in Florida. I’m too exposed, and there are too many uncertainties within my ranks. As much as I hateto do this, I believe I’m going to call in those favors you owe me.” Arsenio says, sounding unsure for the first time in all the years I’ve known him.

As I rack my brain, thinking of some way I could help him out of this shitty situation, I’m distracted by Vanessa taping a sign onto the front window of the coffee shop. A sly smile spread across my face as I read the details printed there.

“Seb, can you meet me at my house this weekend? I think I might have an idea.” I tell him, knowing this is a long shot.

“Of course, I can be there in less than 48 hours.” He hangs up without any more conversation.

This might be the craziest idea I’ve ever concocted, but it just might be what saves his ass. At this point, only time will tell. Before I can talk myself out of it, I walk back inside the coffee shop. Vanessa looks up from the table she’s wiping down, giving me the same warm smile I’ve seen nearly every day since I moved to Grovewood.

“Hey, Beckett. Something wrong?” She asks, resting her hands on her hips.

“I just wanted to ask you a few questions about the sign you just put up. You have a room for rent?” I ask, and she smiles.

“Yeah! The loft space above the shop. My brother has been staying there, but he decided to follow his heart toLA last week, so I need to find a tenant fast. Why? Are you in the market for a place in town?” She asks, quirking a brow in my direction.

“Me? Definitely not. But I may have a friend who could use a place to stay for a while.”