Page 19 of Starving Butterfly
“I haven’t the slightest idea, I do not associate with my former colleagues.” He replied smoothly without an ounce of sympathy.
“Bullshit, you think I’m stupid. I see the way you’ve set yourself up. I know you still have skin in the game.” He put his hand up as if to defend himself against my accusations, and that’s when my eyes caught on the white gauze wrapped around his right hand.
“Son, I don’t know what lies you’ve been hearing. But I assure you I have no idea where Midas is these days. Last time we spoke you were this high. You’ve always had a problem keeping track of what’s yours—business-wise.” He gestured to about chest level, and my jaw ticked with irritation. He was lying to me, as always.
“If that’s the case, I am supposed to assume that your up to your old methods without him? Your hand for instance?” I gestured to the bandaged hand, and he looked at it.
“I have a new dog.” He shrugged, my eyes drifted back toward the hallway with the cameras. Something about it made my skin crawl. “Why are you really here son? Business not going well?”he redirected, and my eyes snapped to his.
“You should know seeing as your pockets haven’t suffered.” I scoffed. A dull thump echoed somewhere deeper in the house. Not music, something heavier.
“True, campaigns don’t fund themselves. If that’s all son, I’d like to go back to bed now.”
“You’ll be seeing me soon.”
As I stepped back out into the night, the smell clung to me. Smoke. Something else mingled with it; I couldn’t place it. I didn’t know what he was hiding, but I knew it was here.
16
THORN IN MY SIDE
November 25th
“Lucas, where is she?” I spat into the phone.
He didn’t reply, but I swear I heard the slightest smile cross his lips.
“Where the other one is, in a cold hospital bed. Waiting.” He spoke after a minute.
“You know you are a real bastard sometimes.” I sighed, leaning against the wall.
“Yes.” he replied cooly, “When can I expect your return?”
I pinched the bridge of my nose and swiped at my tired eyes. Lucas was playing his hand; his need for control wasn’t a “when can we” it was the “when can I.” Control.
He waited, as he always did in these situations. I could faintly hear his breaths through the line as I contemplated my words. The soft hum of machinery in the background filtered through the phone as he walked.
“I have a shift at the hospital at noon. Obsidian wants me back after. Find time between there.” I paused longer than I should have before I asked, “Does she trust you?”
“Which one?” I felt the cockiness without having to see it.
“Summer…She’s different.”
“She’s blonde.” He spat.
“That bothers you.”
“It always bothered me.” He said, matter of fact.
“Of course,” I replied, a confirmation to the past we never spoke about, the blonde he never saw again.
“I’ll let you in on a little secret, maybe it’s the goodness in my heart.” He redirected.
“There is no goodness in you, so what price am I paying?” I bit out coldly.
“Keep better eye on your playthings, this one seems to have a mind of her own. You know how dangerous that can be.” It was a threat, but also truth disguised as a nicety. There was silence on the line as he let that sink in. He didn’t have to tell me the price. My mind did the calculations. There were a few things that Lucas and I had agreed to purchase together. There was also the matter of our devious actions. I did the math; he hated the cold.
“A prosthetic for the doll orourvilla?” I sighed, pinching my nose. This was transactional. It always had been a transaction with Lucas. “You know what, just take the villa it’s useless to me right now anyways. The doll will have a prosthetic by the end of the week.” I finished.
