Page 43 of Taint
“Because he took her from me,” I admit. “Along with my best friend.”
“What? How did Hazel end up with you?” Cady asks, confused.
“I took her. Simple as that,” I growl, growing impatient.
“Why would you do that?” Erick says, his voice rising. Maybe he does have some balls on him after all.
“I wanted to keep her safe, and she wouldn’t talk to me. She didn’t need to sit around here being reminded of what he did to her. And if Phil came back looking for her, he wouldn’t find her.”
“But he did find her,” Cady yells.
“Yes, he did!” Cady cowers at my shout, and Erickpushes himself more in front of her. I run my hand through my hair in frustration and grit, “But she wasn’t what he originally came for, just a bonus prize.”
“Quit beating around the bush and get to the fucking point.” Erick stares at me like it’s the first time he’s ever met me.
I nod and begin pacing in front of the coffee table, wondering where I even begin and how to tell them everything. Cady and Erick watch every move I make. I would be suspicious too.
After a moment of silence, Cady asks, “You said Phil took her and your best friend. Why would he take your best friend?”
I stop mid-step and swivel around to face them. “He wanted the formula for Snap.”
“And how does your best friend know where to get it?” Erick asks, seeming even more confused by the second.
“Because he created it.” They peek at one another nervously. “We sell it.”
“What does Bobby have to do with all this?” Erick asks uneasily.
“He’s going to team up with Phil to help me get them back. You two,” I wave my finger between them, “are going to act like you know nothing about it and stay out of the way.”
Erick shakes his head and stands. “I don’t like any ofthis shit! You are gonna get him killed!”
“Phil will kill them if we don’t do something! Bobby is close with Dustin. If anyone can find where Phil is, it’s Bobby. And he will.”
“What happens then?” Cady’s trembling voice interrupts our shouts.
“Bobby gets Hazel and Joseph out of there while I deal with Phil.”
Erick wraps his arm around Cady and says, “And by deal with Phil, you mean—”
“Kill him,” I say without hesitation.
CADY
Cash is a drug dealer. He plans to kill Phil. No if’s, and’s, or but’s. I prop my elbows on my knees and drop my face in my hands to try to regulate my breathing as Cash starts from the beginning. With every word he speaks, I grow to despise him more and more. He let all of this happen to keep his empire. Hazel almost died so he could keep his secret and his money. Cash may act like he cares now, but that’s all it is. A fucking act. Now Hazel isn’t the only one trapped in this shit, we all are. How are we supposed to trust him? Will he kill us too?
When Bobby gets back, we are having a long talk. I can’t believe he jumped in the middle of this. He is not only going to get himself killed, but the others as well if Phil discovers why he’s there. I want to help getHazel home, too, I just don’t want anyone to die in the process. Except Phil. That fucker needs to burn.
Cash stops talking, and I raise my head to see him staring at me. He’s worried and doesn’t know what else to do. He doesn’t look dangerous, but appearances can always be deceiving. Phil is the perfect example.
His phone rings before I can respond to anything he said, and he answers it.
“I’m at Hazel’s,” he says into the phone. “Bring him here.”
The menacing way he ends the call proves we haven’t seen the real him yet. He taps some buttons on his phone, and then tucks it into his back pocket.
My body stiffens with worry when there’s a knock on the door. Erick doesn’t seem to be taking all of this very well. He’s on edge, too, and I can see his anger below the surface.
Cash walks over to the door and opens it. A man is shoved through the doorway and stumbles over the threshold into the living room. Erick immediately shoots to his feet and yanks me up with him. He backs me into the corner and stands in front of me, blocking my view. I peek around Erick’s arm to see a thug and an underwear model standing in the middle of the room next to Cash. What the hell is going on?
