Twenty-Eight and a Half Wishes(97)

 

“I told you I don’t know,” Joe growled back, but he sounded out of breath.

 

The wood beams beneath me vibrated after a loud bang and Joe grunted. I bit my lip and tears spilled down my cheeks.

 

“If Crocker finds out you had anything to do with this, you’re a dead man.” A few seconds later, the door slammed and the sound of a car faded off into the distance.

 

I was safe, for the moment, but terrified for Violet. If Crocker’s guys came looking for me at Joe’s, they were sure to go to Violet’s next. I needed to get out. Hysteria bubbled up, tightening my throat. I took a slow breath and held it in my chest before releasing it. I needed to save her, but Joe said to stay here no matter what.

 

Finally, the silhouette of Joe’s head appeared in the opening. “I think it’s safe now. You can come out.”

 

“Joe! I have to go save Violet!” I cried out, struggling to crawl along the floor joists. When I got close enough, Joe reached his hand out to me and helped me maneuver to the steps.

 

“It’s okay. I’ve already taken care of Violet. I’m sorry, I should have told you when I stuck you up here, but I was too scared they were gonna get here before I got you hidden.”

 

“But how? When?”

 

“I’ll explain it all, but I promise you. Violet and her family are safe at your aunt’s house.”

 

We reached the bottom and my legs gave out. I sagged into him. Joe wrapped his arms around my back and pulled me in a tight embrace.

 

“Thank you.” I burrowed into his chest and he grunted from the force. I pulled back to look at him, remembering his sounds of pain earlier. Joe’s face was bruised, his eye swollen, his lower lip split open. “Oh!” I said, reaching up and lightly touching his cheek. “They hurt you. I’m sorry.”

 

He pulled me into an embrace and cupped the back of my head. “It’s okay. I couldn’t let him kill you.” Joe held me tighter and let out a heavy sigh into my hair.

 

“Would he have killed me, even though I brought him the flash drive?”

 

Joe took a ragged breath before he answered, his voice shaky. “Yeah.”

 

I started to shake, and Joe led me into his bedroom. We sat on the edge of his bed, our bodies pressed together. I leaned my head into the crook of his arm. But I didn’t cry, I guessed I was past crying.

 

“How did you save Violet?”

 

“I called her after you left to meet Crocker. I told her to leave as soon as possible and made her call me when she got to your aunt’s house. They’ll be safe there until this is all over.”

 

“When will this be all over?”

 

“Tomorrow, well, today. It’s Sunday now.”

 

“What’s gonna happen?” I asked even though I wasn’t sure I wanted to know.

 

“Crocker and his little empire are goin’ down.”

 

“How?”

 

“I’ll tell you later. When it’s done.”

 

I could accept that. “Crocker said you worked for him and were watchin’ me. He said you told him I was good in bed.” Indignation simmered below the surface, but the fact Joe saved Violet and me and got beat up to do it trumped my pride.

 

Joe sighed and pulled me tighter. “Yeah, I did, but it’s complicated. I told him I was watchin’ you to hold him off from killin’ you. He suspected you had the flash drive so I told him I lived next to you and I could find out where it was. If you were dead, he’d never get it. I held him off as long as I could, but like I told you earlier, he was desperate. The person who has it made him look bad and he had to have the information on that drive before his big meetin’ today.”

 

“Which is why he would have killed me anyway.”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“But I never had it. Why did he think I did?”

 

“Because of your reaction to him at the DMV. He knew the person who had it was associated with the DMV. You changed your hair and got new clothes. Then you started spendin’ money, you got a new car and a big diamond ring … he thought you were spendin’ the money he paid you. Or rather the person with the real flash drive.”

 

“Did you think I had it?”

 

He hesitated before he admitted. “I wasn’t sure.”

 

“How could you think that?” I pulled away, offended.

 

“Lots of reasons.” He felt me stiffen but pulled me back. “I’m so sorry, Rose, but I’ve been dealin’ with a lot of bad people and I’ve become jaded enough to consider everyone suspect until proven innocent.