‘Good morning, you two,’ he says, his vocal cords no doubt ravaged by hollering too much last night. ‘Bought you this.’
He walks over and hands me the takeout coffee. He knows how I like it. ‘You’re the bomb,’ I tell him.
I don’t think Echo’s figured out yet that I view him as my surrogate father. Or maybe he has, and he just don’t wanna say anything about it.
He steps back. Looks all serious. ‘You gave us all a fright last night, son.’
‘Scared myself. I don’t recommend skydiving without a parachute.’
He smiles and shakes his head. ‘I’m glad you’re all right. Better than glad.’
There’s a short silence before I ask him, ‘You head back over there yet?’
Echo’s wide shoulders slump. He reaches into his pocket for his phone. He unlocks it and navigates to something on the screen before handing the phone to me.
‘First picture show’s what’s left of Scotch. Second, what’s left of the auto shop. Third shows… third shows what’s left of your motorcycles, AJ, I’m sorry.’
I glance down. The first photograph shows a large heap of blackened, charred remains. There’s nothing at all left of Scotch & Smoke. It’s gone, save for the broken outline of the bar. I swallow a lump in my throat and scroll across. Echo’s shop is mostly destroyed. I swipe my thumb across the screen again and my heart does a little flip in my chest.
My bikes are two burned out heaps of charcoal.
I sigh. So many memories were attached to those wheels.
Hollie moves closer and I show her, and hear her gasp.
‘Wow,’ I say. ‘So… I can’t walk. I’ve lost my home, my job and the only two possessions I ever cared about.’
‘I’m so sorry,’ Hollie whispers beside me.
I grab her hand again. ‘I didn’t lose you. Imagine if you’d stayed with me last night. And you had to jump too. And maybe one of us didn’t survive the fall. I can live without my motorcycles, Hollie. What I can’t live without is you.’
She leans into me. I wrap her in an embrace. My heart is thudding in my chest.
I’m still holding onto her when Echo says, ‘We’re taking the deal, AJ.’
I let go of Hollie. I don’t flinch, because it’s hardly a surprise.
‘Land will be turned over to the developers twenty-one days from now.’
The room goes quiet. I nod my head. I’ve always known it was never a matter ofif, butwhen.
‘They gonna find someplace for everybody to live?’ I ask.
‘Word has it, bunch of empty apartments over in Eastvale. I’m thinking of renaming itLittle Rapture.’
I laugh at that, because he’ll never give up the Rapture name, even if they bulldoze what’s left of the place. ‘Any word on what the sheriff has on Evelyn Wallace?’
‘A voice recording. Casey Flood made it when he and his homeboy agreed to her terms and to torch the place. Collateral, for when they inevitably ended up behind bars. I’m guessing she had no idea they were recording her. Word has it she’s denying everything. She’ll see the inside of a cell one day, that’s for sure. What about your father?’
He’s looking at Hollie. My girl looks sad, and I wish I could take away the pain and confusion that she’s feeling right now. ‘He claims he knew nothing about it,’ she says. ‘I believe him, but there’s every chance he could get caught up in all of it.’
‘For your sake, I hope that doesn’t happen,’ Echo says.
She looks to the floor. ‘Thank you, Echo.’
Echo then looks me over. ‘So. They say how long you gotta stick around in this joint?’
‘Up to two weeks,’ I grind out, because I wanted to be out of here yesterday. I’ve realized I am not good at being laid up.