“Why are you watching, Violet?” I ask.
Rita looks a little shifty when she replies, “No reason, Finger.” I watch as she rushes away but turn and glance at Violet for a moment myself. Seeing nothing untoward, I shrug it off and go check if Coin is ready to head out.
TRACKER
“Cilla, my office,” I keep my voice as light as I can. I have a deep voice, so sometimes it sounds gruffer than I mean it to, but there is nothing I can do about it.
Cilla closes the office door, then I point to the chairs near the window. I take one seat and Cilla takes the other.
“What can I do for you, Tracker?” Cilla asks, and I give her my best smile, but when she flinches slightly, I’m not sure it was as comforting as I hoped it would be.
“I’m curious how your ability works. Can you see and talk to all the dead people?” I ask while leaning forward in my seat.
Cilla looks at me with some surprise but answers me quickly enough. “Well, I only see the dead that want to speak to me. Usually, they want me to help them in one way or another. Like a few weeks ago, I had a lady wanting me to stop her niece from being killed. I rushed to the park where she told me the child was, and I got there just in time to stop her from running into the road and getting killed.”
“That is incredible,” I respond genuinely, thinking that it is incredible she saved a child’s life. “So, why Bono?”
Sighing, Cilla looks to her left as she replies. “Bono came to me and said he was a service brother to you and wanted to help however he could. He is a menace and a bit of an asshole, but he loves you and your brothers.”
I nod in understanding because we all love each other after serving together, or having served. “He was a brilliant brother, and we all miss him.”
“He misses all of you but was thankful he had the opportunity to help you. He is a very determined character, and thanks to Finger we now have Tank and Pyro on the team,” Cilla rubs the bridge of her nose, showing she is a little frazzled.“The three of them have gone for now and are looking for the bomber, and exactly where ZeBach is hiding. But you know your grandpop keeps following you around.”
I smirk because my grandpop was a bastard. A tough cookie who didn’t suffer fools. He would have shot you as soon as look at you, and how my grandmama put up with him, I don’t know. “Tell the old fool to go with Grandmama and I’ll see him again one day. I don’t need him following me around and seeing what I’m doing. Can you imagine having a good fuck and then thinking he could be standing somewhere watching?”
Cilla giggles. “He wouldn’t stand and watch you doing intimate things.” Now, I am sure the old fucker said something because Cilla’s face turns a shade of red that you could call crimson, or tomato.
“Dirty fucker. Watching people like that. You need to get gone and stay gone.” Yeah, I go there with him. What can he do to me, he’s dead after all? “Has he gone, Cilla?”
“Yes, he has gone. It is nice when relatives come to check how you are, but your grandpop didn’t show any sign of embarrassment when you’re having relations was mentioned. In fact, I think he could have seen and watched in the past.”
“If he comes again, we need to get Grandmama to come and sort his ornery ass out. She’ll put him in his place without a second thought. I’ve seen her chase him with a skillet and a rolling pin.” I laugh to myself at the memory.
“I will try that if he comes back,” Cilla says, right before she looks over my shoulder and frowns. “Tank is here with us. He said to tell you he’s okay and you need to stop worrying.”
“That’s good to know,” I reply, feeling somewhat weird at the thought that a dead Tank is somewhere in the room with us. “Has he found the bomber, Cilla?”
“Tank said the bomber is coming tonight. He is sure he’ll come through the fencing on the south side. Be ready and don’t hesitate. The bomber isn’t going to hold back. He wants the job done, his money, then to disappear.”
“Does he know roughly what time?” I ask but was shocked when Cilla told me to speak to Tank directly. But you know, I do it, “Tank, what time are we talking about?”
“He said around midnight, or just before,” Cilla stands and walks over to me, pats my shoulder with a soft smile. “You keep talking and I’ll give you his responses.”
I get to my feet and look at the blank space that Cilla is looking at. I know Tank is there. I just wish I could see him. “Tank, where is Pyro?”
Cilla again tells me the reply, “Pyro is chasing ZeBach and apparently, he is having a great time. He said Pyro will be back within two days.”
“We have little time left, and we have to be ready. If you can keep speaking with the three of them, Cilla, we may be able to stay on top of what trouble this ZeBach can bring.”
“Tank says he will tell you everything he finds out, and so will Pyro.”
“Thanks, Cilla.” My gratitude to this woman knows no bounds. She is stepping up when we need her, and she appears not to be afraid either.
Cilla leaves the office, and the whole time she was walking out, she was talking about nasty ass attitude. Cilla doesn’t care how cute the ass is, she is not putting up with all their bullshit. My thought was good luck with that!
Cap walks into the office and takes a seat, waiting for me to update him on my conversation with Cilla. But you know I’m notgoing to go over it all. Why bother when I have more things to do? “Tonight, all brothers are to be in their positions. Midnight, this fucker is coming to set the bomb. Tank has told Cilla we need to be ready and not mess around with him. Pyro is chasing down ZeBach. But Cap, one problem at a time. Let’s find this snitch...”
“I’ve had a conversation with Cilla, and I’m hoping she can lead us to the snitch...” Cap is cut off from saying more when Finger walks into the office.