A Cold Day In Hell

“If you’ve got something to say that’s to do with us, we’ll hear it if you don’t mind,” Finn said.

Emma leaned harder against him and reached up to hold one of his hands.

“Sir?” Sampson said to Matt.

“Okay, it can’t be that big a deal,” Matt said. “Shoot.”

Sampson shuffled forward and held out a hand. “This was on a chair in Out Back, sir. And this was on the floor.”

Emma couldn’t see what they were talking about.

“So?” Matt said.

“Mrs. Forestier says these are Mrs. Duhon’s purse and notebook. We can’t find any pieces of yellow paper out here.”

8

At Aaron’s house, Sonny asked, “How long d’you think they’ll be gone?” He propped himself beside Aaron on his bed and they watched the back lights on Eileen’s van bob up the driveway. She had dropped the two of them off after they got back from Chuzah’s. Now she was driving Angel back to his place.

“What is it?” Aaron said. “About twenty minutes each way?”

Sonny slanted a glance at him. “If your mom goes straight there and straight back.”

“She wouldn’t be running errands at this time of night.”

“Nope,” Sonny said. “Too bad he chose today to run to work.”

Aaron swallowed from a can of Coke. He followed this up with a handful of jelly beans.

Maybe it wasn’t easy to talk about your mother, Sonny thought. He tried not to think about his, but that was easy.

“D’you know how to use that gun Angel gave you?” Aaron asked.

Sonny sat up straighter. “He wouldn’t have given it to me if I didn’t. I grew up around guns. Makes sense to make sure I can look after us, especially now—unless we want Angel glued to us 24/7.”

“Will you teach me?”

They were from different planets. Sonny crossed his arms and took a deep breath. “Angel’s the one to do that. We’ll ask him.”

“Then my mom will find out.”

Different solar systems. Sonny drew up his shoulders. “I dunno, then. I guess…”

“Drop it. But, thanks. Maybe I’ll talk to Mom about it, just feel her out.”

“She has a gun.”

“Yeah,” Aaron said.

Sonny figured it really was time to drop the subject. “Didn’t Eileen ever date before?”

It was a long time before Aaron said, “She was married to my dad.”

“Like how many years ago?” Sonny said.

“A couple of years.” Aaron tipped back his head and poured more jelly beans into his mouth, lifting his hand higher and higher but never dropping a bean. He coughed. “She went out with Matt Boudreaux last year, but they were just friends.”

Sonny felt guilty—just a little guilty. He’d known about Matt from something Angel had said. Angel didn’t like Matt Boudreaux.

“Off topic,” he said. “How close are you and Sally? She’s hot.” He needed to change the subject again and girls were close to his heart—and other things.

Aaron treated him to a slit-eyed stare. “None of your business.”

“Okay, but those eyes aren’t all she’s got that’s big. She’s got—”

“Cut it out.”

Sonny sighed loudly. “I think I’m getting through to Miranda. It’s about time she figured out I’m the best thing likely to happen to her in this hick town.”

“Yeah?”

He liked Aaron a lot, but talking to him took a lot of effort. “I’m thinking about a double date.”

“Keep on thinkin’,” Aaron said. “Those two aren’t panting to go out with us.”

“Well, I’m panting. I’m in pain…you’re, well, we’ll work it out.”

Aaron looked like his mind had moved on. Time to get back to the Angel-Eileen question. Sonny thought it would be good for Angel to have someone else to fill up a lot of his time. The guy was decent, but he cramped Sonny’s style.

Sonny slid down flat and watched the muted television flicker colors on the ceiling. “My mom dated.”

“Yeah?” Aaron stopped chewing for a second, then carried on. “How long after your dad was dead?”

“He wasn’t.”

Aaron choked on his jelly beans. “Sorry.”

“S’okay. They’re both dead now.” Now what had made him spill his guts to Aaron? True, he’d never had a good friend before, but he knew better than to get loose lips. Angel would kill him if he found out. “Aaron?”

“Yeah?”

“In my family we don’t talk about personal stuff. I’d get in trouble for that. You understand?”

Aaron landed a floppy punch on Sonny’s chest. “What you tell me stops here.”

“Same for me,” Sonny said.

They both fell silent.