Free Covert Identity by Maria Hammarblad Page A

without cellphones, he imagined it to be like on TV. That version of him was long gone, and reality held toothless strippers, drug addicts, and deals in dilapidated trailer parks.
    The puppy shrieked, as if it were aware of its impending doom.
    If he didn't say something, do something, his soul might wither to a state where not even Sharon could bring it back, and then he would die.
    "That's enough. Cut it out." His voice made the puppy fall quiet.
    Rusty laughed. "What's wrong, Shaw? Are you soft? It's just a dog. Bait dog."
    There's no such thing as just a dog.
    The other man tossed the puppy to the side. It hit the wall and must have died instantly. He bent down to pick up the next. It was a girl, and she wagged her tiny tail.
    Reasoning wouldn't do any good. The only language understood in these parts was force.
    Jimmy clenched his jaw and tapped a finger on Rusty's shoulder. When the other man straightened up and turned around, Jimmy planted his fist on Rusty's jaw.
    No matter how this ended it was going to hurt, probably for a long time.

Chapter Nine
    ––––––––
    S haron was used to Jimmy coming and going at times that seemed peculiar to her, and she wasn't too surprised when the texted, "Bad day will B L8."
    She could almost see him squint at the phone, fumbling with the tiny buttons. She was surprised he cared enough to keep her safe from worry. Most men she'd known appeared much more stable and reliable than he on the surface, and completely missed the important details.
    By now, she was pretty good at pretending she wasn't waiting. Good enough to almost fool herself. Cooking for one seemed abhorrent, so she watched a movie on TV and had popcorn for dinner. When it was almost midnight, she thought he wouldn't show up at all. Going to bed alone depressed her, so she brought a throw and curled up on the sofa for a nap. That way she could pretend she fell asleep in front of the TV.
    A merry tune from her phone blended with her dreams. Once she opened her eyes and reached for it, holding it seemed nearly impossible. It wasn't really squirming to get away, it was just the vibration effect in her numb fingers, but only a thin veil of reality covered her dream world.
    "Hello?"
    "Hey babe... It's me. I'm, uh, drunk. Can you pick me up?"
    This is getting old, it's the kind of call teenage parents would get. Oh well, at least he called instead of wandering off or trying to drive himself. It could be worse.
    "Sure. Where are you?"
    Sleep didn't want to leave her eyes, regardless of how much she rubbed them. She pulled on a jacket and shuffled out to the car.
    On the bright side, the bar wasn't all that far away.
    The Beer Monster. I've passed this place a million times and never even thought of going in. It looks like a place where a girl would get raped and killed. Or the other way around, I don't think they care about the order.
    Jimmy's bike stood parked to the side, looking lonely. He sat on the curb, resting his head on his arms, and didn't move when she pulled up in front of him.
    Maybe he just called because the place closed.
    A few long seconds ticked by, and he made no sign of getting up.
    Great.
    The sensible part of her mind claimed it was getting time to examine her choices in life, but the rest of her didn't want to. She sighed and slammed the gear in park. He didn't move when she jumped down from the car, or look up when she stood right in front of him.
    Crossing her arms over her chest she exhaled. She should try not to sound too irritated, alienating him would be bad, but it was in the middle of the night.
    "I'm here."
    He looked up slowly, and she gasped. Even in the dim light, it was impossible to not to see a long cut under his left eye and bruises all over his face.
    "Have you been in a fight?" Stating the obvious was one of her big talents.
    "Yeah. Shitty day."
    He grimaced when he rose up, and she reached out to help. He didn't seem all that drunk; he actually didn't seem drunk at all, more