Chapter 37

“I’m not stopping for cigarettes,” said Kiko, unlocking the truck. After a moment, Dom got in.

“I don’t need them,” he said, but he sounded irritated about it. He never spoke about when he used to smoke, so Kiko never asked.

“I picked up a jar of that bacon relish.”

There was a pause, and Kiko decided to take a long route back. Dom didn’t question when he made a different turn.

“Are we kicking him out?”

“No,” said Kiko, finding the spot by the side of the road he wanted and parking.

“You tossed Travis out.”

“Dom,” said Kiko, unbuckling his seat belt and leaning over, “I’m sorry. I should have listened to you.” He unbuckled Dom’s seat belt, too.

“How do you deal with it?” asked Dom, then, “What are you doing?”

“What do you think? You say it’s tradition, when we’re solving a mystery. And I think you could use a distraction.”