Chapter 66

The man jumped back. “Oh, Jesus.”

“Hey, man, leave him alone, will you?” August took Billy’s arm and pulled on him. “Let’s go. Let’s go.”

“I need to get Xavier,” Billy muttered. “I need Xavier—”

“Shut up and walk fast. Don’t turn around. Keep walking.”

“I hate you.” But Billy let August lead him to Fabienne’s home.

Arrived, August check the street. “All right, they didn’t follow us. Get inside.”

“That’s a ‘For Sale’ sign.” Billy shook his head, the whole sham being revealed to him before August could say anything. There was a narrow black ‘For Sale’ sign bolted to the left window shutter of the house. It was black and wasn’t obvious, but he could see it plainly now. “We we’re too excited,” he said, almost to himself. “And Fabienne called us from above, distracting us.”

August sighed out loud and pushed the door open. “Billy, we didn’t mean no harm. You think I thought the night would end like this?” He tossed his head at the entrance. “Come on. Please. Get in.”