Chapter 33

“You and Ginger belong together. I’m the one, me, I’m going to sign everything away,” Del promised. “You keep Ginger and all his money, all Grandmother’s, the house, everything, and I’ll take the cats I adopted and move somewhere else. Ginger….”

“Ginger…”

They were red hot, now, back at Baily’s truck.

“Look,” Del said. “Paw prints. They stop right here.”

“Yeah, but there could be more, some we ruined.”

“Or…or Ginger could be under this tarp in the back of your truck.”

Olly olly oxen free?

“Are you under there, Ginger?”

When I gave myself up by moving, Baily sat where there used to be a tailgate.

“Oh, man. Thank goodness.” He let out a long breath I could see because of the cold.

“Yeah.” When Del sat, too, I came out and got on his lap.

“Del first, huh?” Baily said to me.

I owed Del, but then I went to Baily and headbutted him.

“Ginger headbutts, nothing better.”

Can we go in, now? I’m cold and exhausted.

“Thank you, Del.”