Chapter 129

“Maybe he did, maybe he didn’t. Maybe he could. Maybe he couldn’t. He was kind of incapacitated when I left him back there at the pharmacy.”

“If you hurt Patrick…”

“If I hurt Patrick what?” Tom got right in my face. “You gonna hit me again?”

I didn’t answer.

“You want to find out, you’ll get on the bike.”

“No.”

Tom yanked me hard, raising me to meet him eye to eye. “You can come, or you can fight me. Those are your choices.”

When he pulled me forward, I didn’t resist.

“Atta boy.”

At the bike, Tom tossed the helmet a little too hard, and then cussed me out when I missed and let it hit the ground.

“Stupid fuck.”

“Sorry.”

I put it on, maybe more for protection from the tire iron or his fists than from the ride. Once I was behind him, “Hold on,” he said.