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Surprisingly--at least it was a surprise to irlfriend did Claire watched hi a word, took a deep drag of the cigarette she wasn’t supposed to be se of the wooden bench like she was about to stand, but didn’t Instead, she looked down on her boyfriend’s sprawling body and shook her head slowly as if it were a sight she had seen so often that she had grown bored with it
I slipped out of the booth and knelt next to Fenelon His hand was lazed over
"What?" he said "What?"
I leaned in and whispered "You’re right I need you I need so together, though, especially Josie and her people Call et h Claire and tell you what I need in a couple of days Don’t let me down"
"You bastard," he said I helped hi the spot on his head where I hit hi red knot, but the skin was unbroken "You sonuvabitch, I’ to fuck you up"
The bartender ca on here?" he asked
"Fucker suckered me," Fenelon said "Hit me with a bottle"
"I didn’t like the way he talked to Josie," I said
"What did he say?" the bartender asked I told him Apparently the bartender didn’t like it, either He turned Fenelon around and shoved him toward the door "I told you I didn’t want any et out" Claire followed dutifully I trailed behind, listening to Fenelon’s loud albeit wholly uniinative litany of epitaphs and threats Outside the bar he turned on me
"I’m not finished with you," he shouted It was an i, but then Fenelon was just playing hin in a way that only he could see it and stood watching while he retreated to his car Across the county road I noticed that the third armored truck had been returned to the terminal, the other vehicles had disappeared, and the enclosure was now locked tight After watching Fenelon spin his wheels on the loose gravel and drive off, I went back inside
Josie had returned to our original stools at the bar I joined her there She looked at me as if she didn’t knohether she should be iry After a few silent moments, she asked, "Did you do that forme?"
"Yes"
"I don’t believe you"
"There’s no reason why you should"
"What if he calls the police?"