Page 36 (1/2)

"Hello, Little Mouse" It’s the standard greeting, only there’s the tightness in Sam’s voice that I hear when he’s displeased with er?"

Shit

He knows her name

That means they talked

What did he say to her? What did she tell hi at a strip club? That I moved? My hand finds its way to clutch ertips as I s once, twice, three tier! In only minutes, shethe crippling lump in my throat, I explain, "A friend"

"A friend who answers this phone?"

"I was in the bathroo pause That’s how Sam typically shows his irritation Silence I think he believes the

I think he’s right

"Is your friend Ginger going to be answering your phone fro pause "I told you to lay lon there Making friends is not laying low"

Okay, deep breaths It doesn’t sound like she’s told hishe’s just a neighbor who cohbor who you let answer that phone?" My stoer, still stretched out on azine "Do I need to come down there to check on you?"

I bite back the screaet out in a relatively cal tabs on me so far, from the sounds of it, and I sure as hell don’t want hi my little make-believe life causesout that I’veGinger

God knohat he’d do to her then

"This isn’t a gaht away," Sam demands in a clipped tone

"Okay" I don’t hesitate, not for a split second Even though I wasn’t expecting a call for another week or two and I really don’t want to do a drop today But I guess business is good for Saoes dead and I shut the bathroo my nauseous sto? I need to be smarter about this This is all pretend A pretend life, pretend friends, pretend laughter

Pretend feelings