CHAPTER 50 #2
From where I parked down the street, I can’t help but wonder how his old landlord stayed under Finn’s radar for so long, and how many women the creep has taken advantage of in that time.
I flip down the visor and start pinning my hair back.
My hands move with purpose. Bodie roars up behind me and jumps into the passenger seat of my car just as I start adjusting the wig over my hair.
I take out a brush from my bag and comb through the pigtails, then tuck away any remaining strands of my own hair.
I glance at him to see what he makes of this. His face is set in a bewildered expression—until he sees me pull out the clown makeup. His eyes light up with pure glee.
“Well, fuck. This is not what I was expecting.” He lets out a low whistle. “You sure as hell make life interesting, Lil.”
I force a smile, feeling my nerves buzzing under my skin, but Bodie’s infectious grin makes it easier.
“I brought stuff for you too, if you’re up for it?” I gesture to the bag in the back, and his eyes practically sparkle.
“Really?” He grabs it and sets it on his lap, pulling out the items like a kid on Christmas morning. His laugh echoes through the car, pure and uninhibited. “Oh my god, how did you know? The clown makeup makes so much more sense now.”
“See, I remember Finn talking about his Army buddy who was obsessed with Batman . Movies, comics, you name it. He said the guy was constantly throwing out one-liners, and at the time, he swore it was annoying as hell.” I pause, a fond smile tugging at my lips.
“But it stuck with me over the years. How Finn would grumble about you, but it was that kind of grumbling that meant he actually liked it, sort of… in an it drives me up the fucking wall… but it’s also entertaining because he keeps life interesting. ”
Bodie’s grin grows even brighter, if that’s possible. “He talked about me?” He says it like he didn’t hear another word I said.
“Yeah, you crazy nutjob. He did. And I want you to remember something, alright?” I continue, my voice softening.
“Finn loves you, Bodie. He’s irritable and messed up right now, but that’s just the addiction talking.
He’s going to get through it, and when he does, he’ll thank you for everything you’ve done for him, for being the friend he needed, even when life got dark, and he didn’t want anyone telling him how to fix his shitty circumstances.
It means a lot to him, though he might never say it.
You’re always watching his back, caring enough to see him through his dark days, and for saving his life…
” I hold up a finger. “More than once. That shit means the world to him.”
The weight of my words hang in the air thick with emotion. I focus on my makeup, not looking at him, because I know how men are with “feelings”. But I had to tell him. Finn’s not the only one struggling here.
Bodie clears his throat, his voice a little rough. “Where’s my wig and my gun?”
“No gun,” I say, keeping my tone light. “Too loud. But there’s green hair spray for you in the bottom of the bag. And I’ll do your makeup.”
He grins widely. “Do I get the bat or the stabby poker thing?”
I raise an eyebrow.
“Alright. Stabby thing, it is.”
“There’s a knife too—with a purple handle.”
“Oh, hell yes.” He practically bounces in his seat, like he’s filled with pure joy.
“One more question. Do I actually get to use said stabby thing?”
“Yes, Bodie. We’re burying this guy today.”
“Seriously?”
Done with my face, I turn to him fully. “Seriously.” I pull the stapled papers from the bag and hand them over.
“This is what lives on this guy’s computer.
What he’s into.” It’s a summary, not the actual photos or search results that Bones found under the landlord’s IP address.
The bastard had moved on from sick and twisted pornography to child pornography, confirming for me that I couldn’t wait for life to take its natural course. He needed to be put down.
Bodie reads it all and gives me a determined nod. He rubs his hands over his jean-clad thighs. “Alright. Let’s do this shit.”
“Okay, hold still.” I set the makeup on the front console and roll down the windows. Tearing off a square, I use a paper towel to shield his face and start spraying his hair green. Then I grab the white paint and spread it over his face.
As I work on his makeup, he shifts repeatedly.
“I’m so fuckin’ excited right now.” I can’t help but laugh.
He does too, and I feel like a little kid who has suddenly found another friend who loves playing dress-up.
The only issue is, he’s too hyped to sit still, constantly wanting to check my progress in the mirror.
“Hold still or it’ll be midnight before we get in there.”
“Will you do the smiley face on my hand too? And the neck tattoos? Not exact, but something quick and badass. Can you do that?”
Smiling, I say, “Yeah, No problem. But only if you hold the fuck still.”
“Okay, okay. Sheesh, woman.”
It takes another half an hour to finish. Once I’m done, I step out of the car, peeling off the top layer of my clothes to reveal what’s underneath. Bodie follows, sliding on the colorful suit jacket I bought him.
We’re going to look like a couple of crazies walking down the street, but that can’t be helped. Hopefully, people think it’s a gig for a birthday party.
Bodie drops the bag on the hood and pulls out the fire poker. The knife he slides into his breast pocket after testing its sharpness. When I meet him on his side of the car, he hands me the bat.
I take it with a wicked grin. “You ready?”
He nods, grinning like a maniac. “And I just want to say, Lil’—you’re my new favorite person. Like, ride or fuckin’ die. I got you.”
“Yeah?”
“Fuck yes.”
I smirk and start skipping down the street, twirling the bat in my hand. “Why so serious?” I call back.
“Hey!” he hollers, jogging to catch up. “That’s my line!”
I laugh, my heart lighter than it’s been in a long while. “Are you smiling?” I call over my shoulder.
“You bet your ass I am,” he replies.
“Good,” I say. “You’re breaking character if you’re not.”
“Wait… wait… wait!” Bodie suddenly yells, running to catch up. “Where’s my machine gun? I just realized you forgot my fuckin’ machine gun!”
I laugh so hard it’s almost painful. “No machine guns were available for this venture, sorry.”
“Well, why the fuck not?”
“I promise, next adventure, there will be machine guns.”
“Now we’re talkin’.”
I shake my head, grinning. “I love you, you know that?”
“Yeah, Lil’. Samesies.”
Just as we’re about to enter the building, he hits me with, “I just figured out our ship name.”
Spinning around, taken me off guard, I ask, “Our what?”
“Third wheel to your love fest, remember? Our throuple. I just came up with our ship name.”
I take a few deep breaths, preparing for how this is going to go down. “Do I even wanna know?”
He grins. “Of course you do.”
I roll my shoulders back, trying to rid them of the tension mounting there. Once it’s gone, I say, “Okay, lay it on me.”
He lays the crowbar on his shoulder and gets a firmer grip on our supply bag. But he’s smiling like his namesake. “Loose, Boose.”
I stare at him and give absolutely nothing away. “That’s an awful name.”
He glares. “No it the fuck isn’t. It’s gold.”
“Can we argue about our ship name when we’re not about to, “ I whisper the last part, “murder a pedophile.”
He huffs, “Okay, fine. But we’re comin’ back to it later. This is important shit.”
“Alright. We will. I promise.” I pin him with a serious stare. “Now, one more time. Do you have my back? No matter what?”
“Fuck yes, I do. You got mine?”
“No question.” I hold out a fist to him with that same wild grin. He stares at it for a long time and opens his mouth. I tut and snap, “No fisting jokes. We have shit to do.”
“Why do you have to steal my thunder? It was going to be a good one.”
“Because the longer we stay out here, the more suspicious we look. Neighbors are going to realize we’re up to no good.”
He exhales, nods, and bumps his fist to mine. He follows me into the building and points down the hallway.
My gaze locks on the door with the silver number one above the keyhole. I let the memories of the landlord’s threats of eviction if I didn’t perform sexual acts for him fuel my steps.
Bodie whispers, “You know they say that friends who kill together, stay together.”
“Oh, is that what they say?”
“Yep.”
At the door, I stand to the side and arch an eyebrow. “Care to do the honors, friend?” I nod my chin towards it.
“I’d love to.” He pulls his leg up like he’s winding up for a pitch, then kicks the door with so much force it bursts open. “Like ridin’ a fuckin’ bike.” His smile has never been wider.
Honestly, I’m pretty sure mine hasn’t either. I let him enter first, following behind with a spring in my step as his wicked, demented laugh echoes down the hallway. He slips right into his role as if he were made for it. And I have to say, it’s a laugh even Jack Nicholson would be proud of.
Hours later, we call it a night. The tarped body is stashed in my trunk, and a box full of Finn’s old journals is placed on my back seat.
I’ve done what I can to scrub the blood from my body and the residue of it from under my fingernails, but the need for a shower grows by the minute.
It took longer than we anticipated to take care of the body, but now that it’s behind us, I feel lighter—my heart, less heavy.
Bodie is still riding high from playing a deranged psycho. I eye him and try to gauge how long it’s going to be before he comes down. Maybe a day or two. Honestly, I think I really have created a monster.
Seeing this side of Bodie taught me one thing—fucking with kids is a hard line for him, and God help any man who ever reveals they’ve crossed it. A demon lives in that man, and he’ll come out to play if that trigger gets flipped.