busted, too, so he needs to fix it.”
“You won’t let me do anything for you. You’re too independent for your own good, you know that?”
“So I’ve been told.”
I canceled my study date with Janelle. Too much drama, I tapped out on my phone’s tiny keyboard. Then I busied myself with customers and coffee, trying not to dwell on the mountain of problems crashing down on me. Apparently I didn’t do so hot. Said customers weren’t impressed with my disposition and my tips sucked.
Janelle walked in a half hour before closing. She’d never been here before and she surveyed the room as she walked up to the counter and took a seat. “So this is where the magic happens, huh?”
I smiled, happy to see her, and poured her a cup of coffee. “This is it.”
“It could use a little freshening up.” She glanced at the photo of a younger Ma, Frank, and little boy Ray hanging next to the cash register.
“Nah. I think it’s perfect like this.”
She took a sip of coffee and appraised me. “You look like shit on a shingle, girl, and you’re paler than usual. What have you been up to?”
“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”
She rolled her eyes. “Try me. Any news on Axton?”
In between taking care of my last customer and introducing her to Ma, I filled Janelle in on the shit storm my life had become.
She nodded at my now lukewarm cup of Joe. “You may need something stronger than that after the week you’ve had.”
“I hear you.”
Ma came up and patted my butt. “Take it easy, toots. Roxy and I will clean up.”
Roxy stuck her tongue out at me. I was going to have to make it up to them at some point. They’d been shouldering the load for a week now.
Janelle brushed a braid over her shoulder. “So, let me get this straight. You’ve got a missing friend, a crazy ex, a cute lawyer, a hot guy busting down your door, you beat the shit out of Ben Franklin, and everything you own, except that trashy car, has been destroyed? That’s what you’re telling me?”
“Yep,” I said, “that about covers it.”
“Sounds to me like you need some personal protection and I am not talking about a love glove. What if this asshole breaks in again? Or that guy who was with him?”
“Henry?”
“Yeah, Henry. What if Henry comes back? You need to be able to protect your shit, girl.”
“Are you talking about a gun?” I think my voice went up an octave. “Because I don’t know about that.”
“Hell yes, I’m talking about a gun.” She poked me in the arm with a blue-tipped nail. “You pull a gun on his ass, he’ll think twice about fucking with you.”
I imagined toting a big honking six-shooter in my backpack. “I’d probably wind up shooting myself in the elbow. Lose my good texting arm.”
Roxy glanced up from the table she was wiping. “I think it’s a good idea.”
I pressed my lips together and shook my head. “No way.”
“Fine,” Janelle said. “How about a stun gun? Zap him right in the balls, see how he likes that.”
Now we’re talking. The thought of zapping Henry in the balls filled me with delight. “Where do I get one of those?”
“My cousin sells them. He’ll give you a deal.”
Ma put her hands on her hips. “I think we all need some kind of protection. Get me some of that pepper spray.” She walked behind the counter and scrounged around in her purse, pulling out two twenties. “And see if they have a rape whistle. A girl can’t be too careful.”
I shoved the bills in my pocket. “Roxy, you in?”
“Hell yes.”
So I’d eat ramen noodles for the next two weeks. Feeling protected would be worth it. “Where’s his store?”
“He doesn’t have a store so much as a full trunk. I’ll have him meet us at school in an hour. Bring cash.”
Roxy and I drove out to the college the second we locked up the diner. We found Janelle and her cousin waiting for us in the parking lot. Tariq wore jeans and a striped polo that looked four sizes too big. Dozens of little braids covered his head and large diamond adorned his right earlobe. He shook our hands when we met, his gaze lingering on Roxy.
“Blue’s a good color on you,” he said.
Twisting a braid around her finger, she smiled. “Thanks.”
“Come on, Tariq,” Janelle said. “I don’t have all damn day. I’ve got a class to get to.” Unlike me, Janelle was a full time student.
Tariq held up his hands. “All right, cuz, calm down.” He turned back to Roxy and me. “I hear you ladies are in the market for a little personal protection.”
“First I want a can of pepper spray and a rape whistle for my boss,” I said.
He opened the trunk of his silver Ford sedan to a large display of miscellaneous self-defense items. “I don’t have a rape whistle,” he said. He handed me a can of pepper spray, then reached back into the trunk and came out with a black leather pouch. He pulled a shiny four-sided weapon out of it. “I got a Chinese throwing star, though.”
“Aren’t those illegal?” I asked.
Tariq shrugged.
It seemed like something Ma would like. “Okay, I’ll take it.”
“Fifty.”
“All I have is twenty.”
“Since you’re a friend of Janelle’s, I’m willing to work with you.”
For myself, I bought a can of pepper spray I could hang from my key chain, then Tariq handed me a stun gun. “You got to be careful with this.”
I pressed the trigger, jumping as a current shot between the two points. “I’ll take it.” I forked over forty dollars — mostly in ones from my tip money.
“Now,” he focused on Roxy, “what do you need, baby?” I could tell by the way his eyes swept over her, he wasn’t just talking about the stuff in his trunk, he was talking about the junk in hers.
“A cigarette,” she said in a husky voice.
Tariq smiled. “I can get you one of those.”
Oh boy. “No,” I said. “She’s quitting.”
She blew out a breath. “All right, I’ll take some pepper spray.”
“For you, my blue-haired beauty, ten dollars.” She handed it to him with a smile.
Janelle rolled her eyes. “I’ve got to go. Rose, I’ll see you at class tomorrow night?”
I sighed. “Probably not.”
She said she’d take notes for me and walked off.
“Thanks a lot, Tariq.” I tucked everything in my purse.
He shut the trunk lid, his eyes never leaving Roxy. “My pleasure, ladies.”
Roxy grinned as I pulled her away from Tariq’s car. With her love of breaking and entering, and his love of selling possibly — okay totally— stolen goods, this was not a relationship I wanted to encourage.
I needed to stop by the IT office while I was here to see if Eric could fix my computer. We walked toward Blake Hall and ran in to Steve near the entrance.
“Hey, Rose,” he said, adjusting his messenger bag. “Roxy. Any news on Axton?”
“We’re still working on it,” I said.
He reached out and touched my shoulder. “I meant what I said the other day. Anything I can do to help.”
“I appreciate that.”
He gave me a squeeze and with a crooked grin walked off.
As soon as he was out of earshot, Roxy nudged me. “Someone has a little crush on my Rose.”
