Dawn Patrol

58

The Boonemobile rests on its front bumper, like a wounded bull on its front knees, exhausted in the ring.

Its front right tire is flat.

Boone looks at the van. “God damnit.”

“I thought they shot Teddy,” Petra says. She goes into the front seat and roots around in her purse. “They took my phone.”

“Mine, too,” Boone says. “It's a good thing I took Teddy's.”

He pulls Teddy's RAZR out of his pants pocket and scrolls through Teddy's call history. Seventeen calls in the past two days made to the same number. He punches it in.

Tammy picks it up right away, like she's been waiting for the call.

“Teddy?” Tammy asks.

Her voice sounds anxious, worried, scared.

“Where are you, Tammy?”

“Who is this?”

“Wherever you are,” Boone says, “get out now.”

“What are you-”

“Teddy is on his way,” Boone says, “with Dan and some of his thugs. He gave you up, Tammy.”

“He wouldn't do that.”

“He wouldn't want to,” Boone says, “but I guarantee you, if he hasn't already, he will. Get out. Let me meet you somewhere. I can help you.”

“Who are you?”

“Petra Hall is here with me.”

“Oh, fuck.”

“You want to talk with her?”

“No,” Tammy says.

“Look,” Boone says, “you have no reason to trust me, but you have to get out. Now. ”

“I don't know.”

“Let me meet you somewhere,” Boone says. “I'll pick you up, take you somewhere safe.”

She clicks off.

“Damn it!” Boone says. He gets on the horn to Hang Twelve while he goes into the back of the van, pulls out a spare tire and a jack, then goes to work on the car.

“I could do that for you,” Petra says.

“I'll bet you could,” Boone says, fitting the tire on. “But I don't want you to wreck your clothes.”

Boone gets the tire on, tightens down the lugs, and releases the jack. He's putting it back into the van when Hang calls back.

He has the number traced.