The Big Time

CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT

LUTHER'S PINK GRIN APPEARED in the midst of his beard, G Money flashed his own gold grille, and Troy's dad joined in.

"Little man is some kind of Romeo," Luther said. "Come on in here, Juliet."

Tate folded her arms across her chest and scowled at them all.

"Tate," Troy said in disbelief, "what are you doing?"

"Making sure you're all right," she said, glaring at him like the whole thing was his fault.

"I'm fine," Troy said.

"Right," she said, drawing out the word to show her disbelief.

"You want me to bounce her on out of here, G?" the guard asked.

"You remember Tate, G Money?" Troy quickly said. "My friend from the Falcons game. Down on the field?"

"You can't take the little man's shorty," Luther said, laughing.

With the men's attention on Tate, Troy realized in a flash that he had a chance to do what he'd come for. The thought of his father going to jail forced his hand into his pocket. He clutched his mom's cell phone with the quarter pressed tight to its side. When he removed the items, he kept his eyes on the men and let the quarter slip from his hand so that it fell to the bearskin rug with the faintest thump.

"Oh, Troy," Tate said, obviously embarrassed by the men's attention and wanting to get out from under it any way she could.

"I think maybe you just dropped a quarter or something."