Green Desert - Chapter 8.4.3 - Fírí

I walked past the slow detective, stepping off the cement with my bad foot, then back onto the path. Bhanar’s pickup was blocked to the side by the deputy’s cruiser. And I wouldn’t be able to go back because of rocks and the news van. Maybe if I drove it forward, around the front of the police car.

“Hey, what are you doing with those keys?”

I turned, still moving slowly backwards toward the truck. Raíngozé left Sétıpímo and stalked towards me. I casually slipped the car keys in my pocket and looked innocent.

The flannel guy’s face snarled. “You better not be planning on stealing our boxes when you got us distracted here with this old lady.”

No, no,” I said, holding up my hands in surrender. Except that’s exactly what I planned to do. Wait a minute. Their boxes? “What boxes?” the detective whispered.

“No boxes,” I blurted and immediately cursed myself. The old man wasn’t that stupid. “Bhanar’s boxes. All his stuff.”

The detective stood and narrowed his eyes. I stepped back, around the front of the cop car. Raíngozé drifted my direction, his eyes on Sétıpímo.

The cop glanced between the two flannel guys. They worked for Gogzhuè. I was right the first time. Sétıpímo rasped, “Why did you and your friends come here today?” I could see the wheels churning in his brain. He’d figure it out.

Neither man answered. Raíngozé stepped back again. One hand on the car, I inched back, too.