Luci insisted on collecting and paying for her thingamajig—even though the store no longer had a cash register—before she would allow Delaney to convey them to the hospital. The irony of Delaney’s car escaping the recent c*****e didn’t escape Mickey’s notice as he slid inside.
“How’d you get here so fast?”
“Hopped a patrol car. Wanted to make sure you hadn’t got my car shot to pieces. Glad to see you kept it out of the line of fire.”
When the hospital finished with them, Delaney took Luci home first. It took less energy to follow Delaney and Luci to the Nash than to argue. They both had orders from the doctor to rest. Mickey leaned against the Nash’s fender and watched Delaney and Luci install the new starter through a haze of exhaustion that went deeper than his soul.
Not that tired s
