Chapter Fourteen

Mr. Abdul called at about nine o’clock that night to say he had a brand new-daughter. I tried to sound happy, but I didn’t do a very good job. I was so bummed out about Leo and the picture and the flowers.

I tried to call him, but there was no one home.

I could have screamed. I wanted to kill Devin for screwing up my life. I kept thinking about what I was going to do the next time I saw him.

I was going to tell him that he was repulsive and disgusting and sick and perverted. I was going to say he smelled bad. I was going to threaten to call the cops. I was going to say whatever it took to get rid of him for good.

That was my plan, anyway.

It started to pour at about ten o’clock. With all that rain, the customers pretty much stopped coming. To keep myself busy, I drew a little card for the baby. I was tired and cranky so it wasn’t very creative. I just sketched a picture of the harbor and wrote “Welcome to Lockeport’s newest citizen!”

That took me until about 10:30. I still had an hour and a half to go. I figured Mr. Abdul was going to be tired the next day. I decided to help out by unloading some stock in the back room for him.

I knew something was wrong as soon as I walked in.

I smelled roast chicken.