The Penalty Box (38 page)

Snake blew out a long, long breath. “Poor little fucker's the one who found her. I was in the shower.”

“I'll be right there.”

“Hold up, hold up. I can run him over there on my bike if you want.”

“No!” Katie pressed her burning forehead to the wall. “I mean, thank you, but I think it would be better if I came to get him. Tell him to sit tight, okay? I'll be there as soon as I can.”

“You want me to put together an overnight bag for him?” Snake offered.

“That would be great,” Katie managed. “Thankyouforcalling,” she blurted in a rush, hanging up the phone.

“Who was on the phone, dear?” her mother asked as she entered the kitchen.

“Snake,” Katie replied faintly. “I have to run over and get Tuck. Mina's not feeling well.” If she told her mother what happened, she'd want to come with her and it would be a circus. Better to wait until she had a clearer picture of the situation. How could Mina put her mother through this again? And Tuck . . .

“I'll be back soon, Mom,” Katie promised, grabbing her car keys from their usual spot on the sideboard in the living room.

“Don't you want to shower first?” her mother called after her as she bolted out the front door. “You're awfully sweaty.”

“Tuck's not going to care, Mom.”
Believe me.

 

 

Katie arrived to
find the door to the apartment unlocked. Snake was sitting on the ratty couch. He rose anxiously as she entered.

“I got here as soon as I could,” said Katie.

Snake looked grim. “I appreciate that.”

“Where's Tuck?”

“In his room. Doesn't want to come out.”

“Do you have any idea what happened?”

“Like I said, I was in the shower. Tuck came running in and said he'd found Mina passed out here in the living room, and couldn't wake her up.” Snake grimaced. “I jumped out of the shower and tried to slap her awake but it was no go, so I called the paramedics. She was looking kinda blue by the time they got here.”

Katie gasped as if punched. That's what it felt like, actually. As if someone had landed a solid blow to her gut, the shock of it stealing her breath away.

“Were you—was she—doing drugs again? Drinking?”

Snake's eyes flashed with resentment. “I'm clean as a whistle. Your sister . . .” He glanced away.

“What?” Katie pressed sharply.

“A few times I thought I smelled booze on her breath, but she denied it. As for the drugs, I don't know, but I kinda think yes. You'd have to drink a helluva lot to pass out cold like that. I think she must have combined stuff.”

“How could she afford it?” Katie wondered out loud.

“Yeah, that was something else I wanted to talk to you about. I found this in our bedroom.” He handed Katie a worn black leather wallet. “Belongs to your boyfriend,” Snake said. “She must have lifted it at work.”

Katie stared down at the wallet in her hand. If Mina was there right now, she'd strike her. She would. She'd rain blows down upon her screaming,
Why! Why! Why! Why can't you get your act together, why?
She felt humiliated for defending her sister to Paul. She opened up the wallet. The five hundred dollars Paul said he'd withdrawn from the bank was gone. Katie closed the wallet.

“There's no money,” she said quietly.

“Look, if you don't mind, I'm gonna shoot down to the hospital and see what's going on,” said Snake. He looked almost shy as he lifted a small green backpack up off the floor. “For Mina,” he explained. “I thought she might need a nightie, some toothpaste, you know . . .”

Katie stifled tears. “I'm really glad she has you.”

“Yeah, I'm a pretty awesome dude,” Snake agreed dryly. “C'mere.” He grabbed Katie into a big bear hug. “Everything's gonna be fine, big sister. Don't you worry.”

“I wish I had your optimism, Snake.”

He released her from their embrace. “Worry about the shit you can control, and let the big guy upstairs take care of the rest. That's my motto.” He swung the backpack up onto his massive shoulder. “See you at the hospital.”

 

 

Katie knew she sounded tentative as she poked her head in the door of her nephew's bedroom. She couldn't imagine what he was thinking or feeling. Tuck was sitting in front of his computer at a small card table set up across the room. He appeared not to hear her, though Katie was pretty sure he had. She crept closer, listening to the sound of rapid gunfire coming from the computer.

“What are you playing?” she asked loudly.

“Grand Theft Auto,” Tuck replied, his eyes never wavering from the screen.

How the hell had he gotten hold of that? Merchants weren't supposed to sell it to kids because it was excessively violent. Mina must have bought it for him. A fresh wave of resentment washed over Katie. “Honey, shut down the computer. We're going to Nana's.”

Tuck ignored her.

“Tuck?”

“Let me just finish.”

“No. Turn off the computer now.”

Muttering under his breath, Tuck did what he was told. Katie put a hand on his shoulder and he knocked it off angrily.

“Honey, I know how upset you must be right now.”

“No, you don't,” Tuck snapped.

Katie swallowed. “You're right. I don't.”

It was the right thing to say. Tuck's eyes began watering. “I hate her!”

Let him rage, Katie told herself. If anyone had a right to, it was him.

“I hope she dies!”

Katie remained silent and moved to his bed where a small suitcase sat packed. Katie peeked inside. Snake had done a good job: there was underwear, socks, pajamas, and at least a week's worth of clothing. Katie closed the suitcase.

“Want me to unhook the computer?” she offered gently. “We can bring it back with us to Nana's.”

“If Mom dies, can I live with you?” Tuck pleaded.

“She's not going to die, Tuck.”

Tuck looked surly. “You're not a doctor.”

“You're right again,” Katie conceded. “But I'd like to think she won't.”

“Well, I don't care if she does.”

Katie glanced around the room. “Is there anything else you want to take besides your computer?”

Tuck just looked at the floor.

“We can come back tomorrow for the rest of your stuff if you want,” Katie continued.

“I never want to come back here again.”

“Then you don't have to. I'll come back and get your things. How's that?”

“Good.” He kicked at the floor before looking up at Katie. “Can we leave now?”

 

 

Paul entered the
Penalty Box hoping to find his wallet lying on a table just as Katie predicted. Instead he found Frank wiping down the bar with a frown plastered across his puss.

“What's up with you?”

“Not only did she take your wallet, but I think she absconded with a bottle of Jack,” said Frank.

Paul hadn't said anything to Frank about suspecting Mina, but he could tell Frank knew what he was thinking when he'd gathered the staff and told them his wallet was missing.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. I was doing an inventory check before you got here. We're short one bottle of Jack.”

“Great.”

“No luck with the wallet?”

Paul frowned. “I called all the credit card companies just in case.”

“Pain in the ass.”

“No shit. I'm going to have to replace my driver's license, my Social Security card . . .” Paul shook his head despondently. “There were pictures in there, too. Stuff I can't replace.”

“It sucks.” Frank pulled a bottle of Evian out from under the bar and tossed it to Paul. “I'm glad you fired her, though.”

“Are you? She was a good waitress.”

“She was a friggin' thief. We never came up short until she started working here.”

Paul glanced around the bar. Pretty soon the place would start filling up. “I called Randi to work tonight. She's not as good as Mina, but she'll do until we hire someone else.” He turned back to his friend. “I can help out, too.”

Frank chortled. “I'd pay good money to see you serving drinks.”

“I'm not above hard work,” Paul replied defensively.

Frank looked thoughtful. “Actually, the customers will probably love it.”

“You're probably right.”

Both turned upon hearing the bar door open. Paul could barely contain his surprise when he saw it was Katie walking toward him. She'd looked tired earlier in the day when he'd seen her at Tabitha's. Now she looked downright haggard. Her eyes were red rimmed and puffy.

“Hey,” Paul said gently as he approached her. “What brings you here?”

“What do you think?” Katie was having difficulty meeting his eye.

“Frank?” Paul called. “Katie and I have something we need to talk about in the back. If anyone calls, can you take it?”

“Sure thing.”

Paul wished Frank's gaze didn't convey quite so much pity as he watched them head toward the back of the Penalty Box. Paul knew Katie: She'd suspect they had been talking about her sister and it would make her furious, though right now, Paul couldn't imagine her mustering up that much emotion. She looked completely drained, walking like a woman in a trance.

He guided her into the office where they had once made love, and closed the door. It had barely swung shut before Katie reached into her book bag and pulled out his wallet.

“Here,” she said quietly, handing it to him. “I owe you an apology. Don't bother to look inside. The money's gone. Everything else seems intact.”

“Katie, sit down.” Paul put the wallet in his back pocket and steered her toward the couch, surprised when she offered no resistance.

“What happened?” he asked, sitting beside her. “You obviously talked to her.”

“Actually, I didn't.” Katie's voice was bitter. “Snake called me. Mina's in the hospital. She overdosed on something. They took her away in an ambulance.”

“Holy shit.” Paul searched Katie's face. “Are you okay? How's Tuck?”

“Tuck is a very angry little boy, and I don't blame him. She's done nothing but make a big fat mess of his life.” Katie looked away. “I'm sorry.” Her voice cracked. “I haven't had a very good day.”

“I can imagine.” Paul touched her cheek. “Anything I can do?”

“Make my sister better?” She covered her face with her hands. “I'm sorry,” she apologized again as she began crying.

“No need to apologize.” He drew her into his arms. “Let it out, Katie. It's okay.”

“How could she do this?” Katie sobbed. “Doesn't she realize what it does to Tuck? She could lose him—not that she cares! You were right all along: she's a fuck-up. I'm sorry I asked you to give her a job.”

“You didn't,” Paul reminded her. “I offered. Remember?”

Katie lifted her head, wiping her running nose on the back of her sleeve. “You only offered because she was my sister. If it was anyone else with her history, you never would have hired her.”

“We needed the help. And I wanted to show you what a great guy I was.”

Katie's eyes began watering anew. “Me and my family . . . I bet from now on you'll run far and fast whenever you see one of
us
coming.”

“Never.” Paul gently urged her head down to rest on his shoulder. It felt wonderful holding her in his arms again, though he wished the circumstances were different. Still, he was glad to be of help, even if the gesture was simple as offering comfort. “Everything's going to be fine.”

Katie lifted her head. “Do you know I hate when people say that? Snake said the same thing and I thought, ‘You don't
know
that.' ”

“We're just trying to be helpful.”

“I know that,” Katie said quickly. Paul got the sense she was afraid he'd think she was being critical. “It's just such a platitude.”

“There you go throwing around those big SAT words again.” He squinted hard. “I thought a platitude was some type of marine animal.”

“Very funny. I know you're an ass, but you're not an idiot.”

“God, I love when you say nice things to me.”

He watched her expression slowly change as it dawned on her that he was holding her in his arms, the two of them playfully teasing one another just like old times. She looked embarrassed. “I've bothered you long enough,” said Katie, standing up.

“You weren't bothering me at all.”

“I should have stopped by the ATM,” she continued, more to herself than to him. “I'll bring down five hundred dollars for you tomorrow. Is that okay?”

“You do
not
need to replace the money your sister stole.”

“It's the right thing to do,” Katie insisted.

“Let it go, Katie. It's not your responsibility.”

Katie shrugged and edged toward the door. “I should get going.”

“Are you okay to drive?”

“I'm fine,” she assured him. “Honestly.”

“If you need any help with Tuck, just let me know.”

Katie swallowed. “Thank you.”

“It's not a problem.” Paul moved to open the door, if only to give himself something to do. He longed to take her back into her arms and hold her until she
believed
that everything was going to be all right. He hated seeing her in pain. If there was anything positive in this situation at all, it was that Tuck was back under his grandmother's roof. That, and the knowledge of how strong Katie was. She'd bounce back from this. They all would.