Chapter 19

I give her my hand and steady her until Stephan takes over. “Yeah, I know. But don’t pick up any hitchhikers along the way.”

“Pfft,” she huffs. “I could take ‘em.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of,” I say with a smile.

We’ve shut the bar down, and then some, forcing the final two staff members to practically escort us from the building. By now the sky is dark, the streets are damp, and as Stephan and Stacy drive away, the area gets strangely quiet. I turn to Jimmy, who has his head up and appears to be watching stars that nobody can see but him. “You all right to drive?” I ask him. “Oh, yeah,” he replies. His voice is soft and dreamy. I look up at the sky and wonder what he’s thinking of. “You?”

I slowed down on the beer an hour or so ago. I probably still shouldn’t drive, but I’ll be okay. “Yep.” Jimmy doesn’t say anything, and his silence draws my attention again. “You checking for aliens?” I ask him. “Or…?”