Chapter 37: Loss

Ma pulled Raj from his sling and cradled the crying baby lovingly in her arms. Earl, the shooter from the roof, came down and exited the building carrying a duffel bag filled with tools.

Earl kicked the body of the man he had shot, careful not to step in the pool of blood around him. "What the fuck?"

Sonny put on Carmella's holster before lifting and dumping her into the back seat of the Ford. "Nice of them to get us some fuel, huh, Earl?"

"Come on!" Ma urged while jiggling the crying baby in her arms. "Sonny, you drive this truck, and me and Earl will take Earl's."

"Not yet," Earl said. "Come over here. Look at this." Earl nudged the man over onto his back.

Sonny stood over the man. "What's wrong with his face?"

Ma sighed and joined them. "He's completely … black. Why is he black like that?"

Earl frowned. "I don't know. I ain't never seen nothing like that. Maybe when I shot him it did something, I don't know."

"Maybe he got some type of disease," Ma said.