Bad Doctor by John Locke Read Free Book Online Page B

Mercedes,” he says. “Both of you.”
    “Not without my bedding,” Willow says.
    “And my vacuum cleaner,” Cameron adds.
    “ This again?” Bobby says.
    “Kill us now, or give us our stuff,” Willow says in a voice so strong and steady she seems to mean it.
    “You’re willing to die for a fucking vacuum cleaner?”
    “And bedding. So either pull the trigger, Badass, or let me have my stuff.”
    Bobby knows the drugs are working on his mind. Even so, Willow never speaks to him this way.
    “Am I missing something?” he says.
    “We want our stuff,” Willow says. “We’ll go with you, but we want our stuff.”
    “We want our stuff,” Cameron says.
    “We want our fucking stuff !” Willow shouts.
    “Jesus Christ !” he shouts. “Shut the fuck up!”
    “We want our stuff !” Willow shouts. “Give us our stuff !”
    “You’re insane !” he yells.
    It suddenly dawns on Bobby he’s standing in a park in broad daylight holding a gun on one woman, while another is shouting at him. And yet both are willing to go with him quietly if he’ll let them bring their stupid things.
    “Fine,” he says. “Get your shit. Put it in the other trunk.”
    To Willow he says, “While she’s doing that, get in the Mercedes. You’re driving.”
    Bobby pops Willow’s trunk open, then watches Willow get in the Mercedes. When she closes the door he turns his attention to Cameron, who’s carrying the bedding toward the back of the Mercedes.
    He scrunches his face in thought. Something about the back of the Mercedes.
    But what?
    Cameron opens the trunk and screams like she’s uncovered a dead body.
    Oh yeah , Bobby remembers. That !

13
     
    BOBBY RUNS TO the back of the car, grabs the bedding from Cameron’s arms, and throws it in the trunk. He slams it shut, then grabs the very shaken Cameron by the wrist, and throws her in the front passenger seat.
    “What’s wrong?” Willow asks. But Cameron’s too shaky to respond.
    Bobby points at the papers in Willow’s hand. “What’s that?”
    Willow says, “The rental car agreement.”
    “You opened the glove box?”
    “I wanted to see whose car we’re stealing.”
    “And now you know. How does that make you feel?”
    “I have no opinion on it either way.”
    Bobby laughs. “I guess we’ll know a helluva lot more when the party starts.”
    He circles the car, gets in the back seat and says, “Okay, let’s go!”
    He suddenly seems in a good mood.
    Willow says, “Not without the vacuum cleaner.”
    “Shut the fuck up!”
    So much for his good mood.
    Willow says, “I’m not leaving without Cameron’s vacuum cleaner. Period.”
    He punches the back of her head with his fist and waits to hear her cry.
    “Fuck you !” she yells.
    “Fuck me ? What the hell’s wrong with you? Drive, bitch!”
    “Get the vacuum cleaner or drive yourself.”
    “Drive!”
    “Vacuum cleaner!”
    He shakes his head. What is this bullshit? Yesterday’s world was a simpler place. He’d smack Willow around, she’d cry, they’d have sex, she’d cry some more, next morning everything’s back to normal. This whole vacuum cleaner attitude makes no sense.
    He sighs.
    Then again, why dwell on it? He’s got more important things to think about, like the bag full of drugs and black toad powder Chuckie sold him.
    Bobby suddenly laughs and wonders why. He didn’t hear or say anything funny. He’s just sitting here, wondering about—wait, there it goes again.
    Now he’s giggling like a moron.
    Must be the speedball.
    He’s never had enough cash to mix the gravy before, and he’s suddenly feeling giddy. Seconds ago his senses were deadened. He had to struggle to remain standing. Thought he might collapse.
    Now he’s flying!
    He’s hit that level where half of him wants to shut down and sleep and the other half wants to party.
    Chuckie the drug dealer was right when he said, “H and blow’s a hell of a show!”
    Bobby can’t wait to try the Black Toad. And what’s the only