To-may-toe - To-mah-toe

ALEX

We're already headed back when my phone rings with an unfamiliar number flashing across the screen. With a frown, I flip it open and hit send. "Yes?" I say in way of answer. I never use my name. Not even when I know who is calling.

"Mister Alex DeMarco? This is Guadalupe Herrera at St. Martin's Urgent Care. You are the emergency contact for one Rubyna Dubois. Is this Alex DeMarco?"

My throat constricts, every muscle in my body locking with tension. My gaze shoots to Mickey in the seat next to me and I almost want to scream. He stares back at me through narrowed eyes and I lower the volume on my receiver dramatically.

*She's dead just like I thought.*

*Holy fuck.*

*Santos, you bastard.*

"This is DeMarco," I say and Mickey freezes, his expression wary.

The bitch has a thick Spanish accent and I listen to Miss Herrera's next words carefully, trepidation building in my chest. Everything she recounts for me sounds a little more like rubbish with each mispronounced syllable, yet I'm not entirely sure of it until she offers to send a picture of Ruby to my phone.

That is when I know for certain something isn't right. Because first of all... who does that? And second, I happen to know the only person on Ruby's emergency contact list is not me. It is Romany.

*What game is this?*

I play along, promising to be there as soon as possible, but when I hang up I hit the intercom button and tell my driver to step on it.

to be home and we need to

me carefully, shifting in his seat as if waiting for me to play back a transcript of the fairytale I just heard. When I don't, he snarls, "Well,

stretching out the time as best I can so that I can

insist that we fetch Ruby immediately just to please my angel and that would

"Alex?!" He growls.

*Fucking hell.*

the nurse on the phone, Ruby was dropped off at St Martin's Urgent Care by someone claiming to have found her in the middle of the goddamned road. She was severely dehydrated and riding high off of opiates. They claim to have detoxed her and swear that she is in the recovery room waiting to be picked up. Annnd according to

How long have they had

been there for the last three days, but the

"You don't know that."

that detoxing opiates takes a fucking minimum of NINE days, not three and then of course, add that if Ruby was truly there and ready for release, she would have

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I can do is gawk at him in absolute wonder. "You are

flips me off and speaks into the mic, "Vincenzo - change course for St

"What the fuck are you doing? He's my goddamned driver, *cousin!*" I hit the button, "Vincenzo - disregard that order and take us directly home." I release the

absolutely *no proof* that Ruby is actually there. Second - I don't buy that 'we found her in the road' bullshit, not

her because you're afraid. You know that when Ruby finds

the reason, idiot! Think for a minute

let the oxygen flow, let your brain cells have a sip and realize that *my angel*

"She's not alone!"

"SHE! IS!"

"She's not. There are guards all

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