Tears Read Online Free PDF Page A

“I—I—”
    â€œNo, really,” Josh interrupted again. “I mean, how would you like it if I did that? You wouldn’t like that, would you? If I went back to the cops and told them your alibi was a fake? I mean, that wouldn’t be very nice, would it? That would make me an Indian giver. That would put you in shit twice as deep! How much would
that
suck?” Josh shook his head with another hollow laugh.
    The unpleasant feeling in Sam’s gut seemed to expand, like a balloon. This conversation suddenly felt very surreal. He couldn’t tell if Josh was joking or not. But what he was saying was absolutely true. At least before the fake alibi, Sam was truly innocent, whether people believed him or not. But once Josh got Sam to sign that forged sign-in sheet, Sam had officially become a criminal—guilty of fraud and perjury. And if Josh ever told the cops about it, Sam would thenlook guilty of the murder. Why would someone lie to cover a crime they didn’t commit?
    â€œRelax, man,” Josh assured him. “I’m just making a point here, that’s all. Don’t freak out on me.” He turned to the waitress at the counter. “Can we get a check here?”
    Sam started shaking his head, his heart racing. “Wait,” he said softly as the waitress slapped the check on their table. “I’m just not. . . are you saying. . . I mean, what—what are you saying here?”
    â€œRelax,” Josh repeated, smiling again and looking Sam in the eye. “If you do this favor for me. . . then I’m not saying anything, right? So just do it, and everything will be fine.” He shrugged. “It doesn’t take a premed at NYU to figure that one out, Sammy.”
    Sam couldn’t speak. He was speechless as he stared at Josh’s smiling face. Speechless and more than a little scared. There was no use fighting paranoia anymore because now Sam knew that he had every reason to be paranoid.
The fragile house of cards he’d built to protect himself was beginning to crumble.
The voice on the phone echoed through his head.
Your worst nightmares will come true
....
    Josh dropped a twenty down on the table and slid the package into Sam’s lap. “Thanks for the favor, dude,” he said casually. He pulled on his coat and headed toward the door. “I might need a couple more deliveries after this one. But just remember, we’re inthis together, Sammy—oh, shit, sorry—
Sam
.” He paused and frowned. “Actually, you know what? I think I’m just going to call you Sammy. I like the sound of it better.”
    And then he was gone.
    â€œOH, CEENDY.” ZOLOV SIGHED, TAP- ping the head of his red Mighty Morphin Power Ranger on the table next to him. He stared at the chessboard.
    Whacked-Out Impulse
    Gaia had to smile. Zolov had never called her anything other than Cindy—even after all these months, even after she’d saved his life. But then, she supposed it was hard to break any ninety-year-old man of his habits, particularly one who didn’t speak English very well.
    â€œEven he is shocked,” Zolov went on, pointing to his cherished action figure with an ancient, gnarled hand. “You leave yourself wide open for the bishop. Thees ees a move of a
complete
amateur. You are better than this, Ceendy.”
    What?
Dumbfounded, Gaia’s eyes mapped theboard in one quick, mathematically precise second. Her smile turned to a smirk. Zolov was right. She couldn’t believe she’d opened herself up for checkmate so early on in a game. It was a rookie mistake.
    â€œJesus.” Shaking her head, Gaia slapped down a twenty-dollar bill. “I nailed myself.”
    Zolov swiftly pocketed the cash. No mercy at their table.
    â€œIt is love,” he joked, his tiny, raisin-black eyes twinkling. From him, the word
love
sounded more like
loaf.
“You can’t play anymore. No more fire. All thoughts