FOURTEEN

Zanella toppled over the retaining wall and onto my patio, ripping the yellow tape down with him.

Something hit me with the force of a train, taking me to the pavement and knocking the wind out of me.

There was yelling. I twisted my face as I tried to regain my breath and realized it was Klimes on top of me.

Never underestimate a fat man.

He pulled my arms behind me and slipped cuffs on my wrists. He helped me to my feet.

“Not saying he didn’t deserve it,” Klimes said, his cheeks bright red. “But you hit my man, and I can’t have that.” He guided me down the boardwalk two houses down and backed me up to the wall. “Sit here. I’ll be back.”

I sat. Zanella was just getting up, assisted by two of the uniformed cops. His mouth looked like a child had used a blood-colored crayon to outline it. His eyes were a little unsteady, but he was searching for something. He finally saw me sitting on the wall, and his eyes gained focus. He started for me, but the two cops held onto him and Klimes got in front of him.

“I’m gonna kick your ass!” Zanella yelled, exposing rose-colored teeth.

Liz stepped in front of me before I could respond. “Well done,” she said, shaking her head and removing her sunglasses.

“Maybe the best punch I’ve ever thrown,” I said. “First time I’ve ever sent anyone over that wall.”

“I’ll ooh and aah later. What did he say that required you knocking him on his ass?”

“Why don’t you ask him?” I said. “I’m not sure if I can remember it exactly.

“Paraphrase.”

“He was just being an asshole,” I said. “Said something I didn’t care for.”

She frowned and shook her head. “What a surprise. I told you he was a prick. I didn’t mean you could take a swing at him.”

I looked away from her. Klimes was talking to Zanella, who was still looking at me. I mouthed “fuck you” at him. His eyes bulged, and he surged forward again. The two uniforms grabbed at him, and Klimes put a hand on his chest.

“Why don’t you bring him over so I can apologize?” I said to Liz.

“Funny. I’ll be right back.”

She walked toward them. Zanella’s expression changed, and I could see his dislike for Liz form on his face as she got closer. Made me want to hit him again.

I watched their conversation. Zanella was animated, gesturing in my direction, as he wiped the blood from his mouth. Klimes and Liz were passive, each nodding occasionally.

I shifted my weight, trying to get comfortable with my hands behind my back. My right hand throbbed, and I was pretty sure I’d cut it on his teeth. I didn’t care. He’d asked for it, and he knew what he was doing. I should have kept my cool, but I’d been doing that for two days now. Zanella had proven to be the antidote for my anger.

Liz and Klimes walked back to me.

“He’s pissed, but he’s not gonna charge you,” she said. “He could, but Klimes talked him out of it.”

“Don’t make no sense, really,” Klimes said with a shrug. “He said some things he shouldn’t have, and you hit him, which you definitely shouldn’t have. But he doesn’t wanna have to explain to everyone how you dropped him.”

“I’d be happy to tell people,” I said.

“I’ll bet,” Klimes said, smiling. “Hey, Zanella’s okay. Just wound a little tight and doesn’t trust too many folks. Seeing too many dead people will do that to a guy. Specially a pretty girl like was in your place. But now we’re dealing with this and you and he are gonna have to be around each other.”

“No problem for me,” I said.

Klimes chuckled and motioned for me to stand up. I did and he unlocked the cuffs.

“Make no mistake, though, Noah,” he said, hooking the cuffs onto his belt loop. “Touch him again, and I’ll shoot you.” He aimed his index finger at me. “Got it?”

I examined my hand. Just scraped, no cuts. “Got it.”

Klimes waddled away.

“You’re lucky he’s a good guy,” Liz said. “Anybody else probably would’ve taken you inside and beat the shit out of you.”

Klimes and Zanella walked around the other side of the house, Zanella throwing one last look over his shoulder at me.

“He nearly crushed me on the patio,” I said.

“Big, strong guy.”

“I’ll say.”

The people who had come outside for the altercation were filtering back into the house. My house. The one with the dead girl in it.

“I’m guessing I won’t get to stay the night here,” I said.

“Macho and smart,” Liz said. “What a catch.”

In the past, she would have been chewing me out for what I’d done. Not that I didn’t deserve it. But now, she was cutting me some slack, probably knowing that the punch I’d thrown wasn’t just for Zanella.