Requiem for a Soldier (Requiem #1)

Chapter 18: Arrangement

April 20

Ryan

"What's cooking, good looking?"

"Sounds like you were expecting someone else's call," I say flatly.

"You again? Didn't you just call me last week?"

"I need you to send some things."

"I literally just got done with your last order. Aren't the days like, shorter, or something, up there? You must have gotten it like yesterday."

"That's... that's not how any of this works."

"Whatever. Tell me what you need so I can hang up."

"Lovely speaking with you too."

"Come on, man, I got numbers from like ten hot chicks last night." His voice becomes distant. "Last night? This morning? Whatever. I just texted all of them and soon they're gonna start responding so hurry it up."

I begin rattling off a short list, including enough ammo to keep up with Ana's rigorous attitude toward target practice. When I reach the last item on my list, I pause.

"I want a dog."

"A dog?"

The voice on the other end deadpans.

"Yeah. I want a dog that can handle cold temperatures. A really fluffy one. Maybe one that looks like it's smiling. I also want it to bark when it hears noises. It needs to be fairly easy to train. Make sure it has all the vaccinations it needs and paperwork and stuff. You got that?"

"Yeah. Little fluffy yapping dog. Got it."

"No, I want something larger than those chihuahuas Scarlet is always fawning over. I want a large guard dog. But not something that looks scary."

"Oh, I get it. This is for your little girlfriend, isn't it? Is she still with you?"

I glare at the trees, wishing my brother could see the look I'm giving him.

I freeze when I hear a feminine voice in the background audio of the phone call. I immediately assume it's Saph. My blood runs cold. This wouldn't be the first time I'd caught Joe and Saph together.

"Yes, it's him." Joe's voice sounds distant like he's talking to the other person in the room with him. "Yeah, some girl." I can hear the feminine voice again. To my relief, I recognize it as my twin sister Scarlet. "Hell if I know. If you want to know so bad, you talk to him."

I hear a shuffling sound and suddenly Scarlet's voice is speaking clearly through the phone.

"You're keeping a GIRL up there?"

"I'm not keeping anyone anywhere. I'm not a sociopath. There is a woman staying at the cabin until certain people decide to leave her alone," I say slowly.

"Oh. My. God. Who is she?" Scarlet asks, sounding breathless. Then she launches into the most rapid speech I think I've ever heard, her words only barely distinguishable from each other.

"Do I know her? Ugh, who am I kidding, of COURSE I know her. Lemme think. Who's been causing a scandal lately? Who's got the media breathing down their neck? How long has she been there? Oooh, she must really be someone if she convinced YOU to hide her! She must be desperate! Who is it? You've got to tell me. No! Let me guess. Eeek! Just tell me!" Her voice became higher and higher pitched as she spoke.

"What on Earth are you talking about?"

"You said she was hiding from the paparazzi! I have to know who it is!"