“You won’t need to return here.”

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a thick stack of hundred-dollar bills, tossing it onto the metal step of the trailer.

“That is a retainer,” he said.

“Get in the truck.”

I looked at the money, then at Vesper, whose eyes were dull with pain.

He nudged my shoulder, a soft, pleading gesture that broke through my hesitation.

“I’ll need antibiotics,” I said, picking up the stack of bills and slipping them into my apron pocket.

“Penicillin, sterile flushes, and a scalpel to drain the pocket.”

“My stables are fully stocked,” Dante said.

I walked over to the diner door, pushed it open, and threw my stained apron onto the counter in front of Felix.

“I quit, Felix,” I said.

Felix stared at the black blood on the apron, then at the black SUV idling outside.

“Mara, you can’t just walk out on me,” he stammered, his voice shaking.

“We have the breakfast rush in four hours.”

“Figure it out,” I said, turning my back on him.

I walked back out into the cold night and climbed into the passenger seat of Dante’s massive truck.