SNAP (The SNAP Trilogy Book 1) by Tara Dawn

will end with one of us in jail and one of us in the hospital. After the stunt he pulled at the tavern, I'm worried as to just how far he was willing to take it. Shaking the thought from my mind, we step out and I lock the deadbolt. We check around the car for any signs that Phil is hiding in the dark. Satisfied that he isn't around, we climb inside and head for Swanson.
     
    ***
    "Hello, ladies," Erick greets us as we cross the street to meet him.
    A glance around the rundown neighborhood leaves no worries that the cops will be called tonight, unless gunshots are fired. The thought of that happening has me double checking my surroundings. The buildings are compacted together like tuna in a can with mere feet between them. If the siding isn't falling from the houses, then whatever paint is left on them is peeling off. Some of the yards look like they haven't been mowed in weeks. There are some lights on in a few other homes, but for the most part it looks vacant. I'm not so sure I'd travel to this part of town if we weren't meeting someone we knew. Even now I'm unsure of being here.
    "What's up, Erick?" I respond, taking in the house he came out of. The gray paint is cracked, reminding me of all those lotion commercials for alligator skin. It could definitely use some TLC. Someone pulls the makeshift curtain to the side and peers out the window at us for a second before letting it drop back into place.
    "Not a whole lot. Getting out of Trinity for a bit. That place will suck you dry if you let it." He reaches out for Cady's hand pulling her up the overly tall step to the walkway before wrapping his arms around her and squeezing her.
    "Oh, God! Not so tight," she squeaks out before giggling. Erick chuckles and releases her. "Did you guys stop for booze, or do we need to go to the liquor store?"
    "Now you know I always come prepared." Cady reaches in her bag pulling out the bottle of rum she had packed.
    "Nice. I'm not drinking tonight, so I can drive you two home later." His questioning look says it all. He wants to spend the night where ever Cady is. It doesn't bother me any, especially knowing I'll have someone to help me if Phil shows his face again.
    "Sounds good to me." I shrug and stroll up the walk past them toward the house and take the steps up on the porch. Turning back, Cady is whispering something to Erick and he nods his head. Whatever they are discussing is serious. There isn't any teasing or flirting happening. My arms instinctively cross over my chest in defense as I watch them. What is she telling him?
    Erick quickly glances my way and turns toward me smiling when he sees me staring.
    "You two coming, or what?" It comes out a little more snippy than I intended.
    "Yep," Cady chimes and climbs the steps with Erick at her heels.
    Eric opens the door and steps into the house. My eyes dart around the place taking it all in as we follow behind him. It doesn't look nearly as bad inside as it does outside and I wonder if they keep the outside looking the way it does on purpose. A nice house in this neighborhood would be broke into over and over again. There's quite a few people here and so far I don't know a damn one of them. Eric introduces us briefly as we walk through the room and stray eyes go back to private conversations. It reminds me of an old lady's house, definitely not a house a bunch of young people party in. Family and school pictures line the walls of the hallway as we make our way through. The dining room isn't nearly as packed. It has minimal decor and a rather large wooden table that seats eight. All eight seats are filled and everyone is working on packaging what looks like white pills into tiny zipper lock bags. I freeze in the doorway as Cady continues to follow Eric into the room.
    "Be careful with those, fuck face," the man from the head of the table booms causing me to jump. "You break them, you buy them. Then you can explain to my dude why we have to have double the order when we've already hit