House of Blues

five, okay?"
    " Another time, babe. This isn't your night."
    They were at the door now, Toni already outside, Maya
more or less pushing Tricia out, and Skip behind. She felt movement
at her back and turned around to see a man in black, dark and, at the
moment, extremely unhappy-looking. Probably the one who really ran
things here.
    Skip said, "I'll take care of her," which
caused Tricia to give her a look of flat-out hatred, but Maya stepped
aside.
    Skip guided the still-dazed Tricia down the steps and
looked at her, about to offer to take her home. "Goddamn you,
Skippy Langdon!" Tricia hollered at full capacity. "Goddamn
you!"
    Toni said, "Shhhhh," rather helplessly. She
looked as if she'd been slugged with a crowbar.
    "Come on, Toni. Let's get her out of here."
    "You are not getting me out of here. I'm not
going anywhere."
    Tricia was yelling and sobbing at the same time.
    A black man stepped out of a parked car. It was Jim
Hodges, Skips backup. He only looked at her inquiringly, letting her
know he was there, but giving her the option of ignoring him. She
shook her head slightly; absurd though it seemed even to her, she
didn't want to upset Tricia any further.
    She spoke very softly, patting Tricia's back. "Hey,
Trish, it's okay. Come on, I'll take you home now. Everything's
okay."
    "I can't go home. Don't you understand? I can't
leave here. I've got to have what I came for." She sat down on
the pavement and began sobbing hysterically.
    Skip looked helplessly at Toni. "Listen, she's
an old friend. You go on home. I'll take care of her."
    But Tricia yelled, "No! Toni, help me. Where
else can I go?"
    Skip said to Toni: "Go." And she went.
    Tricia lay down and started to roll around. "Oh,
goddammit. Oh, nooooooo. Nooooooo. Oh, goddammit, noooooo."
    Now there was no choice. She said, "Jim, let's
get her out of here." When they bent to pick her up, she kicked
and struck out with her hands.
    Jim said, "You stop that now, or we gon' have to
hurt you," and Skip winced.
    "She's a friend of mine, Jim. If you get her
legs, I'll get her arms."
    He held her legs down while Skip handcuffed her. It
happened so fast it was done before Tricia realized it. She turned
wild eyes on her friend and hollered in amazement. "Skippy!"
    "Let's get in the car."
    She put up no more resistance. When they were all
three in the car, Tricia in the backseat, crying softly, Skip said,
"Tricia, what are you on right now?"
    She shook her head violently. "Nothing! Nothing!
That's the problem."
    " What do you need?"
    "Why do you want to know? So you can get me
some?"
    " I want to know if you're about to go into
shock. Let me see your arms." At least she could check for
needle marks.
    "Oh, forget it. Nothing's wrong with me a little
crystal won't fix."
    Methamphetamine. Skip wasn't sure what would happen
if she didn't get some. She said to Jim, "Let's take her to
Charity."
    "You don't have to do that. I'm fine."
    For now, she looked fine and sounded fine.
    "You weren't fine a minute ago."
    " I got upset, that's all."
    "You're sure you're okay?"
    She nodded. "Yeah."
    Skip had walked over to Kurt's. She said, "Jim,
I'll take her home if you'll drop us at my house."
    "No problem. I'll take y'all." She'd been
pretty sure he'd say that. Jim was a sweetie—one of her favorite
officers to work with; she knew he didn't want to leave her alone
with a woman this volatile, and she was glad of it. Tricia might
behave in front of a stranger.
    Skip looked at Tricia. "What's your address?"
    " I don't want to go home."
    "Where do you want to go?"
    " Here."
    " Tricia, I'm talking to you as a friend, not a
police officer. I'm worried about you. If you go in there right now,
something might happen. Maya's got some not very nice friends. They
wouldn't think twice about beating you up if you make another scene."
    "That's none of your business."
    Skip sighed. "I guess you're right."
    She got out of the front seat, let Tricia out, and
took the handcuffs off. Immediately, Tricia started to kick her.
"Fuck you! Fuck you, fuck you, fuck you! How dare you handcuff
me? Fuck you!"
    Skip had her turned around and under control before
Jim even managed to get out of the car. She pushed her up against it
and cuffed her again, aware they were putting on a show for Maya and
her pals.
    When all three were again in the car, she said,
"Okay, Jim, let's go to Charity."
    " Don't want to go to Charity! Goddammit, you
can't take me to Charity!"
    "You listen to me, Tricia Lattimore. You