This Would Be Paradise (Book 3)

Chapter 33

To say I was numb, was an understatement. We were barreling through the streets of South Baton Rouge with Ethan's dead body tied up in table clothes in the bed of the truck. I was simply dead inside. I refused to leave him in the restaurant to be eaten by the infected. This was the only way. I must have looked right crazy because neither Rose nor Lucas argued with me. Instead, they helped me scrounge up some table clothes to tie together and wrap Ethan in.

We had a hell of a time clearing the infected, but we eventually got them to rally to the side of the restaurant while we made a run for the truck with Ethan's body. I shot the infected without feeling. I couldn't even register fear as all the infected surrounded the truck. Lucas managed to get us out of there without too many dents, but the whole time I just stared out the window blankly.

Find Zoe. Don't think about Ethan. Find Zoe. Don't think about Ethan. This was my new mantra. If I expected to make it through what we were going to face soon, I needed to keep repeating it to myself.

Lucas had given the map to Rose to read and she was currently telling him where to go. She was good at that. We were heading west toward the river. Street signs passed us by, but I wasn't paying attention. Soon Lucas was slowing down the truck; I could see the reflection of dark water in the far distance. We were on the edge of a massive parking lot that was close to one-thirds full, all cars nestled in their painted parking stalls. If anyone dared a glance, we looked like just another vehicle parked among the others. It was good camouflage.

"You goin' to be okay to do this?" Lucas asked.

The way he said it sounded like he was accusing me of something. We were here because I insisted on going after Zoe so I needed to nut up. I took a shaky breath, Rose and Lucas eying me warily. I hadn't said a word to them since I had them help me wrap up Ethan. Now wasn't the time to check out. I could do that after, even if all my body wanted to do was lie down at the moment. It seemed all I was doing lately was pushing my mental breakdowns to the side.

"Yes," I answered.

They didn't look convinced.

"Shawn ain't goin' to be as pleasant as the guys at the hotel."

That was his version of pleasant?

"I said I'll be fine," I snapped. He didn't say anything more.

I filled up the magazines to both my guns using what little ammo I had left over—it wasn't enough to fill them. Lucas and Rose did the same. We had used a fair number of bullets killing all the infected after leaving the hotel. I looked around the area Lucas had parked us in. There was an enormous casino and hotel in the middle of a roundabout road and a parking lot fit for a stadium.

"You think this is it?" I asked. There didn't appear to be any people near the casino.

Lucas extended his arm, his index finger pointing into the distance. "See that giant black SUV?"

I squinted until I spotted the vehicle. It was just a small speck on the asphalt horizon off to the side of the casino. I had no idea how Lucas had spotted it. It looked like it was in the middle of the road blocking the throughway.

"That's one of the lookouts. They usually have one when deals like this go down. Most guys don't play fair. Chances are, they're in the buildin' closer to the river." I could barely spot the building Lucas was referring to.

"Think he can see us?" Rose asked.

"He would've taken off by now or warned 'em if he did. Probably sleepin' on the job," Lucas said. "We're goin' to have to sneak up on 'im. No firearms."

I gripped the hilt of my metal bat more than willing to go Babe Ruth on their asses. We filed out of the truck, closing the doors softly behind us. I didn't dare a look at Ethan's cover corpse in the back, in fact, I specifically avoided even looking past the cab of the truck.