You Always Remember Vegas

Chapter 20

I lean back on the car as Phil puts the nozzle in the car to fill it up with gas. He walks up to me after pressing one of the buttons, moving a strand of hair behind my left ear. 

"How's your face?" He asks me concerned, gently rubbing it until I flinch. 

"Stings a bit but whatever," I shrug. "Is it red?"

"A bit," He leans forward and kisses my forehead. He then looks at Stu who is also standing out here with us. "What are we gonna do, Stu?" 

"We're gonna go to the police," Stu answers. 

"No, we can't," I tell him. "They'll fucking kill Doug." 

"Chow is a cancer," Phil remarks. "He has been since the first day we met him. So we're gonna hand him over to Marshall and then it's done." 

"Hey, Phil," Alan says as he exits the convenience store. 

"Alan, not now," Phil tells him before focusing on Stu again. "But we need you, Stu. Ash and I can't do this alone." 

"Come on," I look at him. "You're really gonna leave me alone to do something completely stupid with only Phil and Alan?" 

"We don't even know where he is," Stu points out. 

"Phil."

"What, Alan?" 

"Well, I was gonna say I got this strange e-mail the other day," Alan responds. "I wasn't sure what it meant, but now I think it might be from Chow." 

Phil takes Alan's phone from him, beginning to read the e-mail. "Fatty, it feels good to be out. I'm close by. Tell no one. I'll be in touch. Chow." 

"How did you not know this was from Leslie if it says Chow on it?" I ask Alan. 

"At the time, I thought it was "Chow" like "goodbye." You know, like, Chow, arrivederci," Alan says. 

"That's c-i-a-o in Italian, dumbass," I shake my head. "Phil, right Chow back." 

"Wait, wait, wait," Stu tries to pause Phil. "Just hold on."

"E-mail that Alan is happy he's out and he'd love to see him," I tell Phil to write. 

"Ooh," Alan takes the lollipop out of his mouth. "I would love to see him." 

Stu looks at him sternly. "Do you even know what's going on?"

"Yes, I do," Alan says. "Phil's doing all the work, Ash is the assistant, and I'm the assistant's assistant."

"No, actually, Ash is telling me what to do so she's the boss," Phil corrects. "I'm the assistant and your my assistant."

"Okay, Phil," Alan says. 

"Besides the point," I shake my head. "What else are you typing?" I ask my boyfriend. 

"Arranging a meeting and we're gonna take him out," Phil answers, finishing up the e-mail. 

"Take him out?" Stu quotes. "Who says that? How do we take someone out?"

"You know," I pretend to slit my neck, making a tsk noise. "Dead." 

"No, Ash," Phil gives me a look. "We'll use drugs. Prescription drugs. You know, the kind that a dentist has access to," He places his hand on the small of my back. "Come on, angel. Let's get in the car." 

"Good luck finding a dentist who will write fake prescriptions," Stu says as Phil and I hop in the car. 

I close the passenger seat door, looking at Phil. "Why can't we just give Leslie, like, all of my CBD gummies?"