Who Is Brian Quinn?

Some Bad News - The Goon Squad - Some Worse News

"I've gotta get back," sighed Genevieve.

"Back to where?" asked Madge.

They sat in Madge's kitchen sipping green tea. Bailey lay on the floor beside the radiator, snoring quietly.

"Back to my life. Reality, I guess."

Madge held her mug in both hands, the steam warming her face. "And where is that exactly?"

Earlier, after Bailey and Genevieve had carefully dumped the body into the river the three of them had driven back along the road that hugged the river. No sign of Reggie. At intervals the boy jumped out and ran to the river's edge shouting his father's name. Two hours later they returned home, wet and tired. The boy had gone to sleep quickly, leaving the two women alone to talk.

"It's difficult to say," remarked Genevieve. "At this point I have no idea where I am. In all honesty, I've spent the last few days flying around the galaxy in a spaceship, if you can believe that."

Madge made a face and took a sip of her tea.

Genevieve touched the lip of her cup sitting on the table with the tip of her finger. "I'm worn out," she said. "I don't know how to get back. Don't know where to begin."

Madge pursed her lips, then stood. "I have something. Something that might help you." She set her mug down and disappeared up the stairs. Moments later she returned, sliding back into her chair. "Here," she placed the ring on the kitchen table. "Take it. It might help you get back."

Genevieve eyed the ring thoughtfully.

Madge continued. "I took it. From him." She nodded, looking into Genevieve's eyes. "But be careful. There's no telling where it'll take you."

Genevieve picked up the ring between her thumb and forefinger turning it in the light. "That's one of his alright. How'd you get it?"

"Wasn't easy," replied Madge.

"Not a lot of options at this point," Genevieve said. "I just put it on?"

Madge shrugged. "Pretty much."

Genevieve held the ring up between them, inspecting its shape, the contours of the diamond.

Madge took a sip of tea. "What do you think happened to Reggie?" She eyed the other woman over her cup. "Will he come back?"

Genevieve smiled. "You came back, didn't you?"

Madge bit her lip and looked at Bailey lying on the floor, still in his soggy jeans and socks. She was thinking of Reggie. His huge hands, warm arms. She sniffed and wiped her eyes.

"He'll come back," said Genevieve. "Everything's mixed up right now, but it'll all come out straight. Don't worry."

"I hope you're right," said Madge.

Genevieve took Madge's hand and squeezed it, then she slipped the ring on her index finger.

Instantly Madge and the surrounding kitchen dissolved into blurred bending shadows and banking color fields of unnamable hues. It felt as if her eyes could no longer focus. The world became a swirling mass of random patterns melting together. Her breath caught in her throat and she felt she might choke. For some reason she had the urge to say her own name, she tried to say it out loud but her voice wouldn't work. She could feel her pulse pounding in her neck like a jackhammer. She tried to say her name again, the syllables swaying heavily in her mind's eye. Her voice echoed dimly against the surrounding chaos.

And then she was back, back in Karl's penthouse. The place looked like a whirlwind had hit it. Blood soaked carpets, trash and empty bottles littered the floor.