Joaquin

Chapter 27

I decided that it was best not to go to school that Monday.   I was too worried to be thinking about anything else.   And I knew that Joaquin is nervous about the whole thing and I decided not to leave him alone.  Around 5  I get a call from Archie telling me and Joaquin to go over to his house.  It sounded urgent so me and Joaquin went to Archies Garage.  When we got there Archie, Veronica and Kevin were already waiting for us.  "What's this about?" I asked as I stood beside Archie and Joaquin stood to the left of me. "We have to ask Joaquin a few questions." Archie says as he motions for Joaquin to sit down on the chair.  He hesitates but does it anyways.  " We know that Fp used his one phone call to get in touch with you." This made me stop in my tracks. "No there's no way.  I was with him the whole time and he didn't even get a phone call." I tell them.  I look over at Joaquin but he isn't looking at me and he isn't denying it.  Oh my God Fp called him and he didn't even bother to tell me about it. "You son of a bitch."  I say to him as I shake my head. 

 The betrayal I felt was uncanny. "What did you guys talk about?"  I asked him.  "It's not like that Ava.  It was late at nig-" I didn't need to hear his excuse at this point I only cared about what was discussed. "What did you guys talk about?" he sighs "It was basically just a warning telling me to lay low." he says "nobody uses their one phone call to tell somebody to lay low." Veronica says to him and I nod my head in agreement Kevin walks up to him "Joaquin do you know something?" Joaquin looks at me as if asking if he should tell them or not.  I didn't change my facial expression and he got the point that I didn't care.  "Did Fp kill Jason?" Kevin asked.  It look Joaquin a long time to finally say it but he finally did and it still hurt to hear someone admit to it even though I don't believe it.  Once he got done telling them everything that they needed to know Veronica asked him if he knew anything about her dad being linked to Jasons murder.  "There was one time I overheard a conversation between Fp and Mustang."  Joaquin was about to continue but Archie stopped him.  "Who's Mustang?" he asked "He's another Serpant.  The one that you got in a fight with the time that I took you to the Whyte Wyrm." I told Archie and Jaoquin continued talking " He was the only other guy who knew about the clean-up.  I heard him telling Fp something about a rich guy.  I don't know who" He finishes "Where is Mustang?" Veronica asks.  Me and Joaquin both started saying no at the same time.  "you do not want to go see him" Joaquin says to her "Yes I do.  And you are going to take us or-or I am going to tell my dad about your little clean-up job." This caused me to panic just a little bit as I stared down Kevin.  I knew he was probably bluffing but I couldn't take that chance. " I will take you to him." I tell the group as they all looked at me.  " You know where Mustang lives?" Kevin asks me I sigh as Kevins question "You guys are forgetting that I have known the Serpants longer than Joaquin has." I look down at Joaquin but his face is still laced with quilt.  "Come on we can all get in my car." 

We all got out then I pulled into the parking lot of  the City Centre motor Hotel.  I have had to come over here a couple of times to get my dad who was drunk back home.  We went up the stairs as I was leading and Joaquin was close behind me.  "This is him here." I say as I walk up to his door that was 226. I knock on the door.  "Hey mustang you in here? Its Ava" I say as I open the door and walked in.  Everybody walked in after me and all went there separate ways.  This is pretty much the same as I remember it.  Unmade bed empty bottles littering the rooms but the one thing that was different was the smell.  It has always smelt bad in here but this was way worse than anything I can remember.  It was almost like something was rotting.  I covered my nose with my sleeve to block the smell of something rotting and replaced it with Joaquins smell.  His smell is kinda like a faint pine smell and I absolutely loved it even though I am still pissed at him.

"Oh my god" I hear Archie say from the bathroom. Me and Joaquin were the farthest away so we were the last to see what was in the bathroom. "Holy shit" I say as I turn the corner and see Mustang in the bathtub with a needle in his arm.  "I can't... I can't be here" Joaquin says while looking at me while panic littered his face.  I look at him in the eyes and nod my head. "Ok I need to get Joaquin out of here.  You guys call Kevins dad." I say as me and Joaquin run out the door.