Bloom by A.P. Kensey

the building and out at the street beyond. The exterior of the police station was well-lit at night, but he still couldn’t see the person who supposedly paid his bail and got him out of the holding cell.
    The street outside the station was empty except for a few pedestrians hurrying along the sidewalk. The air was cold and Colton still wore the dirty jeans and t-shirt he had been wearing all day. He waited for a few moments with his arms crossed against the cold night air, thinking someone was going to appear and explain what was going on. He eventually gave up and started the long walk back to his apartment.
    Colton turned the corner at the end of the street and saw Reece ahead, leaning against the brick wall of a building with his hands in his pockets, staring across the street at a pair of scantily-clad women who were hanging out in front of an adult video store. He didn’t notice as Colton walked up next to him and slapped him on the back of the head.
    “Hey!” said Reece, pushing off the wall. He clenched his fists as if he were about to start throwing punches, then relaxed when he saw that it was Colton. “You scared me half to death.”
    “Making new friends?” said Colton, nodding at the women across the street. The women giggled and waved when Colton looked their way.
    “They wish,” said Reece. “But I should remember this spot for later.” He fell into step next to Colton when he started walking again. “So, how did it go?”
    Colton shrugged. “Just a bunch of waiting around, really.”
    Reece nodded. “Look, I need to say thank you before my ego takes over and won’t let me.”
    “You would have done the same for me if I was in your situation. I should say thank you as well for getting me out, even though it was your idiotic idea that landed me in jail in the first place.”
    “I got her phone number,” said Reece, smiling.
    “If you didn’t, they would be dragging me back to the police station right now for murdering my best friend.”
    “Aw, come on. It’s not that bad, right? You’re out, at least.”
    “Did you have to call your dad and ask for the money?”
    “Yeah, about that. It’s funny, but I actually didn’t have anything to do with your release.”
    Colton stopped. “What do you mean?”
    Reece walked a couple steps ahead, then stopped and turned back hesitantly. “I meant to tell you a couple weeks ago, but it just never came up.” He scratched the back of his neck and looked away. “My dad kind of cut me off. He’s not gonna send any more rent checks until I ‘get my act together’, or so he says, anyway.”
    “So who got me out of jail?” asked Colton.
    “That’s the funny part. After the cops hauled you away and I went back to the apartment to change so I could go ask the record store girl out on a date—her name’s Chloe and not Jenna, by the way—this guy knocked on the door right as I was about to leave. Real creepy dude. Tall with black hair and a grey suit. I thought he was from the funeral home and he was gonna tell me you died in jail or something.”
    “Reece…”
    “Right, sorry. So this guy hands me this briefcase and tells me that if I give it to this other guy at the District Attorney’s Office, they would let you out! I can’t believe it worked!”
    They started walking.
    “Who was the guy you gave the briefcase to?”
    “No idea. Never seen him before in my life. Looked very political, though,” said Reece.
    “So you dropped off the briefcase, then went and got Chloe’s phone number?”
    “Wellll…” said Reece.
    “You went to the record store first.”
    “I knew you would be okay, and look at you!” said Reece. He slapped Colton on the shoulder. “Like nothing ever happened.”
    Colton shook his head and sighed. “So what’s the catch?”
    “Catch?”
    “This guy gave you a briefcase—probably full of money—and told you to use it to get me out of jail. So what’s the catch?”
    “That’s the best part of the whole