Page 5 of Tripp

“Yeah, well, someone is missing, remember? I was in a hurry to get here.”

“You said that less than a minute ago. I’m not that old.”

“Dani Lynn?” Drew stepped closer to her, ignoring our exchange. “What was so urgent? Are you okay? The kids?”

“Oh, um… Well, you see, your daughter?—”

“Wait, why are you saying it like that? Which daughter?”

“Ty knocked some little as—turd on the head with a book during reading time, when he wouldn’t leave her alone. She got sent home for bullying. She’s in Gramp’s office,” the younger man said from behind a computer screen.

“Derek is working on getting the video now. I plan to go have a talk with that teacher and the new principal.” Her face tightened.

“Not alone you’re not,” Drew said. “The last time you talked to a principal, you threatened to beat her ass.”

“Ah shit…” Jackson’s face hardened. “Who’s messing with my niece?”

“Some little boy. She wouldn’t tell me who. He was poking her?—”

“Is Ty okay?” the men asked in unison.

Dani Lynn smiled softly, holding up a hand. “Yeah, she’s quite proud of herself.”

“Got it! Gramps, you might wanna?—”

The doors opened, and a big man came in, a tiny girl in his arms. “Scooter!” I moved to give him a hug. “Any news since you called me?”

“No. Still radio silence.” He looked around, stopping when he got a look at Gabe. “This isn’t like her, man. Something is wrong; I know my sister.”

“Scooter, I didn’t know you were in town,” Gabe commented, coming closer. Gabe left Dani Lynn and her husband to talk. “It’s been—damn since we left Killeen?”

“I didn’t know you were—” He waved a big hand at the uniform.

“Yep. Been Sheriff since I got out of the Army. Settled down, got married, had a kid. You doing all right? Who is this you have with you?”

“Yeah. Just helping my sister out. We live over in Diboll. I’ve only been here for a couple years. Keep to myself. Got a job working at a garage there part time. The lady that owns it?—”

“You’re working for AJ?”

“Yes. She’s nice and lets me work at my own pace when I can. I can’t work when my sister is gone because of this little one.”

I bumped my elbow against Scooter’s. “See, I told you we could trust the people here.”

“Yeah, you?—”

“Daddy!” A child’s shriek had my eye twitching. I turned to see what was happening.

“Tyler, come tell me about this boy you hit.”

She ran to him. “Can I say it, Daddy? Can I? Please?”

He nodded as he sat and she climbed up into his lap.

“He’s a shithead.”

Gabe’s face turned beat red at the word ‘shithead,’ Dani Lynn scowled at her husband, and the man just threw his head back and laughed.

I admit it, I chuckled too.

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