Page 120 of Truth or Dare

“You ready for this?” is how he greeted me.

“Yeah man.” I sat and braced.

“Gan Chen is in the hospital. Multiple gunshot wounds. Not sure if he’ll survive. His body guards are dead. You out there in the woods with just two guards, I don’t think it’s a good idea. Your father’s house might be better. You should probably try to get there. You’re too vulnerable.”

“Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck!” I winced. I looked at her. She looked alarmed.

“I think you need all the info I have, man.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“Lay it on me.” I left the room, heading down the stairs and out the back deck.

“All right. Your girl’s mother’s name is Felicia Mooney, father’s name David Macleod. Sister, Holly Mooney. You want your girl’s name or you still waiting for her to tell you? If you come in contact with Frost there’s a chance he’ll use her name, anyway.”

“Fuck.” I didn’t know what to do but made a snap decision, “Lay it on me.”

“All right, her name’s Angie Macleod. She was born in South Carolina but at 13 she moved to Juneau to live with her mother after her father died in a work accident. Mother had Holly by another guy. Angie’s father had custody of her from age 4 but the mother got custody after he died.”

“Angie Macleod?” I whispered, in complete shock.

“Yeah.”

“Angie?” I repeated.

“Yeah. Angelica Elizabeth Macleod.”

“Angelica?”

“Yep.”

Holy fuck.

“Angie graduated high school early. Smart girl. Mother’s a raging alcoholic and pill popper, still in Juneau. Before your girl left for her teaching job she arranged for the sister to live with the paternal grandmother because the mother was abusive. Angie practically raised the sister. But…oh shit, we just got a lead on where Jason is. I’ll call you back.” He disconnected.

I took a minute staring out at the woods beyond the deck. I heard noise in the house so I stepped in. She was at the sink filling the tea kettle.

“Angie,” I said.

She spun around and it took a second to penetrate. When it did, her eyes were wide. Her mouth dropped open.

“Yeah, I know,” I said. “We need to talk. There are some things going on. Gan Chen and a few of his people are here to try to catch Jason because Jason wanted to buy you and got pissed when he found out you were sold to me. But Gan got shot. He’s in the hospital. Zack told me your name because–”

Her hand clapped over her mouth and she started to tremble, so I stopped talking, got to her, got my arms around her, and she shrieked, ducking to get under my arms and away and then she ran around to the other side of the table.

She pointed at me. “N-no. No. Stay back. I have to go save her.”

I stopped and put my hands up, “Baby, listen…”

She backed up until her back was to the door and then her hand went to the doorknob.

Fuck, for some reason she was having a meltdown. But, worse.

“We have to talk, Angel. I know some of your story. I need the rest.”

“Oh God!” A sob tore out of her mouth. She turned the knob.

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