Page 55 of Killer Kiss

I knew the address of the café Eddie and his crew had been seen at because it was on the same street as Banjo’s daughter’s daycare. I took the turns easily, while Ophelia wrapped her arms around herself and stared out through the windshield stiffly.

“It wouldn’t be her, right? Eddie wouldn’t just have her walking around Providence like it’s no big deal…”

“I have no idea,” I admitted truthfully.

Except I could. Fawn wasn’t outspoken. She didn’t cause scenes or make a fuss. And if she was scared…

I could easily imagine a scenario where Eddie threatened someone or something Fawn loved to keep her quiet.

“He knows her. They spent years together,” Ophelia said quietly. “He’ll use all of her weaknesses against her.”

I swallowed thickly. “The way she cares about other people…”

“Is her greatest weakness,” Ophelia finished. “Shit.” She turned and peered out the window. “All he has to do is threaten someone she loves, and she’ll stay quiet.”

There was nothing else to say. We drove the rest of the way in silence, and I parked the car right outside the café. Ophelia jumped out and ran inside, not waiting for me. I followed, stopping in the doorway, while she scanned the café.

I didn’t know who I was looking for. I’d never even seen a photo of Eddie. All I could go off was Eve’s description of the man who’d kidnapped both her and Fawn. But a big white guy with a beard and tattoos wasn’t exactly helpful when that was probably half the population.

Oddly, though, not one person in that Providence café fit the description. There were only two men in the entire store. One was black and the other a scrawny man with glasses who had to be at least fifty.

I already knew before Ophelia even opened her mouth that Eddie and the woman weren’t here.

The text I received a moment later confirmed it, Bert Leddith updating with a second message that said he’d followed the group until they’d become suspicious, driving in circles so Bert knew they were aware of him. He’d backed off and let them go before a confrontation could happen.

I typed back a furious response, telling the man he should have stayed on them.

His reply came back a second later, claiming I didn’t pay him enough to put himself in danger.

I shoved the phone into my pocket angrily. “Forget it,” I told Ophelia. “This is a dead end.”

She spun around. “What do you mean? Where are they?”

“Gone.”

She must have noticed the expression on my face because she didn’t push it any further. She went to the counter where the twenty-something man behind the register was gawking at her like she’d just walked out of his teenage dreams.

Couldn’t blame him.

Completely oblivious, she asked him for a caramel macchiato and then looked over at me. “What’s your coffee order?”

“I’m fine.”

She just waited.

I sighed. “Tea. English Breakfast, if they have it.”

She let out a snort of laughter that should have been so unattractive but was actually just fucking cute on her. “Seriously?”

“Fuck off. Just order my drink.”

She turned back to the kid behind the counter. “An English tea for my very distinguished gentleman friend.”

I rolled my eyes but sat my ass down in a chair facing the window anyway. She joined me, and a minute later they brought over two steaming mugs.

Ophelia chuckled quietly while I took a sip of mine.

“It’s good,” I told her. “Don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it. And better for you than that shit.”

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