Page 50 of Devious Gambit

“Please. We need to know.”

“Fine, I’ll ask some questions.”

“Good.”

“But if my face gets smacked in, it’ll be your fault.”

“Thank you.”

He backtracked. “Maybe we could do a trade,” he suggested. “I’ll do some investigating for the perps who attacked that girl on Friday night, if you…book a visit with your father.”

“That’s a weird trade.”

“I’m a selfless guy, always thinking about you.”

I paused to think it over. “Why are you so keen for me to see him?”

“Because he’s your dad. Look, speaking from a guy’s perspective, the man’s been neglected for years. You know nothing about him. He could be salt of the earth for all you know. I’ll support you all the way, Rhys.”

I rolled over to look him in the eye. “You’re so confusing. One minute you’re trying to be supportive, the next minute you’re making sure I understand that we’re not dating, just having no-strings sex.”

“Yeah, and? I’m a guy, we do strange things.”

“I agree.”

“Guys aren’t as confusing as girls. Just sayin’. Anyway,” he reached for his phone again, “how about we book you in to see your neglected daddy before Christmas.”

I sighed. “Fine. But you don’t have to drive me, I’ll take a bus.”

“Like hell, you will. I’ll book a hotel. Maybe we could go dancing?”

“No thanks.”

“Don’t you know how to dance?”

“No.”

“I’ll teach ya.”

“No.”

“Yes, grumpy bum. We’ll go dancing in Stillwater, Minnesota.”

My stomach twisted into a knot. “How do you know what prison he’s in?”

“I saw it on the envelope,” he answered, briskly, “and when I looked up his crimes for you.”

“Oh right. Good memory.”

He mapped the journey by car on his phone. “So, it’ll take over six hours drive to get there. It has to be a Friday because that’s the only day they’re open for visitors. Looks like you don’t meet him in the flesh, it’s via video call. Huh. Weird. Anyway, I’ll look for a nice hotel that provides clean sheets and-”

“-But first,” I interrupted, “you’ll find out who hurt that girl. Until then, I’m doing nothing.”

He groaned in frustration and I felt my skin crawl in suspicion. Unfortunately, I’m naturally distrustful of human motivations, so I found myself watching him carefully.

“So, I hear you’re in the soap business?” I started, eager to take the attention away from that particular subject.

“Yep,” he replied, staring at his phone again.

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