Page 16 of Their Rustic Retreat

That is not the voice of Jessie Joe.

So I answer it.

It’s Hawk.

He pushes in, pushes me, but I stand my ground. “Where the fuck is she?”

I raise an eyebrow. “Serena? I saw her leave the parking lot, man. I assumed she went home.”

“Well, she’s not at home, and she’s not answering my texts or my calls. Your shady ass is the last person seen with her, so you better start giving me an answer, or I’m going to start beating your face in.”

There’s a ringing sound, accompanied by vibrations against denim. “Are you going to answer that?”

“Is it related to Serena’s whereabouts? I’m busy.”

“Man, it could be Serena, and I hope it is. I want her safe, and I would rather have you flipping out over nothing instead of flipping out over something and having her endangered.”

He grumbles and pulls out the phone. “It’s not Serena, but I have to answer it anyway. You stay right there.”

“This is my home. I don’t have anywhere else to be.”

Hawk steps aside and answers it. I hear his end of the conversation. “I’m in front of him right now. My sister hasn’t gotten back to me, Fox. Really? Speaker? For him?”

Hawk shakes his head in frustration and presses the button.

“Am I on? Tristian Franklin? Is that you? Can you hear me?”

“Uh, yeah. Hi?”

“Didn’t take many calls to figure out your deal. Listen, I’m one of Hawk’s friends. Call me Fox.”

“Hi, Fox?” It’s a strange way to meet someone for the first time.

“I don’t want to be dealing with the organization any more than you do, but I still have some family ties. I’ve been digging, and I know you were there when Paul Voss iced Kenny. You saw it.”

I stare at the phone in disbelief as this guy just spills my secrets like it’s the most mundane thing in the world.

“We’re lucky this organization we’re dealing with has at least some people with brains. And they have feelings and ties too. People liked Kenny. Paul crossed a line. No one’s protecting him anymore, and there are leaks to certain authoritative types, tying him to his crimes. You shouldn’t have anything to worry about. Maybe you’ll need to testify or something? I don’t know. I’m no lawyer.”

“Listen, all this is good and all, but how do you know this? Why do you even care?”

“My brother here wanted to make sure his sister wasn’t going down the wrong path. And I don’t know you personally, but I don’t see anything suggesting you’re any more guilty than I am for my connections.”

Hawk seems more annoyed by this than anything. “Great, Fox, great, but I don’t know where my sister is.”

“She’s missing?”

“Yeah, it’s the whole reason I want to throttle this guy.”

The gears start to turn in my mind. “Hey, what about Paul’s minions? Like a certain Jessie Joe?”

Fox hesitated a moment before answering. “Probably scattering like the rats they are. Family won’t protect them, would even come down on them if they did something stupid like violate our rule not to mess with Evergreen Valley.”

I take another breath and look at the crumpled note in the trash. “I know where Serena is.”

I had thought Jessie Joe using “We’re” in his note meant him and Paul.

Now I know the bastard meant for it to represent someone else.

---