Page 108 of Wicked Games

“The appointment was under Amy Lawson, but he didn’t call her that.”

I go still. “What did he call her?”

“I didn’t catch a last name. But he called her Margo.”

Fuck.

“Call this number,” I tell the woman. I give her my uncle’s business card. If there’s one thing he’s good at, it’s cleaning up other people’s mess. “He’ll have you compensated for the trouble—but the details remain with me. Do you understand?”

“Y-yes.”

“Speak a word of his last visit, and I’ll strip away everything he gives you,” I promise.

“I understand. Thank you, Mr. Asher.”

I leave her standing in the middle of the bullpen. Forgotten cubicle dividers, desks. But no computers, no paperwork. Tobias Hutchins is officially spooked, and it all comes down to whatever Margo Wolfe said to him.

What are you up to, little lamb?

Chapter 28

Margo

Past

“Ready to go, kid?”

I raised my arms in the air, and Dad obliged me. He scooped me up, up, up, placing me on his shoulders. Mom said I was getting too big and I was going to break Dad’s back one of these days. He told me to ignore her.

I was still his little girl. Always would be.

We approached the door, and I ducked, curling myself around his head. He tickled my foot, and I giggled into his hair. He carried me out of the school, past all the other kids waiting for the bus.

I loved the days Dad picked me up. It meant Mom was out, either with friends or on a supply run for Caleb’s house. We got to do fun stuff. He played music in the car and sang along like a private concert.

He put me down beside his car and ruffled my hair. I fought the impulse to hug him before he opened my door and held out a hand to help me climb in.

“What’s for dinner?” he asked when he sat behind the wheel. “Pizza?”

“Duh,” I answered.

“Are you okay with Caleb joining us for dinner? His parents are having a party.”

“Is that where Mommy is?”

He met my gaze in the mirror. “Yeah, she’s catering it. It’s gonna be a late night.”

“Caleb likes pizza,” I said quietly.

We grabbed the food on the way home, and I ran into my room to change out of the uniform. The front door opened and shut. Dad’s and Caleb’s voices drifted down the hall toward me.

It wasn’t often that I was tempted to eavesdrop—barring that one time last week with Mrs. Asher and the mystery man—but any conversation between Dad and Caleb was worth its weight in gold.

Caleb idolized my dad. I didn’t know why, and deep down, it irked me. He wasmydad. Caleb had his own. But he was always asking him questions, hanging around when Mom wasn’t here. He didn’t like to be in our apartment if my mom was home, but my dad was another situation entirely.

“Where’s Margo?” Caleb asked.

“Getting changed,” Dad said. “How was school?”

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