Page 69 of Rush

Holding her at arm’s length, Emerson gave her a big smile, “Your Uncle Oz and I were very worried.” Then she chuckled, “You should’ve seen him dancing around the room when we found out you were safe.”

Linc heard Sophie’s high-pitched giggle. “Silly, Unca Oz.”

“He is silly, isn’t he?” She gave Sophie’s head a pat and stood back up, a line forming between her eyes as Linc saw her look over at his car. “Is everything okay? Where’s Nora?”

Hackles rising, he asked, “Isn’t she here?”

Her brows raised. “Why would she be here?”

“Sophie said she came over this morning.”

“I haven’t seen her, but she could’ve been here earlier. I had a few deliveries this morning at the pub and just got home an hour ago.”

“Have you talked to Oz?”

“Not since last night. He was gone by the time I got home.” She shrugged. “What’s going on?”

Linc rubbed a hand over his head. “I need to talk to Nora, and it can’t wait.”

Emerson glanced down at Sophie before skewering Linc with a look full of sharp, pointy questions. “How much in the doghouse are we talking here?”

“At this point, I’m buried beneath it.”

Heat blazed in her eyes and a frown pulled at her lips. “If she came early enough to talk to Oz before he left…” Emerson trailed off when she noticed Sophie hanging on to her every word.

Linc knew what she inferred. Nora could be long gone by now. Something he refused to believe. “Right, so I need to talkto Oz.” He grimaced, hoping he didn’t get punched in the jaw in front of Sophie.

From the expression on Emerson’s face, she was thinking that too. “I’ll tell him to call you if he makes it back here first.”

“Thanks. And if you hear from Nora—”

It was Emerson’s turn to grimace. “We’ll have to see on that one, but I promise to let you know if she’s ok.” Emerson gave Sophie a sidelong glance. “Since she has the headache and all going on,” she hastily added for the little girl’s benefit.

Linc dipped his head in acknowledgment then scooped up Sophie. Next stop, Phantoms’ stadium.

After a quick detour to get Sophie a Happy Meal, Linc arrived at the field relieved to see Oz’s truck, knowing he didn’t miss him and pulled in next to it. About five-minutes later, the man himself walked out the gate. Linc got out of his car, leaning against it but leaving Sophie in the air-conditioned backseat, happily eating her chicken nuggets and fries while watching the Paw Patrol movie on the monitor.

He watched Oz’s carefree expression morph into a tight-lipped squint-eyed stare the moment he spotted Linc leaning against the car.

He straightened, waiting.

“You got a set of balls on you, coming here.” Oz opened the back door of his truck and threw his duffle in.

“I’m looking for Nora.”

Oz snorted, slamming the car door. “Tell me something I don’t know.”

Linc sighed, “Listen, I want to apologize but to do that, I need to know where she is and she’s not answering the phone. I’m worried about her.”

“She’s fine.”

“So you do know where she is.”

“I do.”

“And will you tell me?”

“I won’t.”

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