Page 246 of Dark Love

“What now?”

“Shock is going to go do what he needs to do to find her. And you’re going to sit down and make a list of all the places she could possibly go. No matter how unlikely she is to go there.”

Shock nods and rushes out of the room.

This day can’t get any worse.

I Believe You

Dahlia

“So, how was your trip?” Mindy leans over to ask before we log in to work.

“Fun.” Weird. “I found out a few of the friends I met up with live around here. We’re going to get together soon.”

“I’d love to meet your other friends.”

Other friends?!? Mindy considers herself my friend. “That sounds like fun. Let’s set something up in the next couple of weeks.”

“Did Vex go with you?”

“No, but he will next year. I missed him.”

“You two are so cute together.” Mindy stares over at Adonis.

That’s not good. Mindy needs someone sweet. Vex has got to have a friend that would be a better fit for her. I need to work on that now that I’m home.

“What we need is a barbeque. I hate having to wait until the summer. The winter is going to be so dreary.”

Should I volunteer? People might look at me differently. “What if we did one at my place?”

“Your place?” Mindy’s eyes go wide.

“Yeah.” I shift my gaze to the floor. “My backyard is big enough for a decent-sized group, but so is my house.”

Mindy’s eyebrows shoot up into her forehead. “Your house? You own a house in Urbium? Like a real house? You mean your apartment has access to a shared garden or something, right?”

That’s why I don’t mention the house. I shouldn’t have offered. I should have kept my mouth shut. “No. I mean my house.”

“You’re rich.”

Owning a home today does make you rich, but I’m really not. Or not at least to Vex’s level, with a private plane waiting on my every whim. “I’m comfortable.”

“What did you do, invent a widget or something or inherit money?”

I laugh at the idea that I could invent anything mechanical. “A little of both.”

And we’re out of time to chat. Our shift starts.

“That’s really cool. Barbeques here we come.”

The fact that she’s more excited about grilled meat than our financial differences is encouraging. I log in.

My first call pops in immediately.

“911, what is your emergency?”

“My name is Marlie Wonderosh.”

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