Page 109 of Dizzy

More murmuring.

“You got to come back. Dad’s sorry. He won’t do it again.”

Murmuring.

“Fay-Lee, you got to give him a chance—” Parker swipes the phone from his brother’s hand.

“Listen. I’m sorry I was a jerk to you. If you want my room again, you can have it. Whatever Dad did, he’s not gonna do it again. We promise.”

I can’t take it. I grab the phone. “Fay-Lee.”

Dial tone.

I go to recent calls, try again. It goes straight to voicemail.This is Fay-Lee. You know what to do.

I do. I gotta tell her, make herbelieve, that she’s the most important thing in the goddamn world to me, and I would never let anything or anyone hurt her. I knowwhatto do, but I don’t know how.

I sink to the sofa. The boys collapse on either side of me.

“She’s really pissed,” Carson says.

“You probably need to buy her something.” Parker leans his head back. “A purse or something.”

“Did she say where she was?”

“Nah.” Carson rests his head on my upper arm. He smells like wet dog again. How the hell does he always smell like wet dog when he has no pets? He’s gonna need a shower before school. “She said she was gonna miss us and sorry she left without saying goodbye.”

My chest tightens.

“Just track her down,” Parker says.

“Yeah, get a bloodhound,” Carson suggests.

“No, dumbass. Track her using her phone. That’s what they do on TV. They put a chip or something on the phone, and then they get in a van, and they track ‘em down.”

Shit.

There’s a tracker on her phone.

That’s why Heavy’s so sure he’ll find her.

That’s why he left her alone with Jed. And her phone.

He knew something’s up with Jed. He knew she’d run. And she’d lead us straight to the Rebel Raiders who put Chaos up to stealing the blueprints.

That lying, Machiavellianfuck.

When Fay-Lee is safe at home, I’m gonna beat his ass with a baseball bat. Or a stop sign pole. I’ll probably need a fuckin’ fence post.

Parker sees my wheels turning. “You can go get her, Dad. I’ll watch Carson.”

I check my phone. “Jo-Beth’s coming over to watch you. She’ll take you to school tomorrow if I don’t get back in time. That okay?”

“Last time Jo-Beth watched us, she made us dust all the crap hanging on the walls,” Parker complains. “And I think she stole the yellow pillow that saidLive Your Dreams.”

“Yeah, but we didn’t have to clean nothin’ for a week after she left. Besides, I think she’s pretty. I like her purple hair.” Carson’s easier to please than his brother. He’s gonna have a smoother time of it with the ladies.

“When I bring Fay-Lee back, she’s stayin’. You two okay with that?”

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