Page 17 of A Little Christmas Wish

Right. Betsy thought they might be more than okay. But she’d leave that alone. If Zippy didn’t want to admit to a case of hero worship, Betsy wouldn’t make her.

“All right, then. So . . . Christmas shopping?”

“If it’s what you want to do, I guess we can go.”

Well, it wasn’t a ringing endorsement but Betsy would take it.

6

“What do you mean he’s missing?” Ink thundered into the phone.

“I don’t know what to tell you,” Isaiah said tiredly. “I checked the camera feed for the past couple of days and Leon hasn’t been around. Tonight, when it got dark, I snuck into his house. Looks like he hasn’t been there for a while. There’s mail in the mailbox, and dirty dishes in the sink.”

Ink paced back and forth through the living room. Bandit kept pace with him.

He knew that Zippy’s foster father was an asshole. When they’d been given a chance to foster her, her caseworker had explained that Zippy had threatened her former foster father with a knife.

She’d also said they didn’t have to take her if they felt threatened or in danger.

Jesus.

Any idiot could tell that there was more to the story. But Zippy was pretty tight-lipped.

However, something awful had to have happened for Zippy to threaten him like that.

It made Ink feel ill.

Which is why he’d asked an old friend to keep an eye on her ex-foster father, Leon.

“What about the wife?” Ink asked.

Isaiah had tried to approach her without the husband around, but she wouldn’t speak to him. And Zippy barely said anything about her.

“Well, shewason the camera feed. I saw her drive out of the garage yesterday morning. I checked through the closets, all of her clothes are gone.”

“Do you think he’s with her? She might have picked him up somewhere.”

“Could be. But his clothing is still in the closet.”

“Fuck.” Was the bastard coming for Zippy? Fear filled Ink. They’d only just gotten her. He wasn’t going to fail to protect her.

“Just be careful with your girls,” Isaiah told him. “This guy seems like a real piece of work. He holds down a good job, has friends who think he’s great, neighbors who speak highly of him, but his wife jumps at any loud noises and has haunted eyes.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll keep a close eye on them. Just do me a favor and keep that camera there, recording. And tell me if he comes back?”

“You got it. Tell me if you need me for anything else.”

“Thanks, Isaiah.” He ended the call and looked over at the clock. It was just after eight. Betsy had texted him to say that she was taking Zippy Christmas shopping and they’d have dinner out.

“They should be home by now, Bandit,” he grumbled.

The dog sat and stared up at him, his head to one side. Reaching down, Ink patted his head.

The door opened and the boys walked in. Well, Royal walked. Baron ran, talking wildly and gesturing. Bandit greeted them both enthusiastically.

“Yo, Pops, what’s happening?” Baron asked.

“Evening,” Royal said with a drawl.

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