Page 69 of Game Changer

“I stuck in the pink Jeep, Daddy. I gotta help my Syd, but I can’t get my buckle open,” she says through sniffs.

“Okay, okay,” I say, looking at my friend, happy as hell her little seat has an AirTag in it, something I put in there after the accident. “I know exactly where you are, little flower. You stay right there and do not get out until you see me.” I look beside me and see Cory. “Or Poppa Cory, okay?”

“Daddy, he hurt her hair, and she said a bad word, but … ’cause he was mean.”

“Yeah, Lily girl, he’s mean, and he’s gonna get his. You hear me? You stay right there, and if you do get unbuckled, sweetheart, you lock those doors, and you don’t open them until I tell you it’s okay.”

I slide into my truck and start it up.

“Or Poppa Cory?” Her voice comes over the speaker. “You gotta hurry, Daddy. The mean police pushed my Syd”—she sobs loudly—“inna snow.” She cries. “And they goed in the woods, but my Syd dinna wanna.”

Cory is in the truck and heard Lily, who is now sobbing uncontrollably.

I turn to back out when four women pile in the back.

“Lily, sweetheart, it’s Miss Linda.”

“Miss Linda, we gotta help my Syd. She’s having troubles.”

“We’re on our way, Lily. I know exactly where you are, okay?”

“How do you know, Daddy? Can you see me?”

“Your seat,” I answer, trying not to show any sign of fear, but I am fearful. “It has a little device that tells me where it is.”

“We needa get one for Lovey and Cakey.” She sniffs.

“We will. I promise we will.” I exhale quietly as I come out of the village, going ninety miles per hour. The roads are clear, and so is the sky, thank God. “Are you parked on the lakeside or the other?”

“Other, but the mean cop took my Syd to the water part.”

“Okay, little flower, that’s good information. I’m so proud of you, sweet girl.” I silently screamfuckinto the air.

“Daddy, the phone is made a crazy sound.”

“Okay, okay, Lily sweetheart, the battery might be dying, but I still know where you are, and I am going to be there in three or four songs.”

“Daddy, there’s no songs on.” She whimpers then begins to cry.

“Okay, you and me are gonna sing one of our favorite songs, and when you can’t hear me, you keep singing, and then do it three more times, and I’ll be there, you with me?”

“Me’s with you, Daddy.”

“The way you move is like a full-on rainstorm, and I’m a house of cards.” I clear my throat.

“Our Sparks song, like Syd, Daddy?” Her voice breaks.

“Exactly like that.”

And my girl starts belting the chorus. “Drop everything now, meet me in the morning rain, kiss me on the sidewalk, take away the thing, ’Cause I see Sydney Sparks fly whenever we smile.”

The last chorus is when the phone dies, and I smash the gas as I turn onto State Route 41A.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck.” I beat the shit out of the steering wheel.

“Hudson and Roman are almost there,” Linda says.

“Linda, you tell them I get that motherfucker for ten minutes alone,” I hiss.

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