Page 18 of Inflame Me
“Do you know what you're gonna say to them?” I ask.
“Yeah. Dagger won’t tell me anything, but he told me to tell the cops Mom brought me down here to meet him, and we got in a car accident. I’ve got it; I just don’t want to deal with it.”
“Better sooner than later.”
She nods. “It’s nice here,” she says softly.
“It’s not bad. I grew up here, so I’m used to it.”
Her head turns to me. “You have family around here?”
I stare across the compound. “The only family I’ve got are the brothers you see.”
“I’ve only got my mom.” She pauses, and I look at her. “She’s always been my rock. It’s kind of strange being hers.”
“I bet, but from what I can tell, you did the right thing by coming here.”
Her emerald eyes connect with mine. “I think so, but I’m shitty at this running from the law thing.” She chuckles. I really like the sound.
“Yeah, you aren’t good in that arena. Need to teach you a thing or two.”
She shakes her head emphatically. “Nope. I don’t want to know. I’m never going through this again.” I wish I could tell her that it won’t, but shit happens. That's life. I won’t lie to her.
Her phone buzzes. “I’d better check it.” She starts pushing buttons, and then her gaze goes off in the distance like she’s deep in thought. She pushes the phone off and turns to me. “Yep, cops need to talk to my mother as soon as possible. I guess I should call them back.”
“Might as well do it now and get it over with.” I wouldn’t mind listening to the conversation, either.
She shakily dials the number. “Officer Mayer?” She pauses. “This is Tanner O’Ryan, Mearna O’Ryan’s daughter. You called?” She remains sitting next to me, her eyes averted.
“We were in a car accident, and Mom hasn’t been feeling well; that’s why I’m calling you instead of her.”
“She’s okay. Sore, but healing.”
“Me, I’m fine. Can you tell me why you’re calling?” I have to admit she’s damn convincing, much better at this than her murder clean up skills.
“I understand you’d like to speak with her, but she’s sleeping. I’ll be more than happy to speak to you on her behalf … Okay … Mom brought me to Georgia to meet my father for the first time,” she tells the cop, and I suck in everything on this one-sided conversation. “No, we left right after I got off work for my vacation on Thursday … Right … I believe she told him.”
Tanner’s eyes turn to me, her face white as a ghost. Guess she’s finding out what happened to the house. Her jaw goes slack as she listens to the phone, her eyes searching me, but I give nothing away.
“Oh, my God. Is James all right?” That sounds pretty believable even to me. “Oh no!” she says a little bit over the top, but somehow reels herself in. “You mean he’s gone? … There’s nothing left?” Her eyes grow to the size of saucers as she stares at me, silently begging me for answers. “I see … I’ll be sure to tell my mother right away … His parents did?” I’m definitely curious about that. “Okay. I’ll tell my mom. Thank you,” she says then turns off her phone.
“You guys blew up the house?” she practically squeals.
I wrap my arm around her, pulling her to my body. She’s got some serious fight in her. “We did what had to be done to take care of the problem,” I say in a low voice. “Do you think the cops bought the story?”
She huffs. “Seemed like it.”
“Good. What’s going on with his parents?”
She stills in my arms, so I release her. She wraps her hands around her body. “They claimed James’s body. They are setting up the arrangements for him.” She shakes her head. “We’ll have to go back for that.”
“It’ll all work out, Sprite,” I tell her, half believing it. She’s the one who’s got to believe it so she can keep her shit together.
She jumps off the table, brushing her ass with her hands. “I need to go and talk to my mom.” She skirts away before I can say another word.
GIRLISH LAUGHTER COMES from the bar of the club, and my eyes swing to it like magnets. Tanner and Princess. From the looks of things, it’s more Princess than Tanner. Her expression is kind of glum, but she’s putting on a brave face. It’s fake as hell, yet she’s trying.
I have been away for the past day and a half on club business and haven’t had the opportunity to see her since our small chat outside the garage. After hearing her conversation with the cops, I told Pops and Dagger, and all seemed well.
