Page 22 of Clean Slade
“Me? I’m doing nothing! He’s the one—” she started.
“She called me a time-out. This was just payback.”
King cocked his head to the side and studied me.
“Did not,” she said.
“Did so.”
“Did not, you big time-out!”
I almost burst out laughing, but I held it together.
King’s daughter, with her dark-brown bob and eyes matching her father’s to a T, was nothing if not a spritely, sassy thing and lots of fun to be around. She was his carbon copy. There was no denying her parentage.
It did make me wonder if her father was hiding a more playful side, however. If our past encounter was any indication, he had one. He was probably too stressed and terrified to let it out now.
“Oh God. You two are gonna be a handful, aren’t you?”
“You know it.” I winked at him while Mac crossed her arms and pouted, making King roll his eyes.
He was a good actor. He’d put on a good front for his daughter, not letting her see the shit probably going through his head.
In fact, I couldn’t tell something was going on just by looking at him right now, with a coffee in his hand, a tousled, wet pomp framing his face, and the same clothes from last night looking fresh as anything.
But his eyes were the tell. You could see it in them.
The fear.
I was surprised he’d taken so well to my plan. I knew he wanted to leave the island, but I hadn’t thought he would appreciate me taking the lead on this or making him hide for the time being when all he wanted to do was run.
But I’d made him a promise, and I’d be damned if I didn’t keep it.
“Knock, knock,” someone said from the hallway, and moments later, Autumn walked through wearing the world’s biggest tan coat, making her look very cuddly. “Someone ordered a car and changes of clothes?”
I rushed to my feet to give her a hug and kiss her forehead before offering her a coffee.
“Oh boy. A girl could get used to being treated like that,” she said once she sat on the couch. “Take full advantage of it, Mac. This is rarer than diamonds.”
Mac gave her a knowing nod, seemingly accepting the challenge, and I glanced at King to see his reaction.
He offered a half-assed chuckle and wrapped his palms tighter around his cup.
“Thank you so much for doing this. I really hate putting you all through this.”
Autumn shook her head and reached across the table for his hand.
“You’re not putting us through anything. You came to us for help. That’s what we’re here for.”
“Help with what?” Mac asked, and all of us looked at each other.
“Um…the trip, sweetheart. It was…it’s a last-minute thing, so I had to recruit everyone’s help to make it happen.”
The little girl nodded, and as everyone drank their coffee, she lifted her cereal bowl and drank the leftover chocolate milk.
“I stopped at Walmart and got you a few pairs of underwear and socks, and a few of my friends donated a couple of pairs of shoes for both of you. And, of course, a ton of clothes.”
I fully expected Mac to ask why they couldn’t use their own clothes, but she stayed quiet, staring at Autumn instead.
