Page 44 of Clean Slade
“I don’t know, sweetheart. I really don’t.”
It was probably a big mistake, but honesty was the best policy, right?
Better to tell her the truth—or as much truth as she could handle at her age—than lie to her and lose her trust later on.
“I want my daddy. Where is my daddy?”
Her eyes were red, and there were wet patches on the crocodile’s head. It was truly heartbreaking to watch her confident, sassy self turn into an insecure, terrified girl.
“I know. I know, Mac sweetie.”
The gas gauge on my dashboard was edging toward empty, and it sounded like I’d need to calm her down, so I stopped at the next gas station and refilled the tank.
“Would you like a hug?” I asked her, sitting in the back next to her, and she nodded. “I promise you I’ll do everything in my power to find your daddy. Okay?”
I just hoped there was anything of himtofind. It had almost been six hours since he was taken. And the more time passed, the less likely he was still alive.
“Where are we going, Slade? Are we going home?”
I opened my mouth to answer her when my phone rang from the front seat. I glanced at it and found King’s name written across the screen.
Shit!
Was that him or his father-in-law?
“Hello,” I said with some hesitation.
“Slade,” came King’s voice through the speaker, loud and clear. “Whe-where are you? Is Mac with you?”
“Are you okay?”
I didn’t answer his question. I didn’t know who was listening.
“I…um, yeah. I’m okay.”
“Where are you?” I asked him.
“I’m back home. In Mayberry Holm. Do you have Mac? Please tell me you have Mac.”
I grimaced.
Why was he in Mayberry Holm? This call was sounding shiftier and shiftier the more he talked.
“What happened to you?”
He paused for a minute, took a deep breath, and then spoke.
“I know what you’re doing. I promise you there’s no one else on this call but me. And I’m fine. It’s safe to come back. For now, anyway. But we need to talk.”
Where did I go from here? What did I say? He had a right to see his daughter. He could be telling the truth. But less than a day ago, he couldn’t imagine a way this ended with him alive.
“I know it’s hard to believe me, but you can come back. I’ll explain everything when you get here.”
“Okay. Which teddy bear should I bring? The frog or the unicorn?”
I waited, refusing to let how stupid I sounded affect my resolve.
What he answered next would tell me exactly what I needed to know and whether it was truly safe to go back.
