Page 116 of Don't Call Me Daddy
“Listen, I’m sure he’ll turn up around here somewhere. You two have worked too hard to put this festival together. It’s not like there’s anywhere more important he’d need to be …”
My eyes fly open as realization hits me square in the chest. I sink down to the folding chair beside me.
Guy crouches beside me. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
“Do you know where he is?” Luka asks, pocketing his phone.
I let out a sigh, remembering the fear in his eyes he tried so hard to keep me from seeing when he brought me there … nobody’s heard from him for hours and his phone’s not working … which means there’s only one place hecouldbe …
“I think I know where he is.”
“Where? I’ll hop on my bike and go check,” Luka says.
I swallow a gulp and look at Luka. “The old mine in Phantom’s Reach.”
“What? Why the fuck would he go there? He’s terrified of that place?—”
“I think he might’ve gone to the mine to look for something I lost …”
I see the understanding wash over them as Luka and Guy share a knowing look.
“Oh shit,” Luka says.
Oh shitis right …
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
Leo
I jump down from the ten-foot barbed-wire fence, the earth crunching beneath the heel of my boot, and stare up at the old mine.
I had to tell a couple of white lies and make up an excuse that Ivy needed me to bring her coffee, but as soon as I told Big Dan why I needed to leave, he didn’t hesitate before offering to help me. That’s the thing about Ivy—she’s had everyone in this town smitten with her from the moment she showed up. They’d probably stop the festival just to help me find this list if I asked them to—I’ll have to reserve that as my backup plan.
I pause at the doorway, taking a deep breath to psych myself up before I go inside.
I just need to get in, find the list, and get out. If Ivy’s memory is correct, this shouldn’t take more than a few minutes, and I’ll be back in position at the festival before she even realizes I’m missing.
I step inside, and the darkness envelops me even though it’s daylight outside. Good thing my phone has a flashlight. I wasn’texactly prepared to come back here today; it was more of a last-minute decision than anything.
Then, when I saw an opening and knew I could count on Big Dan to hold down the fort, I jumped at the opportunity to help.
I promised her I’d find that list, and I have every intention of keeping that promise. She deserves to have that piece of her sister with her when she leaves, and what kind of man would I be if I let her leave here without it … especially since coming here wasmy ideain the first place?
My light cuts through the darkness as I search the main floor for any glimpse of the list.
It’s got to be around here somewhere.
I make another loop around, searching everywhere I remember Ivy standing. She was so busy checking everything out, opening drawers and digging through old treasures. I think she touched every surface of this place with her curious fingers. After several minutes of searching, I don’t see any trace of it. I glance at the time on my phone, trying to remember what station I’m supposed to be at now.
I’ve already been gone longer than I planned, and the last thing I want to do is mess something up by not being where I need to be. Ivy’s counting on me. This festival means a lot to her, and I don’t think it’s just because of her sister. She thrives with all this planning and coming up with new ideas. She’s a genius with last-minute emergencies and moving schedules around. It’s like her chaotic mind works as her superpower, and she doesn’t even realize it.
The loose wooden boards beneath my feet creak in a loud, high-pitched squeal as I catch sign of a footstep in the dust. I crouch down to a squat to get a better look.
I’d recognize that Converse print anywhere. The girl with wings on her shoes and stars in her eyes.
And it leads straight to a hatch door.
Of course it’d come to this. I don’t know how I could’ve expected it to go any other way.
