Page 15 of Loving Lies (Granton University 3)

the back of his neck, then used his free hand to point and give her general directions to the trailer park.

“Thanks.” Giving him a grateful grin, she handed the phone book back. “And you should try a new pillow.”

Blinking, he said, “What?”

“Your neck.” She pointed to his hand as he continued to massage his nape. “It’s bothering you. The same thing happened to my dad. He went to chiropractor after chiropractor to fix his neck problems. But it turned out he just needed a new pillow.”

“Huh.” He shook his head and grinned. “I never thought of that. Thanks.”

“No problem.”

After leaving her simple advice and returning to Bailey’s car, it didn’t take much for her to find the trailer park where Jonah’s parents lived. The trailer in question seemed to need the most repairs. Since it was still winter and the grass was dead, it wasn’t long and seedy, but she could already picture the yard overgrown and neglected. The blue and white paint had long ago bleached down to show patches of rusted metal underneath. Both windows in the front were broken and duct-taped together, and the front screen door hung at an angle from one hinge.

She would’ve assumed the place was abandoned if she hadn’t heard muffled music coming from within.

Tess paused when she reached the steps. They looked too rotted to hold her weight. So, she bit her lip and strained to reach past them, balling her hand and giving a hard knock.

Immediately a dog, a little one from the tenor of his high-pitched yip, began to bark inside.

“Shut that damn mutt up,” a man roared.

Seconds later, the barking ceased, and another second after that, the door cracked open a few inches.

A timid feminine voice squeaked through. “We’re not buying anything. Sorry.”

Arching onto her toes, Tess leaned forward until she saw a haggard face with a dark purple bruise circling one eye. “Oh, I’m not selling anything. But…Mrs. Abbott?” She went out on a limb and said, “I’m actually here about your son. Jonah?”

She hoped Jonah was their son. Or at least she hoped this woman would somehow be related to him, or at least know who he was, to correct her.

The door opened a few more inches revealing stringy gray-blond hair and a hopeful expression creasing her already wrinkled face. “You know Jonah?” Brown eyes that looked identical to her son’s lit with excitement. “You’ve seen him?”

“Yes.” Tess bobbed her head, growing a little excited herself. “He—”

The door flew open wider. Phyllis Abbott flinched and clutched the Chihuahua close to her breasts as a barrel-chested man with wide shoulders like Jonah’s appeared behind her, nudging her not-so-politely out of his way.

“Who the hell is it? And what’s this yap about the kid?”

He had evil eyes. Not at all like his son’s.

Unable to control her reaction, Tess slunk a step back. “Yes, I—” She cleared her throat, stiffened her spine and lifted her chin. “I’m Jonah’s friend.” Don’t kill me, please don’t kill me.

Ted Abbott loomed above her as he shook a grease-stained finger threateningly. “You tell that little shit if he shows his pie hole around here again, I’ll kill him.”

Tess sucked in a breath. “I…um…” She took another step back. “Actually, I’m here to inform you he almost died.” Then she added, “He still might,” just to get some kind of reaction from him. “He’s in the hospital right now. I don’t know if you saw the report about the Granton school shooting on the news—” and they would most likely be the only two people in America who hadn’t if they said no “—but he was a victim in that and was shot three times. He has amnesia and was in a com—”

But Jonah’s dad only smirked. “Good. Serves the little fucker right. Just don’t expect me to foot any funeral or hospital bills if he keels over.”

Tess blinked. “Ex-Excuse me?”

“I told him when he left I was done with him. And I meant it. He’s probably legal age by now, anyway. I’m not responsible for none of his bullshit.”

Before she could even think about responding, he slammed the thin metal door in her stunned face.

Well.

At least that explained why Jonah’s family hadn’t gone to visit him.

Chapter Five

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