Page 58 of Jagged Line Paradise

“Oh, did she? Where is she? I saw her come in here.”

He waves his hand. “She’s just in the shower.” His head tilts to the side and his eyes show suspicion. “Uh, did she invite you over here tonight?”

What the hell would she invite me over for?

Something feels off here, so I try to keep my responses vague so I can edge my way in and get some answers.

“Yeah,” I say. “Yeah, she did.”

“Aw, shit, kid. I don’t know what to tell you. Her to-do list is full tonight.”

My eyes narrow, but I try to keep my expression as some mixture of disappointment and confusion. Rather, I might show the instinctive anger that’s boiling in my gut as awful ideas of what she’s doing here pop into my mind. “Maybe she and I got our wires crossed.”

He grabs his ball cap and lifts it from his head, scratching his scalp with two fingers before replacing the cap again. “I feel bad. You’re probably only in town for a little bit, right?”

I’ll be here a couple of weeks, but I sense that placing some urgency on my stay will be better for getting me answers. “Right. That’s why I was hoping to…” I let my voice drift, hoping he’ll fill in the blanks for me.

“Yeah, you wanna spend some time with her. Right. I get it. I do.”

Not an answer to settle my unease. “If it’s okay, I’d like to come in and see her. Just for a minute. Clear up the miscommunication?”

“Yes, of course, that’s fine. Come on in!” He pulls the door open and lets me step inside, shutting it behind us.

His house is sparsely decorated, just furniture, floors, walls, and not much more. No family pictures hung on the walls, no artwork, just boring white walls. A bachelor pad if I ever saw one. He’s over a decade my senior, so he’s pushing forty by now.

“Your wife home?” I ask casually, hoping to gain some context or insight.

He laughs. “Funny. Nah, kid, I don’t like to be tied down. Besides, I don’t think I could find a good woman who is okay with my work.”

“Sure,” I agree, though I don’t know what I’m agreeing to. “So, you said Avalon’s to-do list is full?”

He motions toward the couch in the sunken living room to our left and he moves to sit in an armchair across from it. I lower into the seat as he responds, “Yep. I’m sure you can understand why she’s in high demand. She doesn’t work as often as she used to, though, what with her mom being sick and all.”

“Her mom is sick?”

“Yeah. You didn’t know? Liver failure. It’s a shame. Avalon’s been taking good care of her. More than the woman deserves, you know?”

“Right.” I nod, folding my hands together and dangling them between my spread legs, elbows on my knees. “I remember Cindy Briar well.”

“Right?” He chuckles with agreement. “She’s a little bit nicer now that she’s sober.”

My eyebrows lift. “She’s sober?”

“Yep. Has been for close to a year now. She had to be to get on the donor list for a transplant.”

“Shit.” I lean back. “I had no idea Avalon’s been dealing with all of that.”

“She likes to put on a brave face, you know? Honestly, it’s a little shocking she hasn’t gone the same way as her mom. Fuck, I’d probably be a drunk if I’d gone through what she went through, especially with your…well, you know.”

Especially with my dadis what he means to say. “Right.”

“But I’m glad I can help her out, you know? She gets some extra cash, gets to have a little fun and blow off some steam. You know, win-win.”

“Yeah. Win-win.”

Whatthe fuck does he have her doing for him?

“Mack, do you have any more of that lavender-scented lotion? Tom really liked—”

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