Page 39 of Stay Baby Stay

Fat chance of that. With the big trash bins pushed up against it, the fence is easily hoppable.

I close one of the garbage bins and climb on top of the lid.

“Holly,” Cal hisses, grasping my ankle. “Get down from there.”

“Do you want inside or not?”

“Hell yeah, I do. But I’m not dragging you into a B&E.”

“Fine, then I’ll drag you.” For a second, I hardly recognize the sound of my own voice. Not having Kenzie to lean on has definitely forced me to be more assertive.

I boost myself over the fence and drop down onto the grass. Thankfully the gate is situated far enough toward the front of the house that no one in the backyard can see us.

Cal sighs heavily on the other side of the fence. “You gonna make me climb this damn thing, baby girl?”

I unlock the gate and step aside so he can pass through.

“Remind me to give you a good, hard spanking later,” he says.

Peering around the corner of the house, I scan the patio until my gaze catches on Steph sunbathing topless on a wicker lounger. The glassy surface of the pool sparkles, undisturbed. No sign of Mr. Heartwell, or their sons.

I start marching before Cal has a chance to tell me to wait here.

“Where is she?” I shout.

Steph practically jumps out of her chair, slapping her hands over her pink breasts. She could really use more sunblock.

“What the hell?” she snaps. “You can’t be back here, this is private property.”

“Where is my friend?”

“What friend? Who the hell are you?” She rips off her sunglasses and turns toward the house. “Ronald!”

“We just have a few questions for you ma’am.” Cal grabs a towel off a lawn chair, tosses it to Steph, then takes a gentle—yet firm—hold of my wrist. “You attended a party two nights ago at Russel King’s house, did you not?”

Awareness flashes in her eyes. She studies me again, and I can almost pinpoint the exact moment when she remembers who I am.

“You.” She jabs her sunglasses in my direction. “You’re McKenzie’s uptight friend.” She points to Cal. “And who are you, a cop?”

“Not today, I’m afraid. Just a concerned citizen looking for a missing girl.”

“The hell are you talking about?” Steph says. “Who’s missing?”

“McKenzie never came home,” I say.

“She probably got her money and took off.” She glares at me. “Loyalty isn’t a quality girls like McKenzie are known for.”

I’m about to take a swing at her when Cal’s grip tightens on my wrist. “Now that we’ve established you were in fact at King’s party, perhaps you can tell us where you sent McKenzie off to.”

Steph wraps the towel around herself. “If you’re not here in an official capacity, officer whatever, then I don’t have to talk to you. Goddamn it,Ronald!”

“That’s Detective Whatever to you, ma’am.” Cal sits down on a nearby recliner and rests his elbows on his knees. “Now, I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that multiple young women and girls have turned up missing after attending Russell King’s private events.”

“I don’t know anything about those girls,” Steph says.

I fold my arms across my chest, glaring daggers at her. “You know McKenzie.”

“Holly here can attest that you were the one who hired both girls to attend King’s party. Now, I’d hate for an accessory charge to land in your backyard, especially if you had nothing to do with McKenzie’s disappearance.”

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