Page 135 of Little Girl Vanished

And just when I was starting to think he was a decent human being.

Ajax’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. “Yes sir.”

“Now move my bike to the back of the lot.” He tossed the key to him. “I’m leaving and I don’t know when I’ll be back.”

Ajax didn’t respond, just caught the keys and started rolling the bike.

“What are you staring at?” Malcolm growled, glaring at me with narrowed eyes. “Get your ass in the car so we can go save a kid.”

Chapter 37

“Why are you doing this?” I asked as he zipped the car into reverse, then pulled forward to the exit.

Talk about déjà vu.

“Driving? Because you’re drunk off your ass. Again,” he spat in disgust.

“Gee,” I snarled, “I know it must be surprising after your sweet pep talk earlier.” But I was also together enough to know I was practically useless. “I need some coffee.”

“You need water. Lots of it. Got any in this car?”

“No.”

He grumbled to himself, his hand slung over the steering wheel.

“I never asked you to help me with this,” I said, sitting back in my seat and closing my eyes. “Not once. You pushed yourself on me at every step.”

He didn’t respond.

“What are you?” I asked, sitting up and turning to face him. “The strong silent type?”

A slow grin lifted the corner of his mouth. “Something like that.”

“Bullshit.”

“Excuse me?”

“You’ve just trained yourself to say as little as possible so you don’t incriminate yourself.”

His shoulders rose as he took a breath. “Maybe you’re right. Or maybe it’s a combination of the two. But it’s served me well over the years.” He turned to me and winked. “And Carter prefers me that way.”

“I still don’t get why you’re helping me.”

“Neither do I, so quit askin’.”

He stopped at a convenience store and pulled up to a pump and started to put gas in the tank.

“What are you doing?” I called out.

He leaned inside the open door. “I’m sure as hell not takin’ a car with an empty tank on a rescue mission. Stay here.”

I gave him a mock salute then flipped him off.

Ignoring me, he headed inside. The pump finished filling, so I got out to put the handle back in the stand. I saw a man standing at the edge of the building, watching me. I started to flip him off, then glanced over to see Malcolm coming out of the store with a bag in his hand. When I glanced back, the man was gone.

“I told you to stay in the car,” Malcolm barked as he approached.

“I saw someone at the corner.”

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