“Hiding on the roof of his uncle’s place.”
“Really? How’d Bill find him?”
“He was searching the house and glanced out the second-floor window. Idiot was kicked back, listening to a podcast with earbuds. Didn’t even hear Bill until two big hands closed over his shirt and dragged him inside. What a moron, huh?”
“So, um, has Don called?”
“Durango Don? No. Why?”
“No reason. Just wondered. Sometimes he gives us skips.”
“Yeah, well. I ain’t heard from him lately.” He drained the mug and stood. “I’m going home to Roberta. Take it easy, kid.”
“Okay. Thanks.” I watched until he was out the door and his car drove past the plate-glass window that faced the highway.
Once he was down the road, I quickly pulled up the company’s search engine. We had access to files the public did not—files of bail bonds issued all over the country. I searched my father’s name. One popped up in Missouri. It was a three-year-old theft charge in St. Louis. I pulled it up and read it carefully. Dad had stolen several items from a rent-to-own service. He’d gone to court on the charges and received a slap on the wrist.
I checked the file for the home address and employment records. I recognized the address as Grandma’s. She was dead now, and they had sold the house, so he wouldn’t be hiding there.
No, I think he was sticking close.
I found all the records available, then slumped in my chair. I was going to have to be more direct.
I picked up my phone and sent a text.
ME: DAD CAN WE MEET SOMEWHERE? IT’S URGENT.
I waited, but he never replied.
Tossing the phone, I rested my head on my hand. I had to figure something out. Ruiz gave me to the end of the month, and time was ticking.
I glanced at the clock again and wondered if Utah was still asleep in his bed.
Images of last night flashed before my eyes like a montage of porn. It had been incredible. He’d blown every other man I’d ever been with out of the water. He’d drawn something out of me—something a little scary, a little confusing, and a whole hell of a lot exhilarating.
He’d ripped away my inhibitions. I couldn’t hide from him. He wouldn’t allow it. And I’d found I didn’t want to, either. I wanted to show him everything I was and hope it was enough. No, not hope. Either it was or it wasn’t. Around him I was finding a braveness I’d only previously hoped I’d possessed.
The bell over the door jingled, drawing my eyes.
Lizzie walked in, pausing halfway across the room as her eyes took in my outfit then got huge. She grinned, ear to ear. “Oh, no you didn’t.”
I flushed. She was on to me. Lizzie missed nothing. I went back to my computer, ignoring her.
That, of course, didn’t fly. She sat across from me. “You didn’t go home last night!” She pointed at me. “I knew it. I knew when you said you were tired and going home, it was a lie. You went home with a guy! Who was it? Was it that guy you danced with?” She made an ew face. “Please God, tell me you didn’t go home with him.”
“I did not go home with that creep.” My shoulders involuntarily shivered.
“Thank God.” She tilted her head. “Who then? It wasn’t Matt’s fellow firefighter. He was still there after you left, and in the dumps that you’d gone, I might add. He was really into you. Matt had to drag him out last night. Dance clubs are not his thing. But that all changed when he laid his eyes on you, kiddo.”
“Sorry. I, um, had somewhere I had to go.”
“Where?”
I sighed and met her eyes. We told each other everything, so I spilled the beans. “My father’s my new skip.”
“What?” she practically shrieked.
“He got a DUI. His fourth, and worst of all, two people died. They charged him with vehicular homicide. I don’t know how he was able to get bonded out. Now he’s skipped court.”