Page 158 of Rock Chick Rescue

I took a deep breath and shared, “I’ve been thinking. He’s playing poker, right?” Indy and Daisy nodded, “So, I’ve decided. I need to get into a game and ask some questions. Maybe someone knows where he is.”

Daisy stared at me like I’d just announced my intention to invade Nicaragua.

“You play poker?” she asked.

“No.”

“Those games are serious, girl,” she told me. “First off, they don’t know you and probably won’t let you in. Second, they ain’t fond of women sittin’ a table. Third, you don’t sit a table unless you know what you’re doin’.”

I’d figured that.

“I have a plan,” I said, and I did. It was kind of a stupid plan, but it was all I had.

“We’re all ears,” Indy urged when I didn’t go on.

“Well. I thought I’d wear a modified Smithie’s uniform. The uniform has a weird power over men, so if I wore something like that maybe they’d let me in. Then, before I did it, I’d read a book about poker and then…” I hesitated. “I guess then I’d just wing it.”

Daisy laughed her tinkly-bell laugh again.

“Ain’t you sweet?” she said when she was done laughing.

Um, guess my plan wasn’t going to work.

Then her eyes got serious. “I play poker. I’ll sit a game, no one’ll say boo to me. You and Indy come with and I’ll ask the questions. Those boys know me and they’ll talk, thinkin’ I’m askin’ for Marcus. We’ll find out where your daddy is and we’ll sort this all out.”

I wasn’t sure that was a good idea. “Maybe I should try to do this myself, you and Indy—”

Daisy shook her head, and with what I was noticing was her customary brutal honesty, she said, “I can’t have babies, sugar. Marcus and me been tryin’ for two years. But I got a motherin’ instinct, believe you me, and this Mama Bear ain’t lettin’ her new cub get eaten by the big, bad lions,comprende?”

I wasn’t sure all that went together but I wasn’t going to say anything.

“It’ll be fun,” she stated in a swift change of mood, though being eaten by big, bad lions didn’t sound fun. “We’ll get dressed up, make a night of it. You two got somethin’ spangly to wear?” Her purply-blonde head swung from Indy to me.

I shook my head, thinking this may be our way out, but Indy said, “You remember Tod?” Daisy nodded. “Well, he’s a drag queen and generous with his wardrobe.”

Wonderful.

These two had an answer for everything.

Daisy sucked back half of her martini. My throat burned in sympathy.

When she was done, she decided, “Perfect. We’ll do it tonight.”

I choked on my martini.

Tonight?

“I think I have a problem with that,” I told her.

Indy and Daisy turned to me.

“Eddie isn’t thrilled about me going after Dad and I’m kind of living with him,” I shared. “We’re going shopping for coffeemakers tonight and then I don’t know what we’re doing. I’m not sure I’ll be able to get away.”

“Oowee, coffeemakers. Sounds like this Eddie is serious,” Daisy said.

I gave her a look and she giggled.

Indy sat back. “This is where I come in. I used to get grounded all the time. I might be a little rusty, but I was the queen of the escape plan. Leave it to me.”

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