Page 197 of Five Mountain Daddies

That’s only half a lie. Cora got a call from her mom the day after she went missing, right after we caught Kristi and Jaxson. She said that she’s okay, but she’s taking some time to herself. Cora said she sounded drunk, which wasn’t a surprise. Her mom didn’t bother to say where shewas.

He groans. “What the hell did you get yourselfinto?”

“It’s complicated here,” Iadmit.

“Damn small towns. You know, out here in the city, shit’s simple. Gangs are clear, they kill each other, we clean it up and arrest some of them. We have a way of life, a balance. But out there, it’s the damn Wild Weststill.”

I can’t say I disagree, although there’s not really a balance in the city, either. The gangs still do whatever they want and we’re left trying to chase them down after it’s allover.

“Just a few more days, sir,” I say to him. “Please. I’ll be back and work all the shit cases, if that’s what it’lltake.”

“You’ll work those shit cases, all right. And you’ll fucking close them. Gotit?”

“Got it,” Isay.

“I want you back here Tuesday morning. No fuckinglater.”

“Understood,sir.”

He hangs up the phone without another word. I sigh to myself, shaking my head. I don’t know why I bothered buying that time, it’s just a few more days to get even more attached to Cora before I have to go backhome.

I just can’t help myself. I go back into the room and she looks up at me, her smile so bright and genuine. I don’t think anyone’s ever smiled like that at me in my whole life, and it feels os damn good. Cora wants to be around me, wants to be near me all the time, and I loveit.

More than that, I want to be around her. She makes me laugh, makes me smile, makes me feel good. She’s smart and funny and real, a genuine person, good to the core. Despite all the shit that’s happened to her, she’s still strong and optimistic, and that’s the best traitimaginable.

“Who was that?” sheasks.

“Nobody.” I sit down at the end of the bed. I can tell she knows I’m lying, but she doesn’tpush.

“What are we doing today?” sheasks.

“I was thinking…” I grab the remote and turn the TV off. “Let’s go find yourmom.”

She raises an eyebrow. “What if my mom doesn’t want to befound?”

“We’ll do itanyway.”

She hesitates. “I’ve tried this before. Didn’t endwell.”

“You didn’t have mebefore.”

“True.” She can’t help but smile. “Where have you been all mylife?”

“Here for most of it.” I grin back at her. “Rememberthat?”

“I remember,” she says softly. “You know, I had such a crush onyou.”

“I can’t blame you. I mean, I amawesome.”

She laughs and pushes me, and I pull her over toward me. I kiss her softly and she looks up at me with that same expression, and suddenly I don’t know what the hell I’m going to do. The idea of leaving her drives me insane, but I’d lose my job if I stay. I have nothing here, no reason tostay.

“Come on,” I say. “Let’s drag your mom out of whatever hole she’s dug forherself.”

Cora sighs. “Fine. I think I know where she is,too.”

I raise an eyebrow. “Why didn’t you sayso?”

“Because I didn’t want to go after her. She’s… unpleasant when she’s on abender.”

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