Page 146 of Driftwood Daffodil

No, it wasn’t okay. It would never be okay.

I stared back and shook my head, “I can’t help you.”

I couldn’t even help the people I loved.

“Miss Ford–”

“No!” I slammed my hand down on the counter. “Find someone else.”

“Alright,” Special Agent Jack sighed and tucked his file back in his suit jacket. “But if you change your mind, I’m staying here.”

He handed me a card with an address written on the back and walked out.

I stared out the door wondering what I was going to do. Kato couldn’t keep going on like this. He said he had protection now, but things were just getting worse. How long would it be before we got the call I’d been dreading? I’d never felt more helpless in my life.

Memphis slid off the stool and walked over to put his arm around me. “It’s not a bad idea, Nova.”

“It’s a horrible idea.” I looked down at the card in my hand and tried not to cry, because this was the only idea I had.

GIOVANNI

When I got out of the shower this morning did I find Novalee waiting for me? No. The suborn little pain my ass walked home wearing nothing but my shirt and her underwear. And I knew she walked because I had her goddamn phone.

That thing dinged all morning with texts from her friend – he worried about her. Not that I cared to reassure him, or could because that would require knowing her passcode, which was apparently impossible to break.

I tried her birthday, her sister’s birthday, the day her brother got locked up and any other date or number combination I thought might be significant to her. None of them worked.

Now it was sitting in my passenger seat staring back at me with a sparkly gemstone YOLO, that was only visible because I cleaned the fucking thing. How she managed to get so much lint on that case I’d never understand.

Only two people had messaged her all day. Memphis and some company selling long distance. Novalee didn’t even send a text to find the fucking thing. Most chicks had their entire lives on that device, and Novalee didn’t give a shit who had it.

Even her goddamn belongings made me want to punch something, which I would’ve been able to do if I could’ve found Simon. Apparently the weasel had gone into hiding. So I didn’t even get that satisfaction. And to top it off, I couldn’t find my fucking shoes.

I steered my Rover into St. Agatha’s parking lot and let out a breath.

After the game I was going to down a fifth of scotch, or two. At least the rest of my night should be productive. Judging by the number of vehicles here, the rumors about the basketball team were true.

Sorrie was a football town, so we didn’t really bother with other sports until closer to the end of the season. And we sure as hell didn’t come out for warm up games. This year was a little different. Apparently we had an up and coming star, hence the crowd I could faintly hear before I grabbed Novalee’s phone and opened the door to step out.

There was a nice crisp in the air that I might’ve enjoyed cooling my skin, if I didn’t spot a certain truck three rows down from me. Novalee was here? Of course she fucking was. How else would she annoy me?

Then again I could look at this as a blessing. Now I didn’t have to hunt her down to beat her ass. Walking home in a fucking tee shirt what the fuck was she thinking? If she thought that spanking this morning was bad, just wait.

“She’ll be fucking sorry,” I grumbled and marched across the parking lot.

Atlee was waiting outside the doors, casually leaning back against the wall. When he saw me coming his brow arched, “You don’t look too happy.”

No shit.

“What happened?”

Where did I start…

“Did you find Simon?”

I stopped on the last step up and glared at him. “Does it look like I found fucking Simon?”

“Hey man,” he held up his palms. “I’m just asking.”

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