Page 84 of Demitri

Daniel.

No answer.

Joker.

No answer.

Nate.

No answer.

“Fuck!” I growl, tossing the phone on the desk. “Who’s a guy supposed to call when his maybe half-sister who probably wants him dead is in his girlfriend’s bar unannounced?”

I take a breath and pick the phone back up. I text them all.

Demitri: Lady is in the bar. Who can I call?

Joker: We need five. Keep calm.

Keep calm. Keep calm? Fucker really told me to keep calm? Fuck him. I zoom the camera in to get a better look at her. She’s dressed like she just left a business meeting. Black slacks, white blouse, black jacket. Minimal makeup. Her hair is straight and hanging down her back. She keeps looking at the dainty watch on her wrist, and then checking her phone. We need cameras from the other side so I can see what’s on the screen. I make a mental note to install those tomorrow.

I nervously tap the desk, staring at the screen, flinching every fucking time the lady moves. When my phone rings, I practically jump out of my skin.

“Talk to me. Tell me something good.”

“We are in the middle of fucking nowhere, but I have help on the way,” Joker replies.

“Who?”

“Couple of friends.”

“Mia wants to know what she’s supposed to be doing.”

“What did you tell her?”

“To do her job.”

“Good answer.” His dry reply almost makes me laugh, but I’m too keyed up to find it amusing.

“It’s like she knew you all were gone.”

“Maybe she did.”

“How?”

“Don’t know yet.”

“You really aren’t much help, you know that?”

“Look, I’m doing what I can, alright? We’ve got a woman with multiple broken bones and five kids under the age of eight. All in various states of abuse. Right now, they are my priority. I’m worried about you guys, too, but I have to deal with the people whose lives are actually at stake right this minute.”

I lean back in the chair, rubbing my face, trying to release some of the tension. It doesn’t help.

“Fuck, I’m sorry. You need to help those people.”

“I am. All of us are. But I’ve got help coming your way, too.”

“Thanks.”

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