Page 102 of Golden Touch
Fury rises in my chest. “Did she tell you about the fire? Her place is a crime scene.”
He shrugs again. “That’s rough. But again, not a problem I can solve.”
“Where did she go?” I growl.
“How should I know?” He throws his hands in the air. “Ivy takes care of herself. She’s better at it than most people. It’s her special gift. You want to find her so bad? Maybe try Jennie’s place. I got plans.”
I stare down at him, probably with murder in my eyes. Because he starts to look scared. “Your sister’s special gift is keeping her shit together while the world takes potshots at her. Then she comes to you for help, and you’re too busy?”
He looks away. “Yeah, well.” He clears his throat. “She wasn’texactly surprised when I wasn’t helpful, okay? So I assumed it wasn’t that bad.”
I want to grind him into the rug. But unfortunately, I don’t have time. “Thanks for nothing, punk. If I catch up with her before she hits the state line, I’ll tell her you said hello.”
And here I thoughtmyfamily was dysfunctional.
Cursing to myself, I’m back in the car a minute later and navigating toward Vergennes. It takes me a while to find the right street, so I lose time getting lost in a town so small there’s no traffic light.
But I finally pull up in front of a house with children’s toys on the lawn. What I don’t see, though, is Livia’s car. So I already have a sinking feeling as I make my way up the narrow walk and knock on the front door.
I hear motion on the other side of the door. But whoever’s there doesn’t say anything.
“Sorry to bother you, Jennie,” I say, trying to sound friendly and nonthreatening. “I’m Nash, a friend of Livia’s, and I’d like to talk to her before she leaves the state. It’s important.” I knock again. “Please, is she here?”
The door opens a crack to reveal a woman with curly hair and a frazzled look in her eye. “Shh.”
“Sorry,” I whisper.
She opens the door wider, and I get a glimpse of a man sacked out on the sofa inside. She steps out onto the little stoop and closes the door. “I don’t think Livia wants to see you,” she said in a low voice.
I perk up immediately. “Is she here?”
Slowly, she shakes her head. “She came by. My husband had just got home from work, though.” She flinches. “It was bad timing. Livia has caused some trouble for us lately. My husband didn’t react too well to seeing her. He asked her to leave.”
“Seriously?” My heart drops as I picture Livia driving from one relative to the other, getting pushback everywhere she goes.
“I feel terrible,” she whispers. “She does a lot for me. But heworks two jobs.” She hooks a thumb in the direction of her husband. “He wants peace and quiet when he gets home. I told her to come in, and we’d figure something out. But she, uh, read the room, and said never mind. She’d figure something out.”
Livia can’t catch a damn break. Which means neither can I. “Look, do you know where she’d go? If her brother told her to take a hike, and then your man did, too?”
Her eyes get wet. “I don’t know. She doesn’t have much money. And that car of hers…” She shakes her head. “I’m sorry. When you find her, tell her to call me. We’ll find room for her somewhere.”
“Sure. Thanks,” I mutter before walking away.
I’m practically shaking with frustration as I stand beside my father’s truck, unsure what to do. Vermont is one of the smallest states. But it could feel really big and lonely to a woman with few resources and fewer supportive people in her life.
I only wish I knew where to look.
Getting back into the truck, I start the engine.
She doesn’t have much money, Jennie had said.
And now I think I know what I’m supposed to do.
CHAPTER 45
LIVIA
“Let me get this straight,” Poppy says.
