Page 24 of Pitbull
“Well, I did some checking into Claudia like you asked. Pit, her record…”
“I know.”
“Anyway, everythin’ went blank about nine years ago.” Tex’s fingers could be heard dancing over his keyboards. “She went on a long stint to rehab and it seemed it worked. When she came out she got a job workin’ at the diner and sometimes moonlights as a bartender at another pub close by. She doesn’t make much though. Both jobs barely give her enough money to take care of herself.”
“But she hasn’t been arrested since her last rehab stint?”
“No. For all intense and purposes, she’s been clean, on the straight and narrow. But I assume you already know about her record.”
“Yeah. I was the one bailing her out each time like a moron.”
Tex exhaled loudly. “I tracked her phone.”
“You got something?”
“Of course. The last placed it pinged was Düsseldorf—about two hours ago.”
“Really?” Pitbull stopped twirling the cross and sat forward. “Where exactly?”
“Niederkassel.”
“Tex, I gatta go.”
“Pit!”
But he hung up the phone and hurried over to his safe. After putting code, he grabbed his gun and dropped it into the holster. He pulled the badge out, strung it around his neck and shoved it under his shirt before slamming the safe shut and rushing to the kitchen. “Turn off the stove. We have to go.”
“Go? Where?”
“I think I might have an idea where my sister is. Hurry.”
They said nothing else until Pitbull was behind the wheel beside Anke and speeding from his place toward Düsseldorf.
“Where are we going?” Anke questioned.
“Niederkassel.”
“Um…”
“Remember Tex?”
“Yeah. How can I forget? The man is one of the sexiest creatures I’ve ever laid my eyes on.”
“I’m going to take your word on that.” Pitbull scoffed. “But just an FYI, he’s married.”
“Of course he is.” Anke grunted. “All the good ones are either married or gay. I’ve called it.”
“Anyway’” Pitbull said. “He has a way with computers. He was able to find where Claudia’s phone last pinged from.”
“Pinged?”
“Yes—where it was last on.”
“So, she’s in Niedekassel.”
“Was. And it doesn’t necessarily mean she is there.”
Anke tilted her head. “It means her phone was there.”
