Page 24 of Kid
Kid
I was out the door, my shirt in my hand before I even hung up the phone. I sped the entire way to her house and pulled my car in behind hers.
She ran out of the house and into my arms as I stepped from the vehicle. The force of her body crashing into mine shoved me backward into the vehicle and I groaned but held her until she stepped back.
“I’m sorry.” She sobbed. “I didn’t know who else to call.”
I kissed her forehead. “It’s okay. Now, he isn’t here?”
“No. There’s no sign he’s been here.” She reported. “He has a key, codes for everything including the alarm and knows he can pop by anytime. Plus, I made sure he had cash to take a cab if he needed to. He usually comes here when he’s fed up with my mother. Something is wrong.”
“What about friends, other family?” I wanted to know.
“Um—Jer isn’t a very social kid when it comes to in person stuff.” She explained. “He plays a lot of online games with people, but those friends are all in Japan, China and Thailand—none of them are on this side of the world.”
“Okay.”
“I don’t know what to do, Kid.”
I nodded, looked around then came to one conclusion. “Let’s go talk to your mother.”
She agreed and hurried into the house to pick up a few things.
While I waited, I walked down to the edge of the driveway and looked up the street and down again. A black SUV caught my attention, but it usually wouldn’t. Maybe it was because in this moment, I would be suspicious of anyone.
Nella exiting the house again caught my attention and I opened the passenger side door for her. She patted my chest gently then slid in and I closed the door. I glanced down the street again before jogging around to climb in beside her.
Getting to her mother’s place didn’t take very long. We used backroads all the way there.
Jade was happy to see Nella until I climbed from the driver’s side and removed my sunglasses. There was no hiding the fact she didn’t like me.
I didn’t care.
Jade wasn’t the first woman to not want me around her daughter and she wouldn’t be the last.
Besides, I was there for Nella and Jeremy, not her.
“Why is he here?” Jade Ortiz asked. “This is a family issue.”
“He’s here to help me.” Nella told her. “Even though you don’t like him, when I called, he came. So, show a little respect.”
I said nothing.
While they entered the house, I didn’t follow. Remembering what Demon had taught me about tracking, I looked around.
When he’d suggested teaching me, I didn’t see the point. I had grumbled the entire time he was pointing things out to me—when would I ever use that skill as a stuntman?
But as I walked to the edge of the sidewalk and looked along the street, one way then the next, the skill was coming in handy.
The street was quiet—almost ghostly so. Sure, it was suburbia, but at the time of day, there should be some movement.
I walked one way, inspecting the sidewalk as I went. After a while, I headed in the opposite direction.
It didn’t take long for me to realize I’d find nothing. Irritated, I turned my attention to Jade’s yard and driveway.
The flower beds on either side of the driveway drew my attention and I focused on them.
I knew Jade was watching me from the window—I could feel her stare on me. Instead of focusing on her, I reminded myself I was there for Jeremy and Nella.
