Page 88 of Sins of the Father

I glance at my watch. “If you’re going to get me out of here around five every day and do the level of work you did today, I’m good with whatever you want to take off my plate.”

She raises her arm in the air in a victory pose.

I laugh. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Have a nice night.”

I leave the building and get into my car. Harper didn’t take my noon call and said she was busy. At three, she was short with the text message, which threw me for a loop, but I’m happy she’s having fun.

Maybe she’ll stay in Chicago.

I wonder what she’s done all day.

My phone rings and I answer it. “Hey, Vivian.”

“Hey, have you talked to Harper today?”

“I texted her around three. Why?”

“She was here this morning, and something came up. She said she needed to do something and couldn’t take Hope. I said I’d watch her, but she hasn’t come back, and she left around nine fifteen.”

My pulse races.

“I just tried calling her, but she isn’t answering her phone,” Vivian adds.

“Where did she go?”

“I’m not sure.”

“You didn’t ask her?”

“I didn’t want to pry into her business.”

I run my hand through my hair and tell myself to stay calm. “Let me try to call her.”

Harper never answers or responds to my text messages. I check Jamison’s, but she’s not there, so I go over to Vivian’s.

“Why isn’t she answering,” I growl then freak out more when her phone stops ringing and goes directly to voice mail.

I’m pacing, pulling my hair, about to call the police when Vivian’s phone rings.

“Harper, where are you? We’re all worried sick,” Vivian says.

I practically run to where Vivian is standing.

“Where are you?” she asks.

My heart races.

“Something Different? That’s on the southside of town in a horrible neighborhood. How did you get there?”

What the hell is Harper doing there?

I know the southside well. Quinn and I grew up there. It’s not a place I want Harper to be by herself, especially at night.

“Pawnshop? Why were you in a pawnshop?”

The hairs on my arm stand up, and I grab the phone from Vivian.

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