“I know that park,” I said, glancing at Rowdy. “It’s by the school they had to rename because it’d been originally named after a Confederate general or something.”
He squirmed uncomfortably.
“So then you know it’s not a good place for a kid,” Skylar said.
“The worst, actually. One of my lawyer buddies specializes in drug cases, and he has a few frequent fliers from that place. He suspects they trade in other unpleasantness, considering they aren’t the ones paying his sky-high fees.”
Skylar raised his brow at Rowdy and gestured to me. “Tell him.”
“I told you, Sky,” Rowdy hissed through clenched teeth. “I know a friend of a friend who can handle it. No need to bring in anyone else.”
“A friend of a friend?” I asked. “Who’s that?”
Rowdy thinned his lips, but Skylar sat forward. “Anderson something or other. He knows the guys out at Rebel Sky, which I guess is a farm? Or maybe a ranch. Also, I think his mom is the one who makes that deadly sangria from your housewarming.”
My heart plummeted to my stomach. “Not Anderson.Anders.”
I, too, had friends of friends, and I didn’t want Rowdy anywhere near someone like that.
Rowdy cursed under his breath. “Yeah, that’s his name.”
“No,” I said, going in before he could say anything else. “I don’t know the man, but I do know that you don’t bring in Anders Fucking Bash unless you’re willing to burn the entire place to the ground.”
Rowdy made a face as though he’d be okay with that.
“What the hell, man?” I asked, genuinely worried. “What’s going on with this Jaxon kid?”
Rowdy took a deep breath, then sent another annoyed look to Skylar. “Jaxon’s great. Thirteen, already over six foot tall. Sweet kid, real good looking, mom can’t afford to put him in sports. We feel like one of the douchebag office guys at the RV park is setting him up for something bad.”
“Bad? Like what?”
“I dunno. But his mom is worried, and I trust her instincts.”
Rowdy’s distraught face broke my heart.
“Look,” I said, trying to appear calm. “I understand the Anders angle, I do. But let’s put our heads together and see if we can avoid pulling that particular lever. What’s this family’s most urgent need?”
“To get the fuck out of there,” Rowdy said, wiping a tear from his cheek.
“How long have you known them?” I asked.
“Little over a year,” he admitted quietly. “But I’d never been to their place until last weekend.”
I caught Skylar’s eye, and he raised his brows.
“So, when you’re going into Austin, you’re...what? Volunteering? Helping people?”
Rowdy nodded, almost embarrassed.
Was he doing this alongside the hookups, or...?
I reached across the table and took his hand in mine. “I can’t promise anything, but I can make a few calls.”
“Okay. And thank you.” Rowdy looked as though he’d have rather asked anyone else on the planet for a favor, and it kinda hurt my feelings. “If you could, please keep this to yourself.”
“Are you saying that your cousin doesn’t know about this?”
Rowdy dropped his eyes to the table. Before I could say anything, his phone went off and he stood as he checked it.
