“If only I could be around someone so nonchalant more. I’m engaged to someone who would’ve cried, packed her shit, and everything for my little spat back at the crib.”
I laughed.
“Why? I don’t recall you saying anything personal. Some people are way too sensitive. I’m not one of them. I just really don’t be caring about words like that. Actions hurt me much more.”
“See, and that’s why I like you. You seem like a female who just goes with the flow of shit.”
“Yeah, I guess you can say that. It’s all I’ve ever known how to do.”
He flashed a smile at me before turning back to the road.
We continued to ride in silence, and the trip from the strip last night seemed to take half of the time it was taking for us to get back that way. From the sirens and flashing lights up ahead, I could see that there had been an accident. Besides me being antsy to see what’s going on with Josiah, I felt guilty enjoyingthe extra time riding shotgun next to Hawk in a Rolls-Royce Cullinan.
The radio station was playing one of my favorite songs,Dreaming of Me, by Sir, when my phone rang, and I hated to have to tell him to turn his music down, but it was Ari.
“Hello.”
“Cyn! The police checked the room, but he isn’t there, and they say he hasn’t been to his room at all in the past two days, according to hotel security cameras. What the fuck is going on? What am I supposed to do now?”
Ari sounded so upset that she made me upset, and my voice quivered as I replied to her.
“Listen, it’s going to be okay. We will find him, and we are all going to curse his ass out for scaring us like this. Okay?”
“Ok. Ok. We will. But let me call his brother back now. I’m almost to his hotel now.” She replied and then hung up the phone.
I put my face in my palms and shook my head slowly.
“You okay?” Hawk asked.
“I’m trying to be. I just hope nothing crazy went down with Josiah. If he’s somewhere hurt, then that is going to break Ari even more.”
“She doesn’t have his location? She doesn’t know the last place he went?”
“No, I, I guess not.” I stared out of the window with a blank expression.
“The last time they talked, I believe, was when we landed Friday, but I’m actually not sure if she spoke with him that night because I came with you guys.”
“Damn.” He got silent, scratching under his chin like he was thinking.
“Look, send me a picture and I can send it out to a few clubs and casino owners to see if they saw that nigga inside their spots. Now, some of the bigger casinos I don’t have ties to, but I can see what I can do.”
“Are you for real?”
“Yeah.”
“Wow, thank you so much, Hawk. I really appreciate it.”
I went to my phone and opened Josiah’s Facebook page, finding the most recent picture he posted. I screen-shot it, Hawk told me his phone number, and I sent the message out. When he opened the message, he stared at the picture for a few seconds, then put it down and stared straight ahead out the window, without a word.
“So, can you help?”
“Yeah, yeah, I got you. I’ll do what I can.”
He replied, and I was a tad bit relieved, especially for Ari. At least now we have an inside scoop on his whereabouts from someone who knows the city and people in it. I pray his ass is found safe very soon for my friend’s sanity if nothing else.
Chapter 10
Hawk
