It would be a starting point on the sites she signed up to because zeroing in on certain states would narrow billions of records to a few hundred million. The more information she added, the narrower the search would become until, hopefully, she found what she sought.
Her ringing cellphone interrupted her thoughts. ‘Unknown’ popped on her screen. She glanced at her watch. She had two hours before Hopper was supposed to call, but maybe she’d decided on an earlier time, so she answered.
“Kendall?” a woman said hesitantly.
ItwasHopper. She knew her voice because she’d just heard it yesterday when Johnnie tried to get both Kendall and Hopper killed.
“Hello, Hopper,” Kendall said.
“Are you…are you free?”
“I’m in my office. Behind closed doors. With no one around,” she added carefully.
An exhale whooshed in her ears. “I was so fucking worried you’d set me up.”
“I would never do that.” Kendall grabbed a notepad and a pen to take notes. “Bash wouldn’t have taken kindly to knowing about your letter or knowing I was playing him to get your number.”
“I hope I was convincing enough.”
“You were perfect.”
Silence and then, “how is everyone?”
“By everyone you mean…?”
“The guys. Meggie. I did what I could to save her.”
“We looked for you for a long time,” Kendall said. “Outlaw had a reward for you.”
“For m-me?”
“Meggie told him what you did. We were all so appreciative. He isn’t too pleased with Randolph, however.”
“Does he want to kill him?” Hopper squeaked.
“As far as I know he’s on Meggie’s No-Kill List.”
“I beg your pardon.”
“Mind-blowing, I know,” Kendall said. “I will explain another time.” She needed to get home, shower, and change for tonight’s get-together after she visited Molly to check on the poor girl. “For now, I’d like to focus on the matter at hand. Specifically, the letter.”
“You mentioned something happened to it.”
“Johnnie happened to it,” Kendall said grimly. “He tore it up before I could read it.”
“I’m sorry. I thought I was sending it to your office.”
“You did, honey. Another long story.” That would make her cry because it just showed how greatly her husband had changed. “You wouldn’t happen to have made a copy of your letter?”
“I couldn’t leave any evidence. I cover my tracks as best I can, but I don’t trust Cleaner not to have followed me and reported back to Bash. If either of them ever shows up and want to search my place…” She heaved in a breath. “They’d kill me.”
“Bash cares about you.”
“As much as he can,” Hopper said quietly. “He thinks he’s in love with you.”
“I never encouraged him.” Hopper’s sadness was like déjà vu, reminding Kendall of all the similar conversations she’d had with Meggie about Johnnie’s feelings. “I’d never betray Johnnie.”
“It’s fine, Kendall. I was happy with my quiet, dull life until my son turned into a fucking asshole. Were Bash to take me as his old lady, which he himself admitted he’s never had, I probably wouldn’t be long for this world. Cleaner is jealous of anyone who might influence Bash. And Bash is a lunatic when he’s high. When he isn’t, he’s oddly charming and always hilarious.”
