“Wondering why I haven’t heard from my little girl in over a month. Thought you might be dead in a Dumpster somewhere. Crime in that city is out of control. It’s like people go crazy from living on top of one another.”
I knocked my head against the doorjamb a few times.
Addison scrunched up her face. She gestured at her phone, silently asking if I wanted her to save me.
I did, but if I brushedhim off now, I’d only have to endure this call later. Shaking my head no, I left Addison to get ready and headed into the kitchen to do an inventory while Dad continued to prattle on about the many reasons I should go home.
I stopped him long enough to fill him in on the statistics. Again. “Chance of violent crime is one in eighteen here, Dad. Klamath Falls is one in nineteen and Medford isone in sixteen.”
“Which is exactly why you should come back to the country.”
“We have a lot less meth here, though. I mean a lot less. Most people even have their original teeth,” I argued.
“I didn’t call to fight,” he said, sounding exhausted. “I just wanted to make sure you were okay and see what you’ve been up to.”
His concern made me feel bad. He wasn’t getting any younger, and with thedaily damage he did to his liver and kidneys, he wouldn’t be around forever. I needed to forgive him. He was asking about my life, and the least I could do was be honest with him. I took a deep breath and began. “You know, the norm. Got fired from my job, accused of killing my boss, did a little time in the slammer, and made out with a man I really like.”
“I get it, Dylan, you’re happy and safe.You don’t have to be a smartass.”
Well, I tried. Time to change the subject. “You’re right, Dad, sorry. What’s new back home?”
He gossiped about people I hoped I’d never have to see again while I thumbed through recipes, making note of the ingredients we needed. I managed to get him off the phone right as Jake arrived to sweep Addison away. After they left, I headed out to go shopping.
MyHonda Civic had a few dents, chipped paint, and wasn’t from this decade —or the last—so it didn’t exactly blend in with the cars in Addison’s building’s parking garage. But today it stood out for a whole different reason. The driver’s side tire was flat.
I took a moment to swear and kick the rim before deciding this was the universe’s way of reminding me I needed to exercise. I’d been eatingbetter than my usual fare while staying with Addison, and if I didn’t find a way to eliminate some calories soon, more than my boobs would be in danger of falling out of that pretty green dress. The grocery store was only a few blocks away, so I grabbed my reusable bags from the trunk and took off on foot.
I was almost to the store when I heard a man call out, “Miss! Miss! Excuse me, miss.”
Curious, I looked over my shoulder. A man wearing a baseball cap was jogging toward me, waving his hand in the air.
“Miss, can you please help me with directions?”
I stopped walking so he could catch up. “Uh... depends on what you’re looking for.”
He slowed as he approached, keeping his head down. He had dark glasses on, and I could barely see his face. He looked vaguely familiar, but I couldn’tplace him.
“OMSI. I promised my kid I’d take him, and I think I took the wrong exit.”
“Sure did. You’re on the wrong side of the river,” I said, brushing off the familiarity. Dark hair, Portland-pale skin, scruffy beard, he looked like half the guys in this city. I pulled out my phone to show him a map.
The man stepped closer. Too close. I went to move away from him, but something hard pressedagainst my side.
“I’m gonna need you to come with me, Dylan.”
“What? Why? How do you know my name?” I’d heard his voice before. I tried to get a better look at his face, but he poked me harder in the side. “Who are you? What do you want?”
“Just settle down. Come get in my car and tell me what you did with the money, then I’ll let you go. Nobody has to get hurt.”
My pulse skyrocketed. “Whatmoney?”
“Don’t play dumb with me. Come on.” He tugged me in the direction he’d come from.
I had no clue what money he was talking about, and there was no way I was getting into his vehicle. I slid my phone into my pocket and pressed the emergency button on the fob Jake had given me for my keychain. Then, I thought of a way to stall.
“I need to get my medication,” I announced, nodding towardthe store.
“What the hell are you talking about?” the man snapped.
