My phone buzzedin my pocket, and I pulled it out. “Shit.”
“Is it Daisy?”Louisa asked hopefully.
“No. It’s herdad. Give me a second.” I walked toward the exit and took the call. “Hey,Booker.”
“Wanna tell mewhy thefuckI’m gettin’ a 9-1-1 notification from my daughter’sbracelet in toad fuck Montana at two o’clock in the afternoon?” Booker bellowedover the phone.
“Shit, do youknow where she is?”
“What do youmean, do I know where she is? You don’t?”
“Fuck.” Iswallowed the bile threatening to spill. “I just got to where she was lastseen. I’m trying to get to the bottom of it, but no one really knows anything.”
“How the helldid she go missing?”
“She and mysister ran to the store for my mother. Lou said she disappeared from there. Iwas about to call the cops.”
“No fuckin’cops,” Booker growled. “Why the hell weren’t you with her?”
I dragged a handdown my face, trying to keep my irritation in check. “She didn’t tell me shewas going anywhere. Focus, Booker, I’m holding on by a thread here, man, andI’m not happy I didn’t know about it, so instead of grilling me, how about wefigure out what the hell to do?” I snapped back. “I have no fucking idea whereshe is, but apparently you do, so how about you start by sharing?”
“Razor and Cashare already there.”
“Where?”
“In Montana. Atan Econo Lodge a few miles from you. They flew out yesterday morning because mykids don’t go anywhere without someone at their back.”
“As much as I’dlike to be pissed off that you’re overprotective, if it means getting Daisyback safe and sound…” I couldn’t finish that thought because the alternativewas unthinkable.
“I know whofucked you up.”
“What does thathave to do—”
“Does the nameCyrus Milhew ring any bells?”
“Yeah, heattacked a friend of mine and my father made sure he got locked away. He’sstill in prison.”
“No, he got outabout a month before your ‘accident.’”
“Fuck,” Ihissed.
“Prison callsindicate he’d been planning your hit for a while. Had help on the outside.”
“Family’s gotmoney,” I said, even though I knew Booker probably already had that partfigured out.
“He’s inMontana, Huck. Any reason to think he’d target Ducky?”
“Jesus, fuck.” Idropped my head and stared at the concrete. “I don’t know.”
“You got accessto a gun?”
“Yeah, mydad’s.”
“Right, Cash isgonna swing by your parents’ place and pick you up,” he said. “Grab the gun,then we’re gonna get our girl, yeah?”
Great, can’twait,I thought sarcastically to myself, but said out loud, “Yeah, man,that’d be appreciated.”
“Ten minutes.”
