“Campbell talks about you. A lot,” Chance McLanely explains. “So it feels like we’ve met before.”
A thrill wraps around my spine and I struggle to stay on task.
“Nat informed me about what you’re planning tonight, and I wanted to help.”
“Help? How?”
“With the Layla situation.”
There’s a heavy silence on Chance McLanely’s end. When he speaks again, the cheerfulness is gone from his tone. “Do you need something from me?”
“I’m assuming you have eyes on April.”
“I do.”
“What about Layla?”
He hesitates as if he’s not sure how much he should divulge.
“I just need to know where she is so I can intercept her,” I tell him. I don’t have time to gain Chance’s trust and I also don’t have time to go around looking for Layla myself.
“What do you have in mind?”
“Something a little more hands-on thanhopingshe’ll be mature about all this.”
Chance sighs. “I don’t have someone tailing her, but I did ask a few key people in town to let me know if they saw her.”
“And?”
“I just got a call from Mauve.”
“Who’s Mauve?”
“The manager at The Tipsy Tuna.”
I start my car. “Thanks, Chance.”
“Riley?”
The call transfers to the car’s audio as I reverse out of the parking lot.
“What was that?” I ask.
“I owe you one.”
“I’m doing this for April, not to get something back.”
I hear the smile in Chance McLanely’s voice as he says, “Well, if you’re doing this for April, I’ll owe you a thousand. Protecting her is priceless to me.”
We both chuckle.
Chance McLanely is a good guy. I can tell. It’s no wonder Nat looks up to him.
I hang up with the hockey all-star and drive straight to The Tipsy Tuna. The restaurant is still buzzing despite the lunch hour being long gone.
I spot Layla immediately at the bar, so I take a seat that’s across the room with my back to her.
It’s an important part of the plan.
