“Where?”
“In a ditch.”
Frowning, Simon set the suitcase on the floor.“Did she check local hospitals?”
“She’s doin’ that now.”Her eyes welled with tears.“She’s so upset.”
Apparently, Daphne wasn’t the only one.Violet worked hard to conceal her emotions, especially when it came to her deadbeat father.But deep down, it was clear she loved him.
“She wants me to call Brantley,” Violet said, her eyes pleading.
Usually, that would’ve been the right thing to do.However, Simon knew Brantley wanted to remain solely focused on their current case.He would likely scoff if Simon suggested they drop everything for a possible missing man.One who had a track record of disappearing and showing up again when he was good and damn ready.
“I’ll call Archer,” Simon offered.“Tell him what’s going on.Since he’s part of the task force now, he can talk to Brantley.”
“Okay.”
Digging his phone out of his pocket, Simon made the call.
“Hey, man.What’s up?”Archer answered on the first ring.
“Where are you?”
“The B and B.Why?”
Simon relayed what little information he had to Archer, not sure what the man could do, but hoping he would have a plan.As much as Simon wanted to drop everything and help Violet, he knew he would probably not get another chance to talk to Max Adorite anytime soon.
“Let me call Atticus, tell him what’s goin’ on.He’ll know what the team usually does for stuff like this.”
“Let me know,” Simon told him.
“Will do.Talk to you in a minute.”
The call disconnected.
Simon set his phone on the dresser and sat on the bed beside Violet.He put his arms around her, pressed a kiss to her temple when she leaned into him.He wanted to assure her everything would be all right, but he didn’t.He’d heard stories about Harold Anderson, not one of them good.Hell, the man had broken into Violet’s bookstore and stolen money from his own daughter.The worst part was she’d known he would do it, so she’d set it up so he could only walk away with a few bucks in his pocket.
The man certainly didn’t deserve his daughter’s help.At the same time, the fact that Violet would go above and beyond for her family—deserving or not—was one of the many things Simon loved about her.
Atticus had experienced a lot of firstsrecently.
His first place to live as an adult that wasn’t a motel.
His first relationship, no matter how ridiculously complex.
His first job that required people to put their faith and trust in him.
His first friend who was a girl.In the short time he’d known her, Becs had become rather important to him.
Today, he was experiencing another: His first time going home and dreading walking through the front door.
And no, he wasn’t blameless.While he wanted to shirk the responsibility, he knew any adverse reaction Slade might have was solely his fault.After all, he had spent the night at HQ.With Archer.
Not together, of course.They’d slept on separate couches.Hell, on separate floors even.Regardless, he suspected Slade would have something to say about it.
Fine.Perhaps he could’ve softened the blow if he’d bothered to text or call last night, but he didn’t.On purpose.Which was probably worse.Not to mention, it was petty since he’d done it to punish Slade for how he was acting.
Yep, that was him.Childishandpetty, a double whammy.
