Page 18 of Out Of A Fix

“’Course not.”

“Get him working out, physical activities, have him run with you.”

“How do you know I run?”

“All of Jared’s fixers are in amazing shape, because you have to be. But you swim too, so have him do that if he prefers.”

“Just not close to when he has to go to bed.”

“Correct.”

“Okay.”

“If none of that works, let me know, and I’ll find you a good psychiatrist close to where you are.”

“Thanks,” I murmured.

“Hey,” Shaw muttered, having taken the phone back. “The hell do you need a guardianship waiver for? Isn’t the father there?”

“Nope.”

“No?” He sounded surprised. “Where the hell is he?”

“In someplace called Blake or Blaze, Washington, I think. His kid didn’t know.”

“The fuck is that? How do his kids not know where he is?”

“One kid. His youngest. I didn’t ask the others. And anyway, I think he’s having a bit of trouble at the moment.”

He grunted.

“Don’t be an ass.”

“Whatever. As usual, you’re being really nice. I would kill this guy.”

“You need to hear the whole story before you do that.”

“Fine. G’head. What’s the whole story?”

“No, I meant, I would need to learn that before I act.”

“I’m pissed, and I’m not even there.”

“Deep breaths,” I teased him.

“Hold on, lemme⁠—”

“No, I gotta go in and get this kid.”

“Wait—here it is. It’s Blaise, Washington. Blaise. And it looks like it’s right there on the border with Canada.”

“Okay. I appreciate it.”

“Have you tried calling him?”

Only six times at this point. Between my conversations with the kids, I’d been calling. “I have, but I suspect he doesn’t have a satellite phone and must be out of range. Plus, for all he knows, he left a competent adult to check in on the kids.”

“Check in? Just check in?”