I was going to go straight back to the apartment to pack a few more boxes, but once I got in my car, I found myself heading toward the Windy City Motor Inn instead.
I knew that I should call Cole, but I didn’t. He would only tell me to stay away. That every time I went, I ran a risk.
He was right, of course.
But I knew how to spot a tail and how to lose one, and when I arrived at the inn after my incredibly circuitous route, I knew I hadn’t been followed.
The inn was conveniently located next to a Taco Bell, and I parked in that lot, then went inside to buy an assortment of burritos and tacos. I took my bulging sack across to the motel, scoped out my surroundings, then headed to my dad’s room.
I tapped three times. “Daddy. It’s me.”
No answer.
I frowned and tapped again.
I pressed my ear to the door, but heard nothing except the pounding of my heart as my fear grew and grew.
I’d kept a key for myself, and though I hadn’t used it originally out of respect for my father’s privacy, I put it in the door now, then gingerly cracked it open. “Dad, if you’re in the bathroom, I’m coming in.”
I pushed the door the rest of the way open, then froze.
He was gone.
Except that made no sense. How could he be gone? Where could he have gone?
I looked more closely around the room. Nothing in the drawers. No suitcase anywhere.
I felt the rise of panic and tried hard to tamp it down.
Had they found him?
No—no, because then the room would be wrecked. So he was safe. Or, at least, he’d been safe when he left the room. But where had he gone?
Did he not trust me to help him? Had he suddenly gotten spooked by this room? Had he seen someone watching him?
I didn’t know—hell, I couldn’t know—and the whole situation both pissed me off and scared me. This was my dad. My dad. And he’d gone into the wind on my watch.
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
I locked the place back up, then stalked down to the management office. A bored clerk who looked to be all of fourteen was playing games on his phone. He barely glanced up at me. “Help you?” he asked, between smacks of gum.
“There was a man in room 247,” I said. “Do you know where he is now?”
“Lady, this isn’t the kind of place where the guests leave a forwarding address. He was here, now he’s gone.”
“So then he’s definitely checked out?”
“Not too long ago, actually. Took his stuff. Paid the bill for the movies he rented. Left.”
“In cash?”
“Yeah, then he took off with two guys.”
Fear cut through me like a blade. It must have been Muratti. His goons had let Daddy pack. Given him that false sense that everything could be worked out.
I swallowed, forcing myself to push back the fear and focus. “Tell me about the two guys.”
The clerk’s face scrunched up as he remembered. “Um, a pretty-boy type in a suit, and a black guy—maybe some Hispanic blood there, too, had that light-skinned look, you know? But who can tell? Big, though. He was in a suit, too.”
“Did they say their names?” I asked, though I knew the answer would be no before he said so.
That didn’t matter, though. I knew who the men were.
Evan and Cole.
Shit.
Cole had come up with a plan, all right.
But despite looking me in the eye and promising to keep me in the loop, he’d gone and moved my dad without telling me a thing.
He’d lied to me, goddammit.
And that, frankly, pissed me off.
I sat in my car with the engine off and the top down and worked the phone. Not that it made a difference. Neither Cole nor Evan were answering, and though I caught Angie at work, she didn’t know a thing.
“Evan only said that he and Cole had something to take care of this morning. Why? What’s going on?”
“Nothing.” I felt guilty that Angie knew nothing about my dad. Hell, about my old life. But how could I tell her now? “Nothing,” I repeated. “Long story.”
“Does this have anything to do with you and Cole finally hooking up?”
I’d been eating one of the bean and cheese burritos, and now I choked. “Oh my god. What did he tell you?”
Angie’s delighted laugh sparkled across the phone line. “Nothing, are you kidding? When has Cole ever overshared?”
“But—”
“He didn’t tell me or Evan anything. Or, if he told Evan, then he’s keeping it to himself.”
“Like Evan would keep something from you,” I said.
“I know, right?” She said the words matter-of-factly, like a given, and I felt a tinge of jealousy. How nice to know someone so well. To trust them so completely.
“I figure Cole is keeping quiet,” she continued. “No, Kat, the sad truth is that you are the source of your own intelligence leak.”
“Me!” My voice rose indignantly—at least until I figured it out. “Flynn,” I said.
“I had breakfast with him this morning. He sends his love. And,” she added airily, “he told me to tell you that the apartment did not burn down last night, in case you’d acquired some misinformation and that’s why you didn’t go home.”
“You know I hate you both.”
She laughed. “You do not. That’s why you’re my maid of honor.”
I made a grunting noise of acquiescence. “All right. Maybe I love you. A little.”
“Mutual, Kat. And I’m thrilled about you and Cole. I mean, that’s been a long time coming.”
“No kidding.”
“Listen, I have a meeting in a minute, but tell me quick what’s going on with your house.”
“I close tomorrow,” I said, unable to keep the excitement out of my voice.
“I thought it was tomorrow. That’s so cool.”
“I’m giddy,” I admitted. “It’s like a rite of passage or something.” I hesitated, then pressed on. “Listen, about the house. There’s something else—”
“What’s wrong?” I heard the sharp note of concern in her voice.
“Nothing. I swear. It’s just this thing I’ve been thinking about. You know, my ever-present plan to get rich quick. Only I’m not sure this would be quick.”
“I’m intrigued. Tell me about it over drinks?”