“Hold on, lemme ask Harlot.”
“What’s going on?” My best friend hisses from the driver’s seat. “Everything ok?”
I shake my head as my heart rate goes through the roof. “Marbles?”
“She don’t know. Said Blondie didn’t want anyone to know cause it was a surprise.”
“Fuck!” I punch the dashboard and turn to Summer. “You know where Theo was going today?”
She shakes her head, her eyes wide. “No, she wouldn’t tell me. She was so excited about your gift that Theo was worried if she told anyone she’d spill it to you too.”
“Fuck!”Goddamnit. I knew I shouldn’t have let her go alone. “I gotta go.” I hang up on Marbles as he starts talking, then dial Spider, who picks up on the first ring.
“Dude, you better be calling to say Blondie is on the way cause there is one very excited little boy here practically—“
“I need you to trace her phone.”
Spider goes silent but I can hear him clomping through his house, a door opens and closes then a series of clicks on a keyboard. “When was the last time contact was made?”
“Hour, give or take.” I hold my breath as he works, tapping into the app I thankfully installed.
This is not fucking happening. This cannot be fucking happening.
I knew I should have gone with her, surprise be damned. The first fucking time Theo goes anywhere without me, and she winds up MIA. “Spider? Are you in?”
“Downtown,” he grits, still tapping away. “Signal is coming from behind main, looks like the parking lot attached to the shops she frequents.”
Thank fuck. She’s probably grabbing coffee or something. Maybe stopped at the bakery to grab shit for the party.
“Thanks. We’re gonna—“
“Signal has been coming from the same spot for forty minutes.”
My blood runs cold at his words.
Blondie is never anywhere for that long, not outside the apartment. She hates crowds, hates shopping. She’s too introverted to enjoy it for more than a few minutes and considering it’s Christmas fucking Eve, Theo wouldn’t have stuck around anywhere longer than she had to, especially with the party her and the girls are planning.
I turn to Summer. “Try calling her.” She nods, her and Jolie both taking out their phones. “We’re heading that way. Can you meet us?”
“I...” Spider clears his throat. “Might be better if I work from here. Today has been... rough... and my reinforcements won’t be here for another hour.”
“Got it. Wait by the phone.”
“Bring Summer and Jolie to Prez. I’ll let him know what’s going on and have him send Pork Chop and Brick. Most of the guys are already on their way over so they can take a detour.”
“Good.” I glance at Jackal as we hit a red light, my best friend getting in the left turn lane without me uttering a word, just changing directions to head downtown. “Call Marbles and have him get Harlow over to Prez’s too. Make sure Crunchy and Pope are there. Keep everyone centralized and locked down just in case. I’m going to have Jackal drop me off at her last known location before he takes the girls, then he can ride back with Pork Chop and Brick. Make sure everyone is strapped and knows the plan.”
“On it.”
I swallow hard then take a deep breath. “Call Doc. Have him head to Prez’s just in case.”
There’s silence for a few beats before Spider clears his throat. “On it.” Then he hangs up.
I unbuckle as soon as the coffee shop Theo loves comes into view and practically jump out of the SUV. “Take them to Prez, grab Brick and Chop then haul ass back here.”
Jackal nods. “You call me if Blondie is sipping on a fancy drink in there, alright?”
He knows that’s highly unlikely, but Jackal is trying not to stress out the girls, both of them still calling Theo without any response.
