“What do you want?” he grumbled.
“Maybe just to see how my friend who dropped off the face of the Earth is doing.”
Anson was quiet for a moment. “It’s more than that. You wouldn’t call three times in less than twelve hours for a check-in.”
I blew out a breath. Of course, he’d know that. Because Anson knew behavior and motivation better than anyone. “Need your help.”
“You need someone to take on a reno for you, we can talk. Anything else, no dice.”
“An—”
“No, Law. I’m done. You know why.”
I did. And it killed me that a monster had destroyed my friend, taken away everything he cared about.
“It’s a bad one. That serial from five years ago. Might be back—”
“Don’t give a flying fuck. I don’t want to know a damned thing about whatever sick-ass killer you’re trying to find. Don’t call me about it again, or I’ll block your number.”
The line went dead.
“Well, that went well.”
Just as I was about to set my cell down, it rang in my hand. The high school’s number flashed on my screen, and my gut tightened. I hitaccept.
“Hartley.”
“Hey, Law. It’s Debbie at the high school.”
The school secretary had been there since I was a student, and I still had no idea how old she actually was.
“Hi, Debbie. Everything okay?”
“No one’s dying, but I’m afraid your boy’s in with Principal Meader. Got into a physical altercation with some other boys. Principal Meader would like you to come down to discuss a few things.”
That muscle beneath my eye fluttered again. “I’ll be right there.”
33
HALLIE
“Thanks again for helping me,”I told Holt.
He smiled as he hefted random sports gear into the bed of a trailer to haul out of the barn. “Not a problem.”
“He’s better with a project,” Wren said from her spot on an old truck bench seat where her dog, Shadow, was protectively curled into her side. “And I’m better when that project’s not me.”
Holt pinned her with a stare. “You are going to pop any day. I’m allowed to be a little protective.”
Wren just rolled her eyes. “A little protective means trailing me everywhere I go? Yesterday, he tried to follow me into the bathroom. A girl needs to pee in peace.”
He let out a huff. “You looked like you were in pain.”
“I am. All the time. Because this little bundle of joy is doing a tap dance on my bladder twenty-four-seven.”
I couldn’t help it, I laughed. “You guys are cute.”
“Trust me, Hallie. It gets old by day two,” Wren mumbled.
