“Yeah.”
Her hands clasped together immediately. “Thank you, God! You must have gotten cracked last night because you already walked in here with some pep in your step too. Now you’re agreeing to letting a few cameras in your face.”
“Cracked?” I was confused as to what she even fucking meant.
“Means you got some, nigga. That’s what the kids are saying these days.”
I shook my head. “I hope the kids aren’t saying that shit.”
“You didn’t deny it either. Tell sis to keep doing what she’s doing. We have to do dinner one of these days. Finally help my wife get over her newfound girl crush.”
I laughed and continued to get dressed for the evening. “Probably fuck around and make it wo—” A knock at the door interrupted my statement. We both looked toward the door that opened seconds later with Kie stepping through.
“Good afternoon two of my favorite people. Oden, there is a detective here to speak with you, and my love, you need to call in a new bartender because the two you have up here are not gonna make it through a shift.”
Lo sighed. “Fuck. Your no fraternizing policy isn’t tight enough, and what the hell is a detective doing here?” I felt her eyes while I took my watch off.
“Shit if I know. Send them back here and I’ll find out.”
Kie looked between me and Lo before nodding and leaving the room.
“If you want me to, I’ll stay?” Lois’s voice filled the room again.
“No, I’m fine. Have them meet me in the kitchen and go handle your friendly ass staff.” I put my things away and moved out of the second door in my office. It was connected straight to the kitchen.
She laughed. “Got you.”
I entered the kitchen and immediately went to clean my hands. When I was done, I began removing the knives and different utensils I’d be using to cook today. Dinner specials tonight were simple. Steak and a twice-baked, shellfish-stuffed potato and asparagus for the simple meal. The other would be a seafood medley pasta with white wine sauce, no cream, and a lobster claw. Yes, I had enough claws for every plate to have one.
A knock at the doorway made me look up from my choice of knife. I was mentally noting that Lois had switched out my old knives for the newer ones to finally try out for my line. I didn’t do it the last time I cooked, so she called herself doing it for me.
“Good afternoon, Mr. West. My name is Jordan Oaks. I’m the new detective assigned to your wife’s case.”
That got my attention, causing me to immediately look at the petite, fair-skinned woman. She was about five foot four, wearing a blazer and jeans. “Assigned to my wife’s case? I wasn’t aware there was one in the first place.” I returned my attention to the knives I was laying out.
“Well, Mr. West, when someone goes missing the way your wife did, those things don’t just disappear.”
I laughed. “Well, she did. Never mind the fact that she left our child and made sure to take what she needed, right?” I was grateful Kinga had someone not only clean up the place but trulymake it seem like Ashley had abandoned our child and run off. I had a letter and proof of money transfers to prove it. The letter was also used for me to divorce her legally. I, of course, had to hire a personal investigator and show the courts that I made diligent efforts to locate my wife, but she didn’t want to be found.
“I saw that. But since the case is teetering into cold case territory, I thought I’d try my hand at finding Ashley West.” She moved further into the kitchen.
“And that made you show up here? To talk to me.”
“Yes, seeing as how people don’t just disappear and fall off the face of the earth, Mr. West.”
I laughed. “Well do me a favor, find her, get my fucking money, and tell her that her daughter is doing fine without her if at any point she decided to give a fuck,” I responded, looking up at the detective, delivering a heated stare.
She nodded. “I’m just wonder?—”
Another knock at the door had me looking away from her toward the doorway. The last person I expected to see, Wiley Ortega, stood there, looking between me and the detective.
“Was I interrupting something?” he asked in a heavily accented tone.
“Nah, the good detective was just leaving,” I responded cooly, letting it be known to her that I was done talking. When I looked at her, I could see the glimmer of familiarity in her eyes when she laid eyes on him.
She took the hint. “I’ll be in touch, Mr. West.” Seconds later, she walked through the doorway that he had just entered.
When it was just him and me, he laughed. “I know you’re probably busy, but I feel like I must say my piece. Because as old as I am, I never know how much longer I have down here in hell.”
