Chapter 8 #2
Now it was her aunt’s turn to glower. “I’m not an idiot. Of course, I can remember. She popped in for a quick visit. Said she was going away for a while, but I shouldn’t worry.”
Dread churned Peyton’s insides. “Going away where?”
“Don’t know.”
Peyton let the silence stretch between them, hoping her aunt would say more. Sandra stayed stubbornly silent. She could be sly when necessary. “Lilia didn’t mention where she was going? Or for how long?”
“Nope.”
She had the nagging suspicion her aunt wasn’t being fully honest, but didn’t know how to pinpoint what she was lying about. She took a different tack. “Does Lilia have any connection to the Iron Serpents?”
Sandra considered the question through a haze of smoke. “She was hanging out with Cade Maddox.” She dissolved into a cough that sounded wet before choking out, “He’s a big shot with the Iron Serpents, so I hear.”
The name rang a distant bell. Peyton’s gaze snapped to Dawson, who gave a sharp nod of agreement. The fridge door hung open behind him. He’d moved on from the dishes to putting the food away. He looked so out of place there in the depressing and dirty kitchen.
She’d done that. Dragged him into this awful mess. Peyton should’ve known he wouldn’t let her face this alone, just as she knew he’d have everything put in order in the kitchen before this interview was done. That was who he was. So much like Nana Grace. No wonder her grandmother had loved him so.
She focused back on Sandra. “How long were Lilia and Cade dating?”
“Which time?”
“They dated more than once?”
“Yep. Lilia was crazy about Cade. Back then, he was just a little twerp selling pot to get by, but he convinced her to drop out of high school and run away with him to Vegas. Cade liked to play poker, and he won big when he had Lilia there to count the cards.”
Pride edged into her voice. Lilia was a mathematical genius. Sandra had always felt her daughter’s talents directly resulted from her mothering. Nothing could be farther from the truth.
“I thought for sure they’d get married, but she came back three months later, licking her wounds, crying about how you can’t trust a man.
” Sandra sucked down what was in her coffee mug and then poured herself another drink.
“I figured he’d lost big gambling, drained her bank account, and left her to fend for herself. ”
Peyton remembered the incident. Nana Grace had been worried sick, and Peyton had nearly left college and gotten on a plane to go hunt down her cousin.
Lilia’s reappearance in Knoxville had stopped her.
She’d chalked it up to another one of her cousin’s stunts.
They’d argued over it, mostly over how Lilia had treated Nana Grace and caused her untold amounts of stress.
“It was Cade she ran off with?” Peyton stared at the carpet and let the memories roll over her.
She’d met this guy. Once during a Sunday dinner while visiting on spring break.
She’d been in college. Nearly ten years ago.
He’d been dressed all in black and had a motorcycle.
What she remembered most was the fact that he’d been high.
Peyton had gotten through dinner, but when he toppled over the dessert tray after two bottles of wine, she’d told him to leave.
That hadn’t earned her any points with Lilia. Another thing they’d fought about.
It was hard to imagine that same man was now helping to run a sophisticated criminal organization.
Could Cade be Grace’s father? It was an upsetting thought.
Peyton shifted uncomfortably on the couch. She could feel the old springs digging into her backside. “When you saw Lilia last, did she say anything about being pregnant?”
“No. A’course Lilia knows my feelings about that.
Kids do nothing but drag you down. Better to get rid of them and be done with it.
” Sandra seemed oblivious to the fact that she’d treated her own daughter like a disposable tissue.
Useful when she needed her, but otherwise, something she could throw away without any regard.
“And Cade never struck me as someone who wanted to be a daddy.”
Laughter bubbled up in Sandra’s throat and she choked on it again, nearly doubling over with the effort to pull air into her lungs. “He’s a good-time guy.” She wheezed, her face red. “If Lilia got pregnant, he’d dump her quick.”
“You seem to know a lot about Cade.”
“I know a lot about men. Especially his kind.”
Peyton couldn’t argue with that. Her aunt had had her fair share of failed relationships. “Where was Lilia living?”
“Don’t know. Don’t care.” Sandra struggled to ignite the lighter for her next cigarette. “I don’t ask her a whole lotta questions. I’ve got my own issues to worry about.”
“Right.” Peyton resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “If Lilia was in trouble, is there someplace you can think of that she’d hide out? Or someone she’d turn to for help?”
“Other than you? Nope.”
A creak came from the rear of the trailer. Peyton was on her feet in an instant. “Who else is here?”
“Bobby. My man.” Sandra glared from underneath thin eyebrows. “What’s the matter with you? You think I’m too old to have someone who cares about me.”
The bedroom door swung open and an overweight, balding man filled the hallway.
He wore sweatpants with frayed holes and a stained white tank top.
Tattoos covered much of his visible skin.
Several were associated with known prison gangs.
His gaze widened with surprise as Dawson stepped out of the kitchen.
“Hey, man.” Dawson’s posture was casual, but he strategically placed himself between Bobby and Peyton in a protective stance.
“What’s going on?” Bobby demanded. His expression reddened as his anger sparked. “What ya’ doing talking with cops, Sandra?”
“Aw, Bobby, don’t get riled up. This is my niece. She’s here about Lilia. She thinks my daughter might be in some kind of trouble.” Sandra’s tone was sugary sweet. “You ain’t got nothin’ to worry about, hon.”
Bobby didn’t look convinced. “I’m sure Lilia is fine.” He puffed out his chest, stepping forward aggressively. “Visiting time is over. Get out.”
There wasn’t any love lost between Peyton and her aunt, but even still, she couldn’t leave the older woman with Bobby in good conscience. The man looked ready to punch someone, and he’d literally just woken up. His hair was mussed and there was a crease on his cheek from the pillow.
She eased closer to Sandra. Keeping her voice low, she whispered, “This is your house, Aunt Sandra. If you’re afraid, I can help you.”
Sandra met her gaze. Some of that hardened shell she wore cracked, and a weariness swam in her dark eyes. “Bobby takes care of me.”
That was code for he kept her in alcohol and cigarettes. Maybe drugs too. Peyton touched her aunt’s arm. It was nothing but bone. “It doesn’t have to be this way.”
“Aw, Princess Peyton. What do you know of life?” Her gaze hardened, the weariness disappearing behind a lifetime of regret and anger. Her voice rose. “You heard Bobby. Get out.”
Knowing she wouldn’t make any progress, Peyton reluctantly headed for the door, Dawson hot on her heels. The slap of fresh air was a relief after the sourness of the trailer. She practically ran down the sagging porch steps to the SUV.
Moments later, icy air washed into the cab. Peyton had opened the window, unable to clear the stench from her nose. She needed a shower. Pine trees whipped by.
“We should figure out Bobby’s last name and run him through the system.” Peyton had to shout to be heard over the wind. “I’ll eat my badge if he doesn’t have a criminal record.”
Dawson nodded. “You think he’s involved in Lilia’s disappearance?”
“Everyone is a suspect until we know otherwise, and he seemed pretty ticked off to find us there.” The air had turned strands of her hair into whips, so she gave in and pulled up the window halfway.
“Not to mention that he acted like he knew Lilia. But if Aunt Sandra is telling the truth, she hasn’t seen her in almost a year.
Her relationships never last long. Seems weird to me. ”
“Yeah, he doesn’t strike me as a nice guy.” Dawson slanted a glance her way. “You never mentioned that you knew Cade Maddox?”
“I’d forgotten about him until Aunt Sandra mentioned his name.
He came for dinner once at Nana Grace’s.
You weren’t there for some reason, although I can’t remember why.
It was a disaster. He showed up high and got drunk as well.
Lilia and I had a big fight about it.” She bit her lip.
It was possible she’d never mentioned the incident to Dawson on purpose.
Too embarrassing. “Just another one of our arguments. By that point, I’d grown tired of talking about them. ”
“I never got tired of hearing about them.”
“Why not? I sure did.”
“Because it mattered to you.” Something shifted in his expression. A flicker of vulnerability, there and gone. As if he'd said more than he intended. His jaw tightened and his gaze fixed firmly on the road ahead.
“You’re a good man, Dawson.” Peyton studied his profile as Dawson entered the freeway. The strong nose and masculine mouth. She’d missed him. A question had been nagging at her since she left the hospital, and she couldn't hold it back any longer. “Can I ask you something personal?”
He arched a brow in her direction. “Depends on the question.”
She swallowed hard. “Are you…seeing anyone?”
His hands tightened on the steering wheel. “No.”
Relief flickered through her, unwelcome and undeniable. She tamped it down. “I’m surprised.” Peyton kept her tone light and teasing. “There can’t be that many eligible bachelors in Knoxville.”
His mouth quirked, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. “You’d be surprised.” Dawson was quiet for a long moment. “What about you?”
“No.” The word came out softer than she intended. “I haven't... there hasn't been anyone. Not since.”
He released a breath, and Peyton nearly swore she saw relief crease his features, but then he deliberately straightened his shoulders, as if physically reinforcing whatever internal walls were threatening to crumble.
The quiet that followed felt loaded, like they were treading too close to forbidden territory.
There was so much Peyton wanted to say, so much she wanted to explain, but Dawson’s rigid posture stopped her.
He’d asked her to table the discussion until the case was over. She needed to respect that request.
Peyton turned toward the windshield and put the conversation back in neutral territory. “Where to now?”
“The police station. Chief Garcia is putting together a task force, and he invited us to join them. We can update everyone on what we learned from Sandra.”
“Sounds good.” Peyton glanced at the sideview mirror. She stiffened. “Dawson…we may have a problem. White van, three cars back. He’s driving like a maniac.”
As if he was trying to catch up to them. Even as she turned around to look out the back window, the van swerved past a sedan and sped up. The driver’s side window rolled down, and instantly, she knew what was about to happen.
“Gun!”