Chapter 2 – Josie
Chapter Two
JOSIE
This could be dangerous, and I don’t mean finding the person responsible for all the missing teens in the area.
No, I’m talking about Bam, because he is that way too sexy bad boy your parents warn you about.
I mean, I’m sure my dad would warn me about him, but he doesn’t know who the hell he is, and he’s always on the road working anyway.
Bam has that dark messy hair that isn’t messy at all because it somehow insanely works for him. Then you got those freaking blue eyes that are such a contrast to the black hair and black shirts, and let’s not forget the black jeans and boots. Don’t get me started on the tattoos either.
I should have run out of here with everyone else when he entered the coffee shop, but I have this knack for doing things I shouldn’t be doing. This is what happens when you’re left to your own devices, as I often am.
“Why do you want to help me?”
“Why not?” He shoves another fry into his mouth. How are his lips better than mine? They are full and plump. It’s bullshit. “You don’t want my help?”
“I do.” There are a few places I don’t dare go.
I am a mere couple inches over five feet and weigh one hundred and fifteen pounds, soaking wet.
Bam here is the size of two of me, and it scares the crap out of people, except some girls.
I see them checking him out; he never pays them attention.
If I had Bam with me, I could go almost anywhere.
“Then what’s the problem?”
“You can’t go falling in love with me,” I deadpan. “That will complicate things.”
“Can’t promise that, shortcake.” He winks at me. I need to make a rule that I too will not fall in love with him. I’ll write that down later in my notebook. That way I’ll remember.
“Did you just nickname me?”
“We’re partners. You should have a nickname.”
“I’ll allow it,” I agree.
“The nickname or being your partner?”
“Both, but you’re on probation.”
“You might be surprised to hear this”—he leans forward, putting his elbows on the table—“but it’s my first time on probation.” I snort a laugh.
“I am not surprised. Who in their right mind is going to try to arrest you?” The cops don’t tangle with the Riders. I should take a page from their book, but, yeah, no thanks. My dad would warn me away from them too.
“How about you? I bet you’ve been to jail a few times,” he tosses back.
“Hey, only once.” How did he find out about that?
“Are you fucking serious?” His lips twitch into a smirk.
“Oh, no. Totally joking.” I try to fake a laugh but end up in a coughing fit.
“Take a sip, rebel.” He pushes my water toward me. I grab it and take a big gulp. “I’m not letting this go.”
“I can’t have two nicknames. I still have to come up with yours.” We are getting way ahead of ourselves here.
“You’re not changing the subject on me. Now I gotta know.”
I let out a small huff. “Fine, let’s just say I’m not allowed in Montana anymore.”
“You got kicked out of a whole state?” He leans in closer. “You’re fucking with me.”
“Well, I can’t go back because I never went to court or whatever it is you do. I’m guessing I’m a wanted woman there now, so no more Montana.”
“You have got to give me more than that.” Bam waves the server down. “A slice of chocolate cake for the lady.”
“Coming up.” She gives Bam a giant bright smile that he doesn’t see; his attention is fully on me, and he wants the details. After a beat, she turns, leaving the table.
“She wanted your attention.”
“Well, I want your attention.”
“You’re buttering me up with chocolate cake. How’d you know it’s my fav?” He’s good. I’ll give him that.
“I’m your assistant, partner.” He shrugs. “I should know these things.” This is true.
“All right, fine. I give. Your interrogation skills are stellar.” I’m cracking for a six-dollar slice of cake. “But I’m not sharing the cake.”
“Deal,” he agrees, his expression a mixture of smugness and humor, making a dimple show in his left cheek.
“It’s silly, really.”
“Even better.”
“When I was younger.”
“How much younger?”
“Okay, last year, Jesus!” Bam presses his lips together in a firm line, and I know he’s fighting a laugh.
“My dad’s a truck driver. He’s on the road a lot.
On big holidays and summer break, I’ll go on a couple of the trips.
One was passing through Montana, so of course I started researching things about Montana, and you know what? ”
“What?” He leans in even closer.
“They don’t know where the bats go in the winter.”
“The caves.”
“No.” I shake my head slowly. “You think the bat scientists didn’t check the caves?”
“Was it a man that checked the caves? You might need a female or mom. I heard they can find anything.” Heard? Interesting. I wonder if he doesn’t have a mom either.
“No mom either?”
“Nah.”
“Same.” I shrug. I mean, it would probably be cool to have one, but I never knew her, so it doesn’t hurt, like I’m sure it does to others, so I don’t ask.
“The bats, shortcake.”
“Right.” I get back on track. “Well, when I told my dad about them, he said they had to be in the caves, as if the scientists didn’t look there.” I roll my eyes. “So obviously I had to go confirm this.”
“Oh shit, please tell me you did not go to the cave alone.”
“I wasn’t alone. I had my phone and a flashlight. I had to wait for my dad to fall asleep and sneak out.”
“What about the notebook?” His eyes glance toward the one I have on the table. I put my hand on top of it and slide it closer to me.
“Of course I had it.” A silly question.
“Like asking if the bat scientists looked in the caves for the bats.”
“Exactly.” I snap my fingers and hit him with the finger gun. “Long story short.”
“Nope, I want the long one.”
I let out a loud groan. “You’re about to be fired,” I lie.
“Might be worth it. I mean, you get it, right? It’s all about getting the story.” Damn. He got me there.
“Touché,” I agree. “When I go with my dad, we stay in hotels, so I picked one near a cave because I can’t drive, and I’m not calling a random person to give me a ride in the middle of the night. You don’t get into cars with strangers.”
“You also don’t go into caves alone at night.”
“You sound like my dad. At least I didn’t do the stranger-danger car thing.”
“Josie.” He shakes his head, letting out a chuckle. Dang it. Why is even his laugh hot?
“So maybe I stepped over the no trespassing sign. No one can say I saw it, you know? They can’t prove it.”
“No proof. Agreed.” I’m not sure if he really agrees, but I continue onward.
“Well, I got into the cave, and guess what?”
“No bats.”
“Bingo! I nailed it; I had a video and everything. I was going to rub it all up in my dad’s face, and then the fuzz showed up.”
“The fuzz?” Bam throws his head back and laughs. I don’t know what’s so funny. The cop sure didn’t think any of it was. “So you were arrested for trespassing.”
“I mean, it started as a warning.” I fiddle with the napkin in front of me.
“And the next thing I know, I’m arguing with the cop about the bats because he thinks they’re in the cave too but won’t even go look.
Then it all happened so fast. I’m in the back of the cruiser cuffed for resisting arrest and assaulting an officer. ”
“You? Assaulting an officer?” His brows rise.
“Right! I can’t assault a fly.” I really can’t; I’m the worst with a fly swatter.
My hand-eye coordination isn’t the best, clearly.
“Anywhoos, I didn’t have an ID on me, and he took me back to this trailer police station.
I wouldn’t tell him who I was, so he said I could tell the judge in the morning, and he tossed me in the can. ”
“A cell?”
“It was really more of a room, and he passed out at his desk, so I snuck out. I don’t think he thought I could fit through the little window, but here I am, still a free woman.” Being tiny can be handy at times.
“A wanted woman. A real-life escapee,” he teases me.
“Bet they have those wanted posters of me up all over that town.”
“It’s got a sketched pencil drawing of you. That’s old school.”
“What I was thinking too.”
The server returns, placing the cake down between us with two forks. Bam grabs one, handing it back to her. “Only need one.” He pushes the slice toward me. “Eat up, jailbird.”
“That’s three nicknames now.” He’s popping them out.
“First we figure out the missing boys, then the bats.”
I nod in agreement, taking a giant bite of my cake.
He gets it.