Chapter 14 Leo #2
“Priority one is finding Tim,” Tiny says as he points to Josh and then Dog. “You cover Checkers. You got that? I’m putting every member of the club on this,” Tiny continues. “By noon tomorrow, I want a lead on this Tim person.”
Josh opens his mouth to say something, but Dog shakes his head and pulls Arrow back.
“When Tiny gives an order, you nod your head. If you want it to stay on your neck,” Dog says. He points to Arrow. “You hear anything from anyone about anything that could help find Lia, you tell us, all of us, immediately. You hear?”
Arrow nods. “Look, I want to find Lia as much as—”
Tiny looks at Arrow with a withering look. “Don’t make me kick your ass. I’m old, I’m tired, and—” he cracks his knuckles for dramatic effect “—I’m out of patience.”
Arrow nods, and he and Dog depart.
That leaves Morris, Tiny, and me.
I can’t say anything. I can’t apologize, can’t defend myself. All I do is sit there. Miserable.
I stare at my coffee, all lukewarm and gross in the bottom of my mug.
I can’t even imagine where Lia is right now.
How scared or cold or hungry she might be.
I can’t even begin to think what she’s going through if whoever has her wants her hurt or scared.
I’m hoping if they really want to trade her for Tim, that they won’t actually hurt her.
But if they do… This is the one time I wish I had weapons.
But it’s also probably for the best I don’t.
Tiny and Dog have an arsenal of guns, but Morris stopped carrying a long time ago. But those guys, they’ll go in dirty if they think they have to. I probably should have patted down Tiny’s pockets when he got here. No doubt he’s got a couple bullets with my name on them.
“Where you want me?” Morris asks.
“Go home to your family,” Tiny says. “If we don’t have any information by morning, we may need to start calling in favors. I’ll be calling on you for that.”
I knew what he meant. I’d never met them, but I knew they had connections in all kinds of places—law enforcement, private security. You don’t trot out those kinds of friends unless you need a serious favor—the kind that’s not easy to pay back.
I can’t believe my brother put me and everyone I care about in this situation.
I feel sick, ashamed. I want this nightmare to end for Lia, but goddamn, I want this to be over for all of us.
Ever since Tim walked out, my life has been one shame-filled shit sandwich.
I’ve been taking bites of it one at a time.
Morris comes over and squeezes my shoulder with one hand.
“Stay strong,” he says. I know he means the squeeze to be helpful, but I can’t take any comfort in it.
It reminds me of how much I stand to lose.
The people I’ve come to rely on, treat as family.
Alice and Morris and Zoey think of Lia as family.
What the fuck will they do if something happens to her?
I don’t see any outcome that is recoverable except one—finding Lia and bringing her home safe.
Morris and Tiny trade looks, and I swear they communicate on some subconscious level. Morris nods as if he’s agreed to some silent plan between the two of them.
Whatever they say, whatever they want to do, I’ll do it. I can’t stand the thought that Lia is spending a night alone someplace. Not knowing if she’s being harmed or if she’s cold or hungry fucking kills me.
I hope to God my brother has her, because as much as I want to kill him for what he’s doing to all of us, I’d rather her be with someone who I know is a fuck-up but harmless.
After Morris leaves, it’s just me and Tiny and the worst night of my life. And it’s only getting started.
“You wanna crash here?” I ask. “I think it’ll be good for you to be here in case Lia comes back. Just in case anything goes down here at the house.”
“Where you planning on going?” Tiny’s eyes are red, and he’s looking at me with distrust. Even through the stress, I can tell he’s beat.
We all are.
“I’m going to go look for her, man,” I say. “I need to be out there. Looking.”
Tiny shakes his head. “Where the fuck you gonna look? If you have any idea where she might be, your ass should have already been there. Let the guys handle it.”
I tear at my hair with my hands. “I can’t stand by and do nothing.”
“I want you to not go off half-cocked, driving the streets in the middle of the night like an asshole,” he says. “We don’t need you in trouble too.”
“Come on, man,” I punch the table, bringing the dogs running for cover.
Tiny scowls. “I’m gonna get my ass back to the compound.”
“You should be here. This is her home. Why don’t you take the dogs and go on up and get a little rest? An hour, tops. I’ll wake you up if anything happens.”
Tiny grunts. “If I crash for an hour, will you keep your puny ass here and not go riding off into the night to look for her?”
“Yeah,” I lie. “You rest for one hour, I’ll chill the fuck out and think about everything I can do to find Tim, and we’ll regroup.”
He seems a lot more vulnerable now. Lost. Like all the anger and rage have been hiding a confused, sad man. And the truth is, this is exhausting. Scary.
He’s only just got Lia back, and I’m sure he’s realizing how deep his feelings for her run.
He may not have memories of holding her through skinned knees and graduations, but Lia leaves a deep impression.
To know her is to be struck by her light.
Her kindness. I can’t imagine finding that woman as an adult, learning she was my daughter, only to be faced with possibly losing her.
I can’t fathom having her and losing her either. I told myself it was all fun and games. Light. Easy.
Fuck easy. I’ll never, ever take what I have for granted again. Not my business, my house. My friends. My family.
“I won’t sleep,” Tiny says. But I can tell he’s considering it. “Is it weird sleeping in my grown-up kid’s bed?”
“Nah,” I say. “It’s not weird.” I immediately picture the lube and condoms. Fuck, I haven’t been in her room since yesterday morning. I need to regroup and fast. “But, uh, how about you crash on the couch?” I suggest. “I’ll grab you some pillows and blankets.”
I head upstairs and scan Lia’s room. There are clothes—tiny things she must have tried and discarded before her date with Arrow—and necklaces and shit on the bed.
I pick up the cheap string of beads and set all the clothes on her dresser, sweep the clothes onto the floor, and grab all the blankets and pillows in my arms.
I breathe in the familiar fragrance of her as I head back downstairs.
Tiny is sitting on the couch with his head back against the cushions. His eyes are half closed, so I leave the pillows beside him and set the blankets near his legs.
After I leave the bedding with Tiny, I corral the dogs up the stairs. I lock them in Lia’s room and turn the sound machine and night-light on.
The sun will rise soon, but they know that when their machines are running, they need to be quiet and stay calm.
When he wakes up and I’m gone, I’m only going to give him that much more reason to distrust me.
But it’s worth it.
I tiptoe down the stairs and grab the keys to my truck. It’ll be a lot quieter than firing up my bike. I need to get out without waking the big man, because if he knew what I have planned… Well, he wouldn’t snuggle down on my couch and watch it play out.
I don’t leave a note or anything, and as I slip out of my house, I hope it’s the last time I ever have to lie to Tiny.