Rainey instinctively stepped back, and a low snarl reverberated through the salon. Jacques glanced down to see Archie straining against his leash, still in Ray’s grip, baring his teeth atGloria.
“Archie,” Rainey scolded in a whisper, her face pale now, her frametrembling.
Archie silenced immediately, but Jacques felt a surge of pride for the protective little poodle. Instead of praising the dog as he wished, Jacques reached out his hand to Ray, and the boy gave him theleash.
“We’ll go now,” he said to the room. “But Rainey needs to speak to her brother at somepoint—”
“He’snother brother,” Gloria spat. She turned and glared at Rainey. “He’snota part of your family. Dylan Reeves gave up his claim years ago. Cliff Craine is hisfather.”
Rainey gasped, and what little color she had left in her face drained away. But Jacques watched her swallow and rally. “For Ray’s sake, that’s welcome news,” Rainey said, holding Gloria’sgaze.
Jacques couldn’t be sure, but the older woman might have blinked at this. It was a chance, however small, for them to meet on commonground.
But not now. Now they needed toleave.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out two of Heroine’s business cards. If either of them wanted to reach out, this was a way to find him and thus,Rainey.
“We’re not here to hurt anyone. We just need your help,” Jacques said, offering Gloria one of the cards. She crossed her armsresolutely.
But as soon as he angled it to Ray, the boy leaped forward and took it, leaving his mother with a stunnedexpression.
“Ray!” she hissed. But he tucked the card in his back pocket before she could stophim.
Jacques set the other card on the salon’scounter.
“No one here is a fan of Dylan Reeves,” he told her, and again, he saw her expression change. It didn’t soften, but instead of projecting violence, she looked wary. “But that doesn’t mean their sister should die because ofhim.”
This time, shock passed over both of the Lopez-Craines’ faces. Jacques backed toward the door and grabbed Rainey’shand.
“We’ll be in town overnight. We just want to talk. Please think about it and give us acall.”
He tugged Rainey’s hand, but her feet were rooted to the spot. Her eyes, he found, were locked on her littlebrother’s.
At the look on her face, his heart twisted. The two siblings needed so much more than these few moments fraught with anger andsuspicion.
Jacques gentled his voice as best he could. “C’mon,Rainey.”
“Yes, please leave now,” Gloria warned, her voice still shaken, but at least she no longerscreamed.
Without taking her gaze from Ray, Rainey reached into the pocket of her skirt and pulled out theDespicable MePEZ. She wordlessly handed it to Ray, and Jacques saw the boy’s face transform with a look of startled delight before Rainey followed the tug of Jacques’shand.
He pushed open the door, and a gust of wind blew it wide. As soon as he stepped outside, rain stung his face. Gripping Archie’s leash in one hand and shielding Rainey from the storm as best he could, Jacques led them at a run across the parkinglot.
When they reached the Impala, he quickly helped Archie into the back seat as rain pelted his back and shoulders. He straightened up to find Rainey staring unseeing at the door of the car and getting soaked in the process. He knew she probably couldn’t even feel the rain, but he could. It was cold, and she’d soon be freezing. He nudged her gently aside, opened her door, and settled her into the front seat without aword.
As he rounded the hood of the car and ducked inside, Jacques knew his first priority was to put some distance between Rainey and the awful scene with Gloria Lopez-Craine. And his next goal was to find a place for the night where she could get warm and dry. If that place came with a stiff drink, so much the better. For both ofthem.
Rainey sat immobile and silent beside him as he started the car and practically sped out of the parking lot. He couldn’t help but glance at the storefront of Glorious Locks, and even through the driving rain, Jacques was sure he saw the silhouette of a boy in its glass doorway. He had to turn to angle out of the parking lot before he could be sure, but Jacques could only hope his eyes hadn’t deceivedhim.
When they merged back onto Highway 231, Rainey still hadn’t spoken. She hadn’t even shifted in her seat. Her hands were fisted in her lap, and her blouse and skirt were both drenched. He reached across to her and covered her left hand with his palm. Rainey jumped and flung her startled gaze athim.
“I know it seems bad right now, but it’ll be okay.” His attempt at reassurance sounded lame to his own ears, but he couldn’t leave her to the torment of her thoughts. Beneath his hand, her fingers trembled, and he saw now that her teethchattered.
“That… that couldn’t have gone any worse. How… What… I…” Her voice trailed off as her gaze shifted down, her misery swallowing heragain.
He just squeezed her hand and drove as the windshield wipers lashed rain off the glass. The cars in the oncoming lane all drove with their headlights on. Some even flashed their hazards. He made sure his low beams were on as he looked for a place where he could pull over and form aplan.
“Did you know that only half of aplastic anemia patients who can’t find stem cell donors survive on drug therapy?” Rainey asked him, her voice just a rasp. She lifted her gaze to him, and Jacques could see the anguish in her eyes though she tried to hideit.
