“Too fucking long. He hid it for a long time.” Kong faced her. “How did you find out?”
“I confronted him last night. He dropped the pack out of his pocket, and it was clear he wasn’t planning to distribute it, so I assumed it was his. I should have known. He was always so… optimistic and in the moment. Impulsive.”
“Don’t get it twisted, that is who Moose is.” Kong voiced. “It’s just intensified when he’s high. He’s always been a livewire but can sometimes be reclusive and go off and do his own thing. He’s the only one that can sit with Jane and drink, smoke, and talk shit to her like she’s still here. I can’t. Mozzi can’t. Audiemar damn sure can’t.”
Inari’s heart was so torn. On the one hand, she wanted to hate Moose, but on the other, she knew it was easy to be mad at someone, and he was the closest person to her now that her sister was gone. The person whose head she truly wanted on a platter was Danilo’s, then Mira. Him first for being the father of her child and doing something like this that would crush him. She’d never hurt Dane in such a way.
“Tell me something, Nari.” Kong inched closer. “How would you feel if something happened to your baby daddy?”
“I would slap on a tight red dress and stroll right into his funeral with a smile on my face,” she answered, facing him.
“Even if that means it would hurt your son?” Kong hiked a brow.
“My son is better off.”
Kong bobbed his head, glad to see that they were on the same page.
“I’ve been calling him and Dane all morning, but neither of them are picking up.” She stared down at her phone screen.
“We hit one of Mira’s spots last night.”
Inari’s head popped up. “What happened? Did you find her?”
“She was gone.”
“Doesn’t surprise me.”
“I’m not stopping there. I put money on Danilo’s head.” Kong lowered his voice. “If you run me his and Dane’s numbers, I can have Mozzi run a trace. He can pretty much find a needle in a fucking haystack.”
“I need one thing from you, Kong.”
“I’ll keep him on ice for you. If you need to have last words,” Kong assured her.
Eyes filling, Inari had never been more grateful.
“Thank you.” She sniffled. “I have to go. I made arrangements at the funeral home for an appointment.”
“If you need anything, let me know. Send me those numbers too.”
“I appreciate it, Kong.”
He watched her walk away, and moments later received a text from her with two phone numbers. By the time they all said their goodbyes to Ayla he planned to have ridded the world of Danilo and his raggedy ass auntie.
The cabin in Fremont, Kansas, sat far off the main road. The roads and everything else were covered in snow due to the winter storm circling the area. Inside, Dane tried to enjoy himself, toying around with his phone, trying to get a signal. There hadn’t been any since last night. The power had just restored about an hour ago.
He’d had a dream, and his instinct left him wanting to reach out to his mama. He didn’t like how they’d left things after Christmas, and nothing had been right ever since. He’d been staying with Danilo and Mira, and although shit was sweet, and he pretty much got whatever he wanted, he couldn’t lie and say he didn’t miss his mother.
Unused fishing gear sat near the door, and a half-built fire crackled in front of him. Danilo stood at the window, phone in hand, distracted. Too distracted. They planned to bundle up and go ice fishing at some point, but then the storm rolled in, so they spent much of last night catching up on sports highlights and interviews on ESPN.
“I thought this was supposed to be like a bonding type thing,” Dane muttered.
His father didn’t turn. Instead, he kept his head down in his phone with a furrowed brow.
“It is,” he answered.
Scoffing lightly, Dane shook his head. “You’ve been on your phone the whole time. What’s so important anyway?”
That struck a nerve for Danilo. Exhaling, he pocketed it and finally faced him.
