Page 57 of Property of Whiskey

“So?”

“And they know you’re asking.”

“Then uncuff me and let me call it in.”

“To who?”

“My father.”

Her chin comes up on the word.

Pure Sheriff Dix’s daughter.

Loyalty beating suspicion even while she knows I just put a crack through the middle of it.

“What if your daddy’s department has a leak?”

“Then we deal with it.”

“We?”

Her eyes flash. “Law enforcement.”

“Same law enforcement calling missing girls voluntary departures?”

“You don’t know what my father knows.”

“Neither do you.”

“That doesn’t make him dirty.”

“Never said it did.”

“You implied it.”

“I’m saying I don’t know who’s safe.”

“I am.”

“Yeah, Deputy. That’s why you came out here alone.”

“If the Kings aren’t involved, why didn’t you call me?”

“Because you’re a cop.”

“So?”

“So I don’t trust cops.”

“Glad we cleared that up.”

Bullet mutters from inside the van, “This is going real well.”

“Shut up,” Twila and I say together.

He lifts his eyebrows.

“Well, ain’t that cute.”