Page 38 of Wild Escape

She scoffed. “She’s not going to contact me.”

“You two are best friends.”

“I’ve hung out with her a few times.”

“Lying to me is not a way to start off our friendship.”

"I’ve got customers to get back to," Shelby said.

"If you help her out, you're going to jail. She's a fugitive from the law."

The crowd of revelers grew restless, screaming for drinks.

"If I hear anything from her, I'll let you know," she said in an insincere tone.

I dug into my pocket and gave her a card.

She took it, slid it into her pocket, then went back to serving drinks.

I texted JD and told him to meet me at Blue Ruin, then found a dim corner to chill out in where I could keep an eye on the bar.

Something told me it was going to be a long night.

I explained the predicament to JD when he arrived about 20 minutes later.

He groaned and shook his head. “Daniels is going to have your ass. You really screwed the pooch on this one.”

“We’ll find her,” I assured, staying optimistic.

“You better hope so. Anyone else she might turn to?”

I shrugged. “Who knows? Seems like Shelby’s the most likely.”

We hung out in the bar, keeping tabs on the bartender. I kept my head on a swivel, looking for Daphne. I wouldn’t be surprised if she came to the bar, but it was risky.

Apparently, Daphne was willing to take the risk.

Isabella texted me close to midnight. [Shelby got a call from a pay phone in Blue Ruin. It went to voicemail. I’ll send you a recording of the message.]

I told JD to keep an eye on Shelby and sprang from my seat. I weaved through the crowd toward the restrooms. A lone payphone mounted to the wall had seen better days. Remnants of a bygone era. There were a few left in town.

Daphne was nowhere to be found.

I hustled to the back exit and pushed open the door. I scanned the parking lot, looking for the vixen, but she was a ghost.

I stepped back inside.

A guy near the payphone had a girl against the wall, making out.

I interrupted. “Hey, you see a redhead make a call from this phone?”

With an annoyed look, he said, “I’ve been a little preoccupied.”

He went back to the girl’s lips. I didn’t blame him. She was cute.

Another text came through from Isabella with an MP3 file.

It was loud in the club. I made my way back to JD, and we walked outside to listen to the message on the sidewalk.