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What a royal bitch.
I called directory assistance again. I didn’t have that much change left in my purse. I fished around the bottom, looking for more change. I found a folded up ten that I could break, if needed.
I got through to my Dad’s work and typed his last name into the keypad via the auto attendant. I got transferred to him and he answered.
“Dad!”
“Tia? Is that you, sweet pea?”
“Dad, I took off. You need to hide. I’m sorry, I don’t know why you did this to me and it doesn’t even matter now but you need to hide because they could hurt you and I had no choice but to run so I have and I wanted to warn you about it.” Tears were streaming down my face.
“Shit, Tia. Breathe, Sweetpea. Where are you?’
“It doesn’t matter. I’m going to get out of Dodge and you need to as well.”
“Meet me. We need to talk.”
“No Dad. I-I don’t trust you. You have no idea what I’ve been through the last few days. I can’t trust you after you did this to me.”
“I have things to tell you. We need to talk.” He sounded like he was choking up.
“You’re at work. You’re not trying to find a way to pay off the debt because it’s apparently an unpayable debt, unless you count putting your daughter on the table to become Ferrano property. You’re not coming to my rescue; you never planned to rescue me. For whatever reason, you sold me out. Your own daughter. I don’t know what I did to deserve this but I just wanted to extend the courtesy of letting you know I took off and I’m getting out of here before he catches me. I hope he doesn’t have you killed.”
“Sweet pea, I just need five minutes of your time, I just want to give you my side of the story, okay?” He sounded desperate.
I held the phone and squeezed my eyes shut.
“I have a bit of cash. I can give it to you, help you get out of town,” he said, “Where are you? I’ll meet you after work. I’m just here today doing inventory.”
I had $248 in my account and that wouldn’t get me far. I knew I’d have money deposited in about a week for my allowance from social services, if they hadn’t cut it off already at my disappearance. I didn’t care so much about Dad giving me money, although it’d be nice to have a little bit of help, but I did want answers. I’d been losing sleep over the fact that he’d sold me out. I wanted to know why he did this.
“Fine, I’m at the West End shopping center but I can’t wait. I’ll be in the food court. Unless I think it’s dangerous, then I’ll be in the family washroom near the lockers by the food court. You can have five minutes to talk and then I’m out of here. I’ll wait twenty minutes. If you’re not here, I’m not waiting.”
“I’ll be there in 10-15 minutes. Thanks, sweet pea.”
I was parched. I went and bought a cold drink from one of the food vendors and sat at the table closest to the public washrooms so that if I saw anyone suspicious, it was a good vantage point, I’d be able to take off from here quickly.
Tommy
The first thing I did after finding out that she’d taken off was call Greg O’Connor’s cell phone. I called him and told him to not say a fucking word but to just listen. I didn’t want to even hear the douche bag’s voice. I’d told him that she’d taken off and that if he heard from her it was in his best interest to notify me immediately. He answered with a “Yes, Sir.”
I initiated a manhunt with 15 of our guys and called my PI. I had cars parked on the streets of Rose and Cal Crenshaw and the office and home of Susan DeLong as well as in front of that punk Nick’s apartment building.
Ten minutes later O’Connor called and said she was in the West End mall, either in the food court or in the family washroom by the food court. I hung up without saying goodbye. Thanks a fucking bunch, Asshole.
I didn’t call in help, I got in my car and drove there alone, texting Dare to call off the manhunt that I’d started and then called Pop’s house and told Lisa to hold dinner; that my fiancée and I would be there in an hour. She passed the phone to Pop, insisting he needed to speak with me. I rolled my eyes.
He knew she’d taken off from Tessa’s car and he thought it was hilarious. Him laughing at me pissed me off, big time. I knew he’d find it even more hilarious when he saw me with the injuries his little gift had bestowed on me yesterday. My brother had already seen me last night after the gym and I knew I wouldn’t live it down any time soon. Asshole was enjoying getting digs in at every available fucking opportunity.
I listened to Pop’s ribbing for all of 10 seconds and hung up on him, got outta my car, walked into this mall and as soon as I neared the food court I spotted her sitting in the back corner by a frozen yogurt kiosk, looking timid, looking pretty in a black and white checked dress with a red collar. She saw me almost immediately and the look on her face was pure terror. She stood up, pushing the chair back with her legs and it fell over. People were staring.
I shook my head at her, narrowing my eyes and warning her with my expression as I picked up my pace. She didn’t heed my non-verbal warning. She got up and took off, knocking some guy’s tray filled with fast food garbage, out of his hands. She apologized and kept going, running in a pair of red high heels, clutching a red purse.
I didn’t want a scene but I couldn’t help it, I ran after her. She wasn’t fast in those heels and I caught up to her about four stores away. I caught her elbow and squeezed. She let out a sound of despair and we were coming up to a hall, where there were utility rooms so I shoved her down the hall and up against the wall. I took a deep breath in an effort to rein in my fury,
“We’re gonna casually walk out of here and get into my car and we are going to my father’s house for dinner. As planned. I’ll deal with you when we get home. Understand?”
Her eyes were feral. She wanted away from me in the worst way. She looked around like she was going to bolt again.
