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I was processing this, thinking about all that went down at Fortnum’s: Eddie Torture, me running and hiding from Eddie, Dad’s serenade, Lottie and me wrestling.
“Holy crap,” I breathed.
Indy bit her lip.
Daisy tensed.
“We got the high sign,” Daisy whispered.
I didn’t have time to worry about being on show nearly every day for the Wild Bunch.
It was confrontation time.
We all shuffled around mentally preparing.
“Everybody got their stun guns?” Tod asked.
“I can’t wait to get my hands on Dad,” Lottie announced.
“Let’s rock,” Indy said.
Dear Lord.
* * *
We walkeddown the back hall and Shirleen was standing in it.
“They’re on a bathroom break. Ray’s at the table. Get in there,” she said.
Daisy nodded and everyone stepped aside to let me go first.
I looked at Shirleen.
“Thank you,” I told her, and there was a lot of feeling in it.
She turned her eyes to me and her face was gentle. “Child, you got nothin’ to thank me for. You get a chance to do a good deed, you do it. That way, when you need a good deed done, it’ll come back to you. Karma.”
I wasn’t certain I wanted to have a discussion about karma at that particular moment and luckily Shirleen didn’t wait for my comment. She stepped aside.
I walked into another dark, smoky, sweat-smelly room.
Dad was alone, sitting at the table, looking dirtier and far more worn down than he had a week ago.
“Dad,” I called.
He looked up, his eyes grew bright and my heart clutched.
Then he caught sight of my carefully closed face, the brightness died and he stood up.
“Princess Jet,” he said, then his gaze went beyond me and his eyes grew bright again. “Lottie!”
He looked like he was going to go for her, but her body language didn’t invite approach.
I spoke. “You gotta get out of town, Dad. This has got to stop. Mom’s in a safe house and I’m staying with Eddie because it’s too dangerous to be at home. Eddie’s sorting things out, but the more trouble you cause, the harder that’s going to be for him. You have to go.”
I sounded calm, cool and collected.
Inside, I was anything but. I wanted to start bawling. I wanted to stuff him in a car and go on the run with him. I wanted to get him to a Gambler’s Anonymous meeting. I wanted to put my arms around him and have him dance me around, singing Paul McCartney songs. I wanted to ask him why he left Mom, Lottie and me. I wanted to know why he was a bum.
