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The timestamp says he called shortly after the AMBER Alert went out.
And so did Roxy. Who, in my book, gets preferential treatment.
I tap her name and quickly show Demyen the screen so he knows it’s not Martin. I’m ready for him to get frustrated or blow up at me, but he only nods and pulls up a chair for me to sit in, then settles into his own. I keep the call on speaker; I want Demyen to see he can trust me in times like this.
“Oh, thank God,” Roxy rasps when she picks up.
I wince. “I take it you heard the alert.”
“Me and every person from Vegas to Reno. The hell happened?”
“Martin—”
“That son of a bitch. I’ll kill him.” Something rattles around in the background of Roxy’s call. “I am officially going to kill him.”
I can’t help but smile a bit at my best friend’s protectiveness. “I just wanted to call and let you know I’m going to be off the grid for a while, until this all clears up.” I glance at Demyen, wondering how true that statement actually is. But his face doesn’t give away any indication either way. “Martin lied to get the AMBER Alert sent out?—”
“Yeah, no shit.”
I realize now, in this exact moment, that I’ve been afraid she would actually believe the alert. It doesn’t fully occur to me untila heavy sigh of relief leaves my body. “You know I’d never kidnap Willow.”
“‘Kidnap’? From who? The asshole didn’t even sign the birth certificate, remember?”
Demyen shoots me a shocked and perplexed look. I, for one, completely forgot about that detail until now. I actually laugh a little. “Roxy, I fucking love you. No, I actually forgot about that.”
“Just tell me you’re safe, Clara. You and Willow, you both good?”
“We’re fine. She’s upset she had to miss her first day of school, but we’re making up for it.”
“Can’t blame her.” A pause. Then, “Wait. Are you… are you with that super-hot guy we met at my apartment?”
I blanch. Demyen smirks.
“I… uh…” I clear my throat. “I’m safe. We’re safe. And we’re just gonna be?—”
“Youare. You’re totally shacking up with Hotty McHotterson.Gurl.” I don’t have to look at her to know her face is breaking into a shit-eating grin. “Take your time. Seriously. Do what you gotta do and get what you gotta get?—”
“I’m hanging up now.”
“Am I on speaker?” Roxy gasps. “Iam! He’s right there, isn’t he? Hey, Hot Stuff!” She yells like she’s calling him from across a field. I immediately want to die in this chair and puddle onto the floor.
Demyen, to his credit, actually seems wholly amused by this. “Yes?”
“Knew it. You got a gun? Oh, what am I talking about? Of course you do.”
That smirk only widens. “I might have one somewhere.”
“Uh-huh. I get it. This call may be recorded for quality assurance and all that shit. I know your game. So listen up. You take care of my girls, okay? And if Martin shows up, you put a bullet between his eyes. Got it?”
Demyen arches a brow. “Killing an officer of the law is a federal crime.”
“And probably the least illegal thing you’ve done so far. Am I right?”
He looks at me. Then shrugs. “Hypothetically.”
“I work in the crime lab. I can make things very easy for you or I can make things increasingly difficult for you and your little enterprise. So you’re gonna protect my Clara and Willow, understood?”
I love my best friend, but she’s going to get us all killed. “Oh my God, Roxy, you can’t just?—”
