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I sipped at my to-go coffee and arched an eyebrow at him.
“You gonna break a hip trying to stop me?”
To my surprise, he laughed.
Felicity and Rylan were back at the hotel, catching up on some much-needed mommy and son time. I didn’t love leaving them there unguarded, but Denny had supplied Felicity with plenty of snacks and water, plus some extra gadgets to ensure that when she locked the door behind us, it would stay that way. I trusted her not to leave the safety of the room until we got back.
For a little while, Denny and I would be on our own.
“You’re a good kid, you know. Good kid in a bad position.” His voice was warm and fatherly, a far cry from the shouting match we’d gotten into yesterday. For a moment, it was easy to imagine hearing those words from my own dad.
I snorted. “This mean we’re kissing and making up?”
“Can’t hold it against you forever. If my babies were missing, can’t say I would’ve acted any differently than you did yesterday,” he admitted. “Might’ve even acted worse.”
“You have kids?” I could see it. He had that kind of vibe. Dad energy, even though they were probably closer to my age than my sons’.
“Nah. Never had the moon dream, never met my mate. But if I did have them, I figure I’d feel about the same way you do. Like you’d snap a thousand necks just to see them safe.” He glanced my way quickly. “I’d really prefer you didn’t snap any necks today.”
“I’ll try my best,” I promised.
It was the closest I’d get to admitting to him that he’d been right. Unleashing my anger on Sarah hadn’t gotten me anywhere.
Felicity had been right, too. Denny was a professional. If I wanted results, I’d have to stop playing angry alpha and follow his lead.
Denny turned off the interstate. We were headed toward Sharpe City again.
“That’s all I can ask.”
* * *
We arrived back at the ranch in even-tempered spirits, if not in particularly high ones. Whatever Sarah told us today—or didn’t tell us, for that matter—would make or break our next few days. Best case, Sarah knew where Melony was, and Ryder was there with her. Worst case, nothing at all, or worse still, a lie that would only cost us more time.
“Any surprise visitors?” Denny asked Rabbit and Beauty. We found them in the house’s kitchen, brewing coffee and helping themselves to the contents of the fridge. Denny had allowed them one donut and cheese hawg each when we came in, which they had quickly devoured.
“Nah, boss. It’s just been us and Sally Sobs-a-lot here.” Rabbit jerked his thumb toward the closed door of the pantry, then stuck that same thumb into the jar of peanut butter he was holding. He scooped out a giant glob, then shoved it in his mouth, making his next words extra sticky. “We did have one incident during Beauty’s watch. She tried to sneak up on him and get her phone back, but we dealt with it.”
Denny looked to Beauty. “She hurt?”
Beauty didn’t even look up from the tub of Chubby Hubby he was digging around in with a spoon. “Nah.”
“Her phone, though…” Rab nodded to the kitchen table, where the shattered remnants of an iPhone laid. It looked like it had lovingly crushed beneath on of Beauty’s combat boots.
“Sorry,” Beauty said, still working at the Ben & Jerry’s with his spoon.
He didn’t sound sorry in the least, but Denny clapped him on his ham-hock shoulder anyway.
“That’s okay, big guy. You break it, he buys it.” Denny turned to me. “I’ll put it on your tab.”
“Gee, thanks.” Not only had Denny’s agent destroyed any possible leads or evidence we might have found on Sarah’s phone, but I’d be paying to replace it. Nice to know that Denny was so meticulous about his expenses. At this rate, I suspected that tub of ice cream and jar of peanut butter would be showing up on his bill as well.
“We’re gonna go in now,” Denny said. “Keep your cool, follow my lead… and bring the donuts.” He glanced to his goons. “You two, stop shoving food down your gullets and keep watch. Anyone shows up unannounced, we might have trouble. Be ready for it.”
Beauty scowled as he put the ice cream aside. Rabbit dug out one last scoop of peanut butter, then flashed it at us as he gave a thumbs up.
“You got it, boss.”
There was no lock on the door of the pantry. Not even a chair pushed up against it to keep it shut. Sarah must have lost all the fight in her after Beauty wrecked her phone.
