I gave one of my longer, more expressive shrugs as if I couldn’t care less about whatever we were talking about. “Charlie had several 'nephews and nieces,' I don't know who exactly you're thinking about, but it could have been me.”
“Charlie was like Fagin?” Danny asked. “Running an army of child thieves?”
I laughed. “Maybe a little. An army of kids in Hollywood can come in very handy in gathering information and gaining access to all sorts of inner sanctums.” I leaned forward over the table, reaching for Leo. “Leo, I promise I will tell you everything I know. Just not now. Trust me?”
Leo’s grin was all teeth and no warmth. “Not even a little bit. But I’m holding you to that, Grieves. Full disclosure.”
“Do I have amnesty?” I asked, arching one eyebrow, another thing I’d practiced in the mirror.
Leo grimaced and ran his fingers through his thick salt-and-pepper hair. He looked away and then back at me. “Yeah. Sure. Fuck it. I’m not sure what side I’m on anymore. I’m not even sure what the sides are anymore.”
There was a general murmur of assent from the rest of the guys. “Tell me about it,” Steele said with a quiet snort of laughter.
Breck worried his thumbnail with his teeth, eyes unfocused.
“What are you thinking, Brekkie?” Ridge asked.
“I think we should do some reconnaissance on this Eric guy,” Breck said. “And the mother and stepfather, too. We don’t want to go into this blind. We need to know what they all think about Carson. Are they pissed at him for disappearing? Is Bob still mad? So, you went to boarding school and just never went home again? Was there an official breakup? Did Eric dump you or did you dump him?”
How to explain what had happened? Maybe it did look like I’d left without a word and never come back. But it hadn’t been just Eric’s betrayal that had set me running and kept me away. Of course, it hurt that Eric wouldn’t touch me, would barely look at me. That he barely called me the entire time I’d been away, instead he focused on hockey and school, trying to be perfect at everything, so his mother would have no reason to look down and be disappointed in him. Having me come home for Christmas and then leave again had ripped Sammy’s heart out and left him crying for days.
If that hadn’t been enough, watching my mother and Bob together had hurt for some reason. And everywhere I looked were memories of Aunt Bitty, the woman I’d turned to when nothing made sense.
People had made fun of her ditziness, her seeming lack of common sense, but she’d had the biggest, most loving heart I’d ever seen. She’d seen nothing but the best in everyone, and anyone who had been lucky enough to spend time with had her loved her.
The crowd at her funeral had overfilled the church. We’d had food delivered from friends for months. Two years after her death and people still stopped Bob and Eric on the street to tell them how sorry they were for their loss.
But never for mine. No one ever told me they were sorry I’d lost the one person who had loved me unconditionally. Who knew all of my darkest secrets and still thought I was the best thing since sliced bread. Since her own son, Eric.
It had been unbearable.
“You were so young,” Danny said. “Younger than I was.”
“Oh, no. I had it better than you, Danny, so don’t feel bad for me. I was fed and housed and safe. I ran away from school; my mother didn’t kick me out of anything. It was my choice never to go back home again.”
Breck had gathered Danny into his arms. I was glad they had each other. I knew Danny was missing Wesley, but he and Breck had known each other longer. Plus Breck was freer with his hugs and physical affection than Wesley was and Danny soaked it up like the desert ground after a rain. However neglectful and bad the twins’ lives had been, they had both come out of it with an easy way with affection. From what little I’d learned of Danny’s parents, they didn’t seem like the type to be physically or emotionally affectionate with their children. I was sure I wasn’t the only one a little jealous of it.
“Do you miss your mother?” Danny asked.
How to answer that? I missed who I thought she’d been when I was a kid. But I didn’t know her now. We didn’t know each other.
“How are those biscuits, Speedy?” Steele asked, changing the subject when it became clear I wasn’t going to answer the question.
Danny took a tentative bite. “Not bad,” he said, taking another larger forkful. “Kind of good. Want to try?” he offered through a mouthful of food.
Steele shook his head. “Nah, I’ll wait ’til I’m back in Georgia.”
The conversation turned to discussions of the songs playing on the restaurant speakers and who would have control over the music in the car when we got back in. Technically, it was Steele’s turn again, but Danny threatened to shoot him with his own gun if he played any more country music. Leo, being from Texas, was pro-country music. I wouldn’t say the twins liked it so much as they didn’t mind it. It helped that they knew the words to most of the songs and had pleasant singing voices.
As for me, I was on Danny’s side.
Eventually, we finished our meals. I was happy to see Danny had eaten all of his and helped Breck finish his was well. We took turns using the restroom before we headed out. By virtue of being the most functional adult in our group, Leo had become the banker. He took the check, and I followed him to the counter.
“I’ll be out in a minute,” I said, hovering near the cash register. Leo looked between me and Shauna and then nodded. After the door closed, I turned to Shauna and handed her another twenty. “If anybody ever asks...” I said, leaving the rest unsaid.
“I saw nothing. I know nothing,” she promised.
“Yes. Thank you, Shauna. If you ever decide you want to leave here...” I let the offer hang there.
She looked me dead in the eye. “I decided that at ten years old.”
“I know the feeling. I might know someone who can help you. What are your feelings about working…” I searched for the right word. “Extralegally?”
Her eyebrows drew together, and she looked down at the dirty cash register before meeting my gaze directly. “I don’t steal. I’m not a criminal, if that’s what you mean.”
I hadn’t thought she was, but what I was offering her would put her on the wrong side of the law eventually. “Good girl. But I’m talking about taking down the bad guys. The ones the law can’t reach.”
“Yeah?” A light burned in her dark eyes, the same one I saw when I looked at the men Charlie had surrounded me with. “Like my married boss who tries to screw all the sixteen-year-old girls who work here? And fires them if they don’t but no one will do nothing because his dad is the sheriff?”
“Exactly like that,” I assured her.
“Hell, yeah, then. I’m in.”
I took one of the cards from the holder on the counter and scribbled Miranda’s number on it. “Wait a bit, I’d say at least a week, and then text her. Tell her Carson sent you.” I slid the card over to her and took another one. I’d give Miranda the heads-up. If there weren’t a way for Miranda to use her professionally, she’d find some other way to take care of the girl. “Now tell me your boss’s name,” I said. “He won’t be bothering anyone anymore. Trust me.”