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13

Shep

Wepackedawaytheleftover food and washed the dishes together. It was strange how well we’d adapted to sharing the same living space.

Afterwards, I sat at the breakfast bar with my laptop. Cam retired to the sofa with her book and Ranger curled up beside her. I reckoned they’d be out cold in five minutes.

I scanned news websites, searching for leads on Cam’s disappearance. Nothing noteworthy, but there was a heartfelt article by a reporter who had interviewed her boss, Tom. Although distraught with worry, he wasn’t giving up hope of finding her alive. Not wanting to upset Cam, I didn’t show her.

I checked my email and sat up fast when I found one from Franky. There was no good reason he’d contact me.

Christ. It was an open catch or kill contract for Justin McKenzie. Underneath was a police mug shot of Cam’s brother looking like a strung-out junkie. Now all of Frankie’s shady contacts were on the job, and the mob boss was offering a pretty penny to have it done. To make things worse, it gave a suburb in Springfield, Illinois. Justin was screwed. He deserved the hit, but his death would devastate Cam, andthatbothered me.

“That’s Justin!” Cam sprang from the sofa and approached in a hurry.

Fuck!The new information distracted me, and I hadn’t realized she was paying attention.

When I tried to close the laptop, she intercepted.

“No! Please, Shep. I need to see this.”

I groaned, but let her have her way. She’d bust my balls if I didn’t.

One hand covered her mouth as she read the screen. “What’s an open catch or kill contract?”

“Either do the hit, or bring the target to Franky. It’s a free-for-all gig. Whoever’s the first to complete it gets the cash.”

“I thought you said Franky would want to find Justin and try to get his drugs and money back. Why doesn’t he care about that anymore?”

“I’m guessing Franky’s pissed and sick of looking for him. Now he’s hell-bent on revenge. When Franky is angry, he becomes volatile.”

Cam faced me. “Why didn’t he ask you to do it?”

“Told Franky I needed a few weeks off and he must want this done fast.”

“Look!” She pointed at the screen. “It says Justin’s in Springfield. That’s where Aunt Sarah lives. It can’t be a coincidence,”

“You think he’s staying with her?”

I shrugged. “At her house, perhaps. But Aunt Sarah hasn’t lived there for months. She had a stroke a while back and is living in a rehabilitation facility while she recovers.”

“Makes sense that he would’ve gone there, but it’s a stupid move. If she’s a relative, her address would be easy to find.”

“She’s not our aunt by blood. She was Mom’s best friend. We spent a few summers with her when Dad was at his worst.”

Franky must have been tipped off some other way, then.

Cam chewed her bottom lip. “What if I called Justin to tell him he’s in danger and needs to get out of there?”

I considered it for a moment. It wasn’t a bad idea. “That’s possible. Does your aunt have a landline?”

“Yeah. I can’t remember her number, but it’s in the directory.”

I located it, then pulled out a burner phone. “Let me do the talking. It’s best if he’s unaware you’re alive and with me.”

She nodded and steepled her fingers at her lips while I dialed.

An automated voice cut in before it even rang. “Line’s disconnected.”