Page 118 of Faded Gray Lines

“Not important. However, I do need to see you later. Around four o’clock, perhaps? You can pick the place, although I’m sure your tired old sedan holds a special place in your heart.”

“What the hell is wrong with you? Are you drunk?”

I laughed, causing the guy next to me to glare up at me from his laptop. “Only on love, agent. I am a newlywed, you know.”

“Yes, thanks to you, I’m back to square one.”

“I’ll order another coffee so I can cry in it for you. In the meantime, about four o’clock...”

“Screw four o’clock, Leighton. Where the fuck are you? I need to see you now. It’s important.”

It was out of order, but I did have time to kill before my first meeting. Shaking things up seemed to be working for me so far today, so why not give it a go.

“Okay, fine. I’m at the Starbucks near Bagby. Give me about twenty minutes, and I’ll meet you at—”

“No! Stay there. I’m right around the corner. I’ll pick you up in five minutes.”

“Wait, no, Alex!” I pulled the phone away, and realizing he’d hung up on me, slammed it onto the table. “Fuck!”

Almost immediately, my phone rang, and for the first time since walking out of the church, I doubted what I was doing. My heart constricted, knowing I’d left him in the dark, but my actions started this, and it had to be my actions that finished it. Just because Mateo was my husband, didn’t mean I would drag him into this mess.

Just to stay focused, I turned my ringer off.

Tires squealed in front of me, and I glanced up as Alex pulled the dark sedan up on the sidewalk with horns honking all around him. Sighing, I tucked my phone in my back pocket and hopped over the fence in front of the car. I’d barely gotten in when he slammed on the gas, causing me to slide off the seat.

“No, thanks,” I scowled, “I don’t need a seat belt. I’m fine.”

“Buckle up then.”

He drove north on I-69 for what seemed like forever in silence. He seemed off. No, frantic was a better word. His usual calm, arrogant attitude was gone, and an anxious, uptight stress ball bounced around in its place.

Well, anxious and uptight worked for me. No time like the present.

Smirking, I draped my forearm against my window. “I found out some interesting information today, Alex.”

He pressed harder on the gas. “Yeah?”

“Yeah. I know you were the one who called in the tip that got my father shot. I also know you were promoted and paid well for it. I have proof.”

I sat back, waiting for the shock to set in. I waited for the rage I expected for besting him at his own game. I waited—and got a shrug.

“Good. Great. We have bigger problems.”

I shook my head and leaned forward, not sure he’d heard me. “Maybe I wasn’t clear. I know you had my father killed. That’s why you wanted me to get shit on the Carreras. They own you, don’t they?”

Again, I waited for some kind of stunned reaction. I fucking deserved it. And again, I was denied as he sighed and wiped the sweat off his brow with the back of his hand. After taking the Lauder exit, he quickly headed down a side road. “Leighton, listen to me. Estella is missing.”

My limbs went numb. “No.”

“Yes, Leighton.”

“When?” I barely whispered. “How?”

“I don’t know,” he growled, shooting me an accusing look. “Someone found out. Maybe yourhusbanddecided you weren’t worth the trouble.”

I felt like I was going to pass out. “Mateo wouldn’t do this.”

His eyebrows shot up. “Why not?”