Page 37 of Lawton

His eyebrows furrowed. "Match it how?"

It was a treat from Chloe's paper bag. "I want to know what brand it is."

"Why?"

"So I can buy more."

"Why?" he repeated.

I shrugged. "Just because."

"Lemme guess." He leaned back in his seat. "It's about the girl with terrier. Isn't it?"

"Maybe."

He flicked his gaze to the treat in my hand. "So that's the brand you're looking for?"

"Yeah."

"How'd you getthatone?"

"She gave it to me."

His eyebrows lifted, inviting me to elaborate.

I gave the treat a closer look. "I think it's steak flavored."

"Yeah?" He laughed. "You taste it?"

"No."

"Right," he said.

I let the treat fall back to the pile. "I didn't," I told him.

It hadn't come to that. Not yet, anyway.

He made a forwarding motion with his hand. "Go on. Give it a taste. Let me know what you think."

"Listen, if you're not gonna help–"

"Just ask her," he said.

I gave him a look. "If you were me, would you ask her?"

"No," he said. "I'd slip into her house, check the cupboards."

I knew him. He wasn't kidding. "Forget it," I told him.

He stood. "Already forgotten."

"Hang on," I said. "Is there a reason you stopped by?"

"I came for the car," he said.

I didn't need to ask which car he meant. He meant the plain-Jane one that was practically bullet-proof. Invisible. Indestructible. Funny, the car sounded a lot like my half-brother – even if he could be a dick sometimes.

"If you need help," I said, "call me."