“Hey, Melanie, what’s up?”
“I just talked to Dad.”
Margot was silent for a second. With Randy gone, their dad was the major source of disagreement these days. He was currently incarcerated for his role in the death of their mother. Like Melanie, their mom had a thing for abusive men. And their mom’s attraction to the wrong type of man had proved to be fatal.
“You know I’ve made it clear I don’t want to hear anything he has to say.”
> “I know but he’s sick, really sick. He’s not going to make it much longer.”
“Too bad. You know who didn’t even get to make it this long, thanks to him?”
“You don’t have to tell me. I’m well aware.”
“Are you?”
“He’s still my dad. I don’t think it’s fair that I lose both parents because one of them made a mistake.”
“A mistake?”
“Yes, a horrible mistake but still a mistake.”
Margot caught herself before she said something that would likely escalate the situation and instead said, “I’m guessing you called because he said he wants to see me?”
“I told him how you felt about that, but he made me promise to ask you. So, even though I know it’s probably a waste of time, I’m asking.”
“Are you just asking because you promised? Or do you still think I should go?”
“I think you should go, but I’m asking mostly because I promised.”
“He knows that, even if I go, I’ll still hate him?”
“He does, but he still wants to see you one last time. Could you at least think about it before you say no?”
“I don’t believe there’s much to think about.”
“Then don’t think that much, but don’t answer me until tomorrow.”
“You think I’m going to sleep on it and come to a different conclusion?”
“No, but that way I’d feel I’d done my best.”
“Alright, I’d tell you no tomorrow instead of tonight. I’m working on something so don’t expect me to call until late.”
“I won’t. Thanks.”
Chapter 4
Margot followed Marv in her Prius. She decided she’d keep her promise to her sister and think about visiting her dad. It took her about thirty seconds to decide she still didn’t want to see him until his funeral and maybe not then either.
She cringed as they headed east all the way out of town and headed into the desert. The last time she had been in the desert, she had nearly got murdered. Then, as a reward for surviving, she’d got thrown in jail.
She wasn’t a big fan of the sheriff and he didn’t hold her in very high regard either. It didn’t help the man trying to kill her was a sheriff’s deputy. There was no doubt that Deputy Brantley was in the pocket of the cartel, but apparently despite being on the take, he was one of the best deputy’s the sheriff had, at least when he wasn’t murdering people. If he wasn’t still at large, the drive would be a lot less stressful. Shaw’s belief he was coyote food was still the most credible scenario to explain his disappearance.
Marv took a turn on an unmarked dirt road and soon enough they were pulling up to what looked like a warehouse whose builder had long abandoned it. There were no signs to indicate it was anything but a leftover from a long-dead business.
“Doesn’t look like much, does it?” Marv said with a smile.
“No, it doesn’t.”