Entangled Heart (Ashby Crime Family)

Beck shrugged and bumped my shoulder. “So, what did baby boy Ashby want?”

There was still something about the woman that rubbed me the wrong way, so I told her what I wanted her to know, knowing she’d listen because that’s just who she was.

“Seems like there’s a divide in the family. Might be useful to you, for the other reason you’re so interested in this case.”

Surprise flashed in her big blue eyes. “You’re good, Ellison. Really good. And when you tell me what Ashby really said, maybe then I’ll share my secrets with you.”

She flashed a teasing smile and walked off, all the tension from last week seemingly forgotten.

But her words confirmed for me that Agent Beck did have secrets she wasn’t sharing, and I wondered if I could find them out on my own. At least before it ended up biting me in the ass, or worse.

Maybe I’d text Beau for intel on Agent Beck.

Later.

For now, there was actual police work to do.

Chapter Twenty-One

Madison

I had a death grip on the steering wheel—ten and two, thank you very much—as I drove toward northern Nevada.

Not to Reno or some other fun city in Nevada, but some in-between city that non-locals had never even heard of because Calvin had finally come through and told me the location of Molly’s last sighting–alive, that is.

I was beyond hopeful I might set eyes on my sister for the first time in almost two years.

Cal had slipped me the name of the diner where she was rumored to work. I found it easily and pulled into the parking lot and pushed the heavy glass door open. Typical greasy spoon. I grabbed a seat as close to the middle as possible. I wanted to lay eyes on everyone who came through the front door, the kitchen doors, and even the hungry dogs who begged for scraps at the back door.

“Welcome to the Roadside Diner. What can I get you today?” The voice belonged to an older woman in a waitress uniform with the tightest silver curls I’d ever seen, but she seemed nice, so I flashed a smile in return.

“Can I get a plate of chili cheese fries with black olives and extra jalapeno peppers? Oh, and salsa too? Thanks.”

The woman’s eyes lit with mischief. “All that just for you, honey?”

“I have a fast metabolism. Everywhere but my chest, it seems.”

Why was I talking to some stranger about the size of my tits? Must be anxiety.

The waitress didn’t appear offended at all. She tossed her head back and laughed. “Had your same problem in my day. Now the damn things pull me down the other way. Enjoy it while you can.”

We shared another laugh. “So, listen, I was hoping you could help me with something.”

“I’m listenin’.”

“Do you know a girl named Molly? I heard she worked here, or she used to.”

“Molly? Yeah, she picks up some shifts, but not as many as she used to. She ain’t in no kind of trouble is she?”

“Nope. Well I mean, not that I know of. She’s my sister, and I’ve been looking all over for her.” “I’ll let her know you’re looking for her when she comes back if you want me to.”

I pulled my little notebook out of my purse and scribbled down my number and handed it to the woman. She stuck it in her apron pocket.

“I’ll see that she gets this. I’ll be back with your order.”

The older woman sauntered off, her back a little straighter, and I smiled once again, knowing I was so damn close to Molly even if I couldn’t see her. Not yet.

Too bad I didn’t know where she lived or who she lived with, because then I could finish these delicious damn chili fries and keep looking. But the diner was my first and last line of inquiry. I tried to call her old number three or four times, but it wasn’t her number any longer. Instead, it now belonged to some kid named Logan, probably a college boy with more money than brains.

I let out a long sigh. “It was worth a shot, I guess.”

I paid the bill, leaving a healthy tip for the busty old waitress, and headed back to my car debating whether to drive around to see if she’d show up just as my phone rang.

“Hey, Cal, what’s up?”

“I need you to come home, Maddie.”

“What?” I looked around the tiny desert town just off the highway and gave a sad sigh even though Cal couldn’t see me.

“Why? Are you okay? Is it Ava?”

“I don’t want to talk about it over the phone. Can you please come home?” He sounded desperate.

“Okay, but I’m not even close to Glitz. I’m up here tracking down the info you gave me on Molly. I’d planned on waiting until the shift change to see if I could catch up with her. It’ll take me at least an hour and a half to get back.”