And Then She Was Gone(41)
“Well, are you going to say thank you?”
“What?” Chandler angled his head and made a face. “Do you want me to thank you every time you give me something?”
“Oh… I get it. The whole prayer thing,” Jack said.
“It’s polite.”
Jack chucked a sugar packet at his friend. “You don’t have to do it every time.”
“Okay, I won’t thank you now.”
Jack was going to say something more, but just then Nina came through the front door. “She’s here,” he said.
Nina was known for her fashion, and today she didn’t disappoint. She wore cuffed skinny jeans, black peep-toe booties, and a teal cross-front oversized tee. She was a short girl with an angular face and was always in constant motion. If she wasn’t bopping and moving to a music track in her head, her hands were gesturing wildly. And she was pretty much always talking.
Jack waved, and Nina gave a quick nod that sent her large silver hoop earrings jangling. As she headed to the counter, Jack and Chandler got up and joined her.
“Hi, Nina,” Jack said. “How’s it going?”
“Jack, haven’t seen you in a while. What are you guys up to?”
“Actually, we’re looking for Two Point,” Jack said. He leaned one hand on the counter. “His mother is looking for him. Have you seen—”
“Nope,” she answered curtly. “Not since Friday. I’ll have an extra-large vanilla shake,” she said to the clerk.
Chandler frowned. Jack didn’t know whether it was because of Nina’s answer or her order.
“His mom really needs to talk to him, Nina,” Chandler repeated. “She’s worried. Have you heard from him at all?”
“I haven’t heard from him and I don’t want to hear from him. You can tell him that when you see him. Nobody blows me off after a date. Nobody.”
Nina went to pay, but Jack beat her to it. He handed the cash to the clerk and spoke to Nina. “He hasn’t talked to you since Thursday? Hasn’t even texted? What a jerk.”
“Yep.” She popped the P. As she put her cash back into her faux-leather crossbody bag, she gave Jack a polite smile. “Thank you. At least some men know how to treat a lady.”
“No problem. We’ll see you later.” Jack took one step toward the door, then stopped. “Oh, crud. I forgot to call my mom. Give me your phone, Chandler.”
Chandler looked puzzled. “I don’t have a phone.”
“Oh, that’s right.” Jack’s eyes fell on Nina. “Nina… do you mind? I have to call my mom. Can I borrow your phone? Just for a second.”
“Sure, hon.”
As Nina handed Jack the phone, Jack winked at Chandler. A look of understanding spread across Chandler’s face, and he turned to Nina. “Hey, I’ve been meaning to ask you. Makayla’s birthday is coming up. Do you have any suggestions for where I should shop for her?”
Nina steered Chandler to a table, prattling off a list of shops, malls, and boutiques—and her opinion about each of them—and Jack, grinning, walked toward the back of the café, pretending to make a call. After a minute, he returned to the table to rescue Chandler.
“Thanks for the phone.” Jack handed it back.
“Any time,” Nina said.
“C’mon, Chandler,” Jack said. “We’d better go.”
As they walked outside, Chandler asked, “Where to now?”
“To meet Two Point.” Jack smiled.
Jack and Chandler stood in the doorway of a shuttered nail salon and watched the apartment building across the street. Nina’s apartment building.
“Why would Two Point come here now?” Chandler asked. “Nina’s still at the coffee shop.”
“He’ll be here,” Jack said, leaning against the wall.
“Why are you so sure?”
“Nina asked him to come.” Jack smiled. “When I borrowed Nina’s phone, I texted Two Point: Parents out of house. Want some sugar? Come now.”
Chandler grinned. “Oh, in that case… he’ll be here. You are a smart man, Jack Stratton. I have taught you well.”
Jack grinned.
Ten minutes later, Two Point rounded the corner. He strutted down the street, one hand in his pocket, the other tapping out some beat on his thigh. Jack and Chandler jogged across the street to intercept him, but when Two Point saw them coming, he bolted.
Jack sprinted after him. Two Point was fast, but it was no contest. Two Point’s shorts hung past his knees, limiting his stride, and Jack’s long, powerful legs quickly closed the distance.
Two Point cut down an alley. It was lined with trash bins, but was still littered with garbage. A chain-link fence topped with barbed wire blocked passage about halfway down the alley. It had a gate in it, but it was padlocked shut. Two Point wasn’t getting away.