HARDCORE: Storm MC(151)
“Fine.”
“Nobody hurt you?” I heard her father scoffing, but I kept my eyes on her. I didn’t care what he thought of me, or what he thought of the way I thought of him. As far as I was concerned, he was scum.
“No. They’re all pretty nice. Especially Traci and Erica.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “I wanna go home.”
“I know you do, sweetheart.” Only your mommy’s not at home, honey. My heart broke for her. She was safe, but where was Rae?
I stood, facing Gigi’s father. “You know my name. Who are you?”
“Gigi’s father. Or so they tell me.” He sneered, looking me up and down.
I cringed a little under his gaze, then reminded myself who was the teacher and who was the criminal. I squared my shoulders and faced him down.
“That’s great. Did you have a name before that, though?”
He snorted. “Lance Richmond.”
“Looks like you have a problem, Lance.”
“You don’t know the half of it, Jamie.”
I didn’t like the way his eyes bored into me, like he was trying to see my thoughts. I turned my head away, breaking eye contact. Jamie tugged at my hand.
“I’m playing a game with Erica and Traci.”
“You go over there and play, then.” I smiled, patting her on the head. She hurried back to the coffee table, where a board game had been spread out. One of the two girls playing with her was the one who answered the door. I turned back to Lance.
“What’s this all about?”
He shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine, lady.”
“Was this the first time you met Gigi?”
“Honey, this is the first time I ever heard of Gigi.”
“Don’t call me ‘honey,’ please.” The words fell out of my mouth without me thinking about them.
“Sorry. Miss.”
That was better. “So you didn’t even know she existed?”
“Nope. I hadn’t seen Rae since I dumped her. She was starting with the needle. I don’t do drugs, none of my people do drugs.” He looked serious. I appreciated that, at least.
“So, then what? Nothing from her for all these years? Not even a child support payment?”
He shrugged again. “I can’t explain it either. I’ve been thinking about it all week, God knows.”
“She’s been here all week?” My eyes went wide.
“Yeah, and she’s still alive. Go figure.” He rolled his eyes at my shock.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t expect you would have taken care of her all week is all.” He hardly looked the type. The only word that came to mind when I looked at him was “dangerous.” He was a dangerous man. His tall, broad body could inflict pain if he wanted it to. His mouth could easily curve into a smile or a snarl. His hands were big enough to squeeze a person’s throat until they stopped breathing. He had a coldness to him, an insolence. And he was the leader of the most dangerous bunch of people in town. How could I think otherwise?
Then again, his daughter was happily playing Candy Land in the middle of the clubhouse. It was all too bizarre for words.
“What’s next, then? I guess you haven’t found Rae.”
“Good guess. She’s a ghost.”
I shivered at his use of the word—I had already wondered to myself if she wasn’t maybe dead. Who knew the sort of people she was mixed up with? They were likely capable of anything.
“I went to the house today. Still empty and dark,” I said.
“Yeah, we’ve been keeping an eye on the place, too. Otherwise, I’ve been asking her dealer friends to contact me if they find her.”
I shook my head. “Rae’s been clean for ages. I don’t know that she relapsed.”
He sneered. “Please.”
“It’s true. She was proud of herself for it. She does drink, though.”
“Once a junkie, always a junkie. Especially with heroin.” He sounded like he knew what he spoke of. I decided not to ask how he was so well-acquainted with it.
“Well, none of them have seen her, I guess?”
“Nobody has any idea where she is. Most of them act like they don’t even know who she is.”
“They might not. I’m telling you, she’s trying.”
“Sure.” He shook his head. “She’s doing a great job, isn’t she? Leaving her kid here.”
“Your kid, too.” I watched as he winced.
“Yeah. Mine, too.”
She looked happy enough. I couldn’t help but smile, watching her laugh with the girls. I hadn’t seen her like that at school. She was always so serious. A funny thought crossed my mind. There, she only had to be a kid. She didn’t have to worry about her mommy, or how she would eat, or where her winter clothes were. She could relax for once and be a kid.