Chapter 8

8

B one-deep exhaustion weighed down Elsie. Shutting herself into her bedroom, she collapsed on her mattress and buried her face in the mound of pillows. If she thought her conversation with her mom earlier had been tough, it didn’t hold a candle to explaining to Jimmy why his mom hadn’t come home.

Each question she couldn’t answer tore her heart in two. By the time she’d stepped out of his room, confident he’d finally cried himself to sleep, her insides were nothing but shredded mush. Pain throbbed against her forehead and the tears streaming down her face threatened to fall forever.

A knock on her door turned her onto her back. As much as she wished she could tell whoever it was to go away and give her a few moments alone, that wasn’t an option. “Come in.”

Dean poked his head through the doorway. He had a glass of wine in one hand and a bottle of beer in the other. “Thought you might need something to take off the edge. Pick your poison.”

She scooted up to sit against the headboard and tucked her feet beneath her. “Wine, please. You’re a lifesaver.”

He stepped into the room and handed over the stemless glass. “I can take mine out to the living room if you want more alone time.”

“Besides Mila coming home, I’m not sure what I want.”

He leaned against the doorframe and the dim light from the hall highlighted the scruff on his face. “I get that. Jimmy finally fall asleep?”

She nodded. “Took a while. He had a few more questions once you stepped out of the room. He’s confused and scared. Having Boo sleep in his bed helped a little.”

“Poor kid. I’ve been through a lot of shit in my life but watching that little boy’s world fall apart is one of the toughest things I’ve witnessed.” He took a long pull of his beer. “I don’t think I’ll ever forget the tortured look on his face.”

The memory of Jimmy’s red, swollen eyes and tear-soaked cheeks slammed against her. “We have to figure out how to make things right. We have to bring his mom home.”

“Agreed. That’s why I’ve been doing some digging.”

Hoping for good news, she patted the bed beside her. “Take a seat. I don’t think I have the energy to make it to the living room.”

He hesitated for a beat then settled on the bed, stretching his legs long.

A sudden flash of heat ignited inside her. She’d imagined Dean in her bed a time or two but never like this. Two broken souls commiserating over a drink while discussing a missing persons case. Clearing her throat, she tried to forget any romantic fantasies and focus on the matter at hand. “Did you find anything useful?”

“I found Jimmy’s father.”

Excitement over a new lead clashed with rage at the mention of Jimmy’s dad. She took a sip of wine and struggled with how to respond. “A part of me has always wondered what that asshole’s been up to all these years. Hell, I’ve thought it might be better for Jimmy if his father wasn’t even alive anymore. Then we could explain it wasn’t a choice for him to not show up. Maybe that’d be easier for Jimmy.”

Dean shrugged. “Who knows what makes having an absentee father more understandable for a child or even an adult, but Keith is very much alive. He lives in the next county over, only about an hour from here. He’s a truck driver who happens to have a couple weeks off.”

The news dropped like a boulder in her gut. “How do you know that?”

“I talked to his boss. Explained the situation and why it was important I speak to him. I got his number, which the jackass won’t answer, his work schedule, and his home address. The boss was pretty chatty when I explained a woman’s life was in danger and he may have official law enforcement knocking on his door soon if he didn’t cough up what I needed. I think we should pay Keith a visit.”

“If he has time off work, he might not be home. Maybe he took a vacation or something. You know, since he has all that disposable income not paying for his child.” She couldn’t help the sharp bite of her words. The idea of Keith spending his money as he pleased, living life without a single thought to the woman he’d claimed to love and the child they’d created, boiled Elsie’s blood.

Setting down his bottle, Dean’s cold hand wrapped around hers and squeezed. “I know you’re angry with him—hell I am too, and I don’t even know the guy. But if he chose not to be a father, Jimmy’s better off without him. Trust me, a man who walks away from his responsibilities isn’t a real man at all.”

“You’re right. I know that with my whole heart, but it still saddens me for Jimmy. I don’t want him to ever feel less than. To ever think it’s his fault his dad isn’t around.”

“He has great people who love him who will never let him believe those things.”

She rested her head on Dean’s shoulder. The last couple of days had been a rollercoaster and tomorrow would prove even more stressful. “My mom wants to take Jimmy for a couple of days. He shouldn’t be in school, sitting and worrying about Mila while trying to learn. She and my dad want to keep him busy. I suspect that’s to keep their minds as occupied as Jimmy’s.”

“That’ll be good for them all,” Dean said. “Then you and I can focus on whatever we find out tomorrow. Hopefully we track down Keith and get some answers from him, then try and follow up more on Mrs. Pauly’s son. I touched base with Sadie, and Justin’s like a ghost in the wind at this point. If no one has found him, we should speak with Mrs. Pauly again. She may have more information than she realizes.”

“I like having a plan,” she said, struggling to keep her eyes open. The sips of wine and emotional turmoil combined creating a hazy cocoon around her brain.

“Let’s put that glass down.” Dean released their joined hands, took her wine, and set it on the nightstand beside his half-finished beer.

The absence of his palm against hers cast a chill down her arm. She wanted the heat of him back on her skin, the comfort of his long, lean body against hers. The haziness intensified, coaxing her toward sleep. She looped her arm with his and snuggled close, finally letting her eyes drift shut.

And for a brief moment, she forgot about everything outside of her bedroom. Forgot her fear and sadness and anger and simply slept.

The next day the rain stopped, but the sun couldn’t reach through the cover of clouds to warm the air. Gloom shadowed the mountains during the drive, but as anxious as Dean was to find Keith, it couldn’t dim the excitement growing in the pit of his stomach.

He’d spent the night in Elsie’s bed.

The thought had flames of desire burning so bright inside him, it didn’t matter that the sun was hidden. His blood hummed louder with each spin of the tires, and by God, he hadn’t even touched her.

Okay, so he’d touched her, but not in the way that should leave him feeling like a hormonal teenager. She’d fallen asleep on his shoulder, her body wrapped around him like a blanket. He hadn’t wanted to disturb her so he’d let her sleep, rousing her only moments before she needed to wake Jimmy. The last thing he wanted was for Jimmy to walk in on him in bed with Elsie. He’d never met Mrs. Sweet before this morning, and he didn’t need Jimmy mentioning that Dean had already slept with her daughter—no matter how innocent the night had been.

The simple act of sleeping together created a type of intimacy he’d never experienced. A type of intimacy where a solid foundation for something so much more could be built. He may have been too scared before, terrified of being burned again, but Elsie had shown him a type of loyalty that couldn’t be faked.

He turned off the highway and the truck bounced over uneven roads. A few houses dotted the landscape showcasing large tree-filled yards with trees separating neighbors.

Elsie shot off a flurry of text messages then stared out the window. “Are we close?”

“Just a few more minutes.” He dipped his chin toward the phone clutched on her lap. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah. Just making sure Jimmy’s all right. Thanks for letting Boo go with him, by the way.” She huffed out a humorless laugh. “My parents must really love Jimmy if they let him bring home a dog, even if only for a short visit. I was never allowed to have one.”

“I’m glad Boo’s giving him some comfort. I’d be lost by now without him. Nothing like man’s best friend when times are tough. It’s a shame you never had a pup. Boo can be your honorary dog. Yours and Jimmy’s.”

“Don’t tell him that or Jimmy will never give Boo back!”

The humor in her voice gave him a glimpse of the Elsie he’d known the past year. He wanted to hear her laugh, hell, be the one to make her laugh. Make her smile. Give her all the things she’d always wanted.

A lane veered to the left, and he took the muddy route. A large No Trespassing sign was secured to the ground with a wooden stake. The number on the chipped mailbox told him he was at the right place. He just hoped Keith was there. If the guy had answered his phone or returned a message, they could have avoided this whole trip. If they’d come all this way to find an empty house, he wouldn’t be happy.

The cluster of trees opened up and revealed a dingy double-wide trailer. A rusty pickup was parked on the gravel driveway.

Elsie leaned forward as if the seatbelt was the only thing holding her inside the vehicle. “Looks like someone’s here.”

He studied the area around the trailer as he parked. Patches of weeds overtook grass and wind threatened to bring down a dilapidated shed in the backyard.

“Could Mila be in that shed?” Elsie asked, a tremor shaking her voice.

“I’ll make sure to check it out before we leave. No stone left unturned, okay?”

Blowing out a long breath, she nodded. “Mila and I have discussed what we’d say if we ever saw Keith again, but now my mind is blank. All I want to know is if she’s here.”

“You say as much or as little as you want. Hell, you can stay in the truck. I got this.”

“No. I want to look him in the eye when you ask him about Mila. Nothing else matters.”

Dean hopped out of the car and met Elsie at the hood of the truck. Her jaw was locked, eyes hard as she walked beside him. He rested a hand on the small of her back to offer whatever support he could.

A low growl reached his ears seconds before a big brown dog lunged forward. The dog strained against the thick chain holding him back and barked.

Elsie jumped and stumbled against Dean. Her hand flew to the base of her neck.

Before Dean could reassure her that the dog couldn’t reach them, the trailer door flew open and a man stood in the doorway with a rifle dangling at his side.

Dean maneuvered Elsie behind him and cursed himself for not having his sidearm in his hand. He held his palms high. At least he could show Keith he hadn’t come with an intention of violence. “Are you Keith Brookstone?”

“Who’s askin’?” The man scratched the top of his head, spiking his unruly brown hair. A couple days’ worth of stubble covered his jaw and his bloodshot eyes spoke of a man with alcohol swimming in his veins.

“My name is Dean Kingston, and I’m looking for Mila.”

“Mila who?”

Elsie’s body tensed and she shot out from behind him, hands fisted on her hips. “Seriously? Mila who? How dare you stand there and act like you don’t know the name of the woman you abandoned. The woman you got pregnant then left. How do you sleep at night?”

Keith grinned and showed off a row of yellow teeth. “Oh, that Mila. I ain’t seen her in too many years to count. Now get off my land. I don’t take well to strangers. Neither does Sal, over there.” He used the barrel of his gun to point to the pissed off dog.

“We’ll leave in just a second,” Dean said, aiming for a calm he didn’t feel. “Can you tell me where you were two nights ago?”

“Well, now, I can’t go around just tellin’ everyone my business. A few ladies wouldn’t like that very much. You know what I mean.” Keith winked then laughed.

Elsie’s body shook and he swore fire would shoot from her ears if possible.

Dean understood Elsie’s anger, but this guy didn’t have Mila. No way he had the smarts—or would he spend his time—to track Mila’s movements and lay in wait for her. “Do you mind if we take a look in your trailer and shed? Mila’s missing and I’d hate to have the cops sniffing around here looking for her, which you and I both know they will with your connection.”

Keith worked his jaw back and forth as if chewing over the question. “Fine. You got ten minutes then I don’t want to see either of you on my property again. Hear me?”

Dean kept Elsie close as he searched the trailer and shed but all they found were empty bottles of liquor and enough trash to fill a dumpster. The quick search only reaffirmed what Dean already surmised.

Keith wasn’t hiding Mila.

Back in his truck, he started the engine and took off back to the highway. At least the visit hadn’t taken too much of their day. They had plenty of time to speak with Mrs. Pauly again and hopefully find something to point them in a new direction.

He glanced at Elsie for a beat before staring back at the two-lane highway winding around the mountain. “You okay?”

“I don’t know if I’m relieved or upset to not find Mila in that shithole. The one thing I do know is Jimmy is better off without a man like that in his life. Even if he was around, he’d never be the kind of father Jimmy deserved. Never make him eggs in the morning or spoil him with ice cream just to make him happy.”

Her words stirred a sensation inside Dean that had him tightening his grip on the steering wheel. Helping take care of Jimmy the last couple days had been rewarding as hell and he hoped he got a chance to prove he was a good father one day.

“Jimmy has a lot of love in his life. He may wonder about his dad, but he’ll always know support and kindness and joy. You and Mila and everyone else who knows him will make sure of that.”

He just hoped Jimmy didn’t have to grow up without either of his parents in his life, because as time ticked by, chances of bringing Mila home decreased.