Brian stared at my face. “Bullshit.”
“She looks just like Megan,” Gavin said, his mouth twisting into a satisfied smile. “And she has a fucked-up finger like you.”
Brian looked at me again, studying my face. “Jesus Christ.”
“The young one was her mother. You took her cherry and gave her a daughter.” Gavin laughed. I flinched.
“Why did she come here?” Brian said.
“Looking for her.” He pointed at Crystal. “I checked the registrations in their cars. Names are Crystal and Skylar Caldwell. They live in Vancouver.”
“So that’s where the bitches ran off to,” Brian said. “They sure looked terrified to see us tonight. Scared the shit out of me, too.”
My mom and Dallas were in town? I felt a surge of hope, then fear. What did Brian mean, they were terrified? What had happened?
“What did you do with their cars?” Brian said.
“They’re in the garage.”
Brian shook his head slowly, his mouth opening, then closing, like he was so furious he couldn’t find the words. “You goddamn fool.”
“Relax. I’ve got a plan,” Gavin said, staring at me again. “It’s freaky how much she looks like Megan,” he said. “Your girl’s going to be a looker.”
Brian glared at him with a disgusted expression.
“What kind of sick fuck are you?”
“She’s not my daughter.”
“If I ever catch you looking at Megan like that, I’ll beat the shit out of you.” Brian glanced at me again. “Give her some pants or something.”
“Jesus Christ, you’re a pain in the ass,” Gavin said, but he walked over to his dresser and pulled out some boxer shorts. He brought them over to me, made me step in each leg and pulled them up, then turned to Brian. “That better, asshole?”
Brian was staring at Crystal on the bed, his eyes half-mast and his face thoughtful. He looked at Gavin. “We’ll take them to the warehouse tomorrow afternoon—after Theo’s gone. I can’t do it tonight. Jenny’s waiting.”
“I like them right here.”
Brian grabbed his brother by the throat and backed him against the wall. I moved away as far as the rope let me, wondering if they were going to fight.
“We’re taking them to the warehouse,” Brian said. “I don’t give a shit what you do to them there, but they’re not staying here.”
He let go of Gavin, who rubbed at his neck, his face red. “Screw you, Brian. I’m not taking orders from you.”
Brian took a lunging step toward Gavin, his fist raised in the air like he was going to hit him. Gavin stumbled backward.
Brian dropped his hand. “Don’t go anywhere tonight and stay away from those other bitches.” He walked toward the door, never even glancing back at me once. There’d still been a part of me that had hoped when he realized I was his daughter he might help me, might feel something. But I was nothing to him.
He just wanted us gone.
After Brian left, Gavin paced the room, his face furious and his hands clenched. “Fuck you, Brian,” he said, weaving on his feet. “Who the hell are you to tell me to stay home?”
He stumbled toward the stereo, turned the music up, then walked out, flicking off the light before slamming the door.
In the last second of light, I noticed the beer bottle sitting by the stereo.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
JAMIE
I sat on the bed, staring out the window at the garage. I could see Riley’s red cap as he ran out to a car. I turned back to Dallas, who was lighting a cigarette.
“What if we were wrong?” I said. “What if they don’t have them?”
“Where else could they be?” she said.
“I don’t know, but his face…”
“I know. He was shocked.” She took a long drag of her cigarette. I motioned and she tossed me the pack. I lit one.
“The cop asked if Crystal was suicidal,” I said. “She was in her bathroom with that gun. What if she came back here to…” I couldn’t say it.
“I used to worry about it every time she went on one of her benders or took off for days,” Dallas said, “but she always came back.”
“This is the first time she came here, though,” I said. “What if she wanted to die here?” I held her gaze, hoping I could see something that would make me feel better, make me believe that it wasn’t possible, but she just looked worried.
“We can’t think like that,” Dallas said. “Let’s just sit tight and wait for McPhail to call. They might find their cars soon or someone who saw them.”
Waiting was agony. I paced, watching the clock. After an hour, I called, but McPhail’s phone went to voice mail. I left a terse message.
“Nothing?” Dallas said, and I shook my head.
Another hour ticked past.
“Let’s get something to eat,” Dallas said. The last thing I wanted to do was eat, but it was better than this endless pacing and staring out the window.
“Let’s order something and bring it back to the room,” I said, and Dallas crushed her cigarette in the ashtray and stood.