Page 72 of Spock’s Snare

The promise sits like a stone in my stomach. I don’t regret making it. Spock is right that we need to know more before we tip our hand. That doesn’t make sitting back and doing nothing any easier.

Not that I plan to do nothing.

I’m going home to get out of the borrowed clothes and into my work gear. Then I’m heading straight back to Inferno Ridge. There is plenty for me to do onsite, and work will give me something productive to focus on while Spock and the Demon Dawgs hunt for answers. At least, that’s what I tell myself.

I tap the call button on my steering wheel and ask the truck to dial Dad.

He answers on the third ring. “Morning, sweetheart.”

“Morning. How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine.”

His answer comes too quickly.

“Fine as in actually fine, or fine as in you don’t want me nagging you?”

He chuckles. “Does it matter? You’ll nag me either way.”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

“Of course not, I consider it one of your more endearing qualities.”

I smile despite the tension twisting through me. “What are you doing today?”

“Heading over to Riversedge Apartments. Figured I’d work on those cabinet installations.”

My smile disappears.

Blackwood is at Riversedge. Hawk and Wildcard are going there to watch him, but that doesn’t reassure me. If Blackwood is the one responsible for the attack on my father, I don’t want Dad anywhere near him.

“Why don’t you come to Inferno Ridge instead?”

Silence hums over the line.

“I thought you needed the Riversedge units finished,” Dad says.

“I do, but there’s work at Inferno Ridge that needs your attention first.”

“What kind of work?”

My mind races through possible explanations. Dad knows me too well for an outright lie to work, but I’m not ready to tell him everything we learned. Not until I understand what Blackwood and Monroe are doing.

“I want another set of experienced eyes on the cabinetry measurements,” I say. “We’ve had enough delays, and I don’t want to discover a problem after the order goes in.”

It isn’t a lie. Not exactly.

“You already checked them.”

“I know, but humor me.”

He pauses again. I can practically hear him trying to decide whether to challenge me.

“All right,” he finally says. “I’ll go to Inferno Ridge.”

Relief loosens the vise around my chest. “Thank you. I’m heading home to change, but I’ll meet you there.”

“You sure everything’s okay?”