I spent the rest of the afternoon interviewing other neighbors, none of whom were as helpful or as observant as Mrs.Thurman.However, all of them were nosy and not afraid to pry into my life.I finally left the neighborhood that held all my childhood memories around six o’clock and returned to my hotel to order a crappy room-servicedinner.
If I’d jumped on that offer Heath had made, I could be at Ari’s right now.Why the hellhadn’tI?
After an hour of staring at the blank notepad that was supposed to contain all my brilliant theories about what had happened with my dad, I’d had enough.I needed to get out of this room before I lost mydamnedmind.
Heath must have had a sixth sense, because my phone lit up with his name on the screen.After a year of not answering calls, it was strange not toignorethem.
“What’s going on,Heath?”
“Can you do me afavor?”
“Sure.What’sup?”
“I got into it with Ari tonight.She stormed out of here pissed off, and if I go track her down, she’s going to be even morepissed.”
As soon as he said her name, all my senses kicked into overdrive.“Whathappened?”
“I had a cop buddy of mine out in Cali keeping an eye on her boyfriend, and, well ...he sent me pictures this morning that were damning.I showed her today after we got Dad home from lunch, and I’m a little worried that she’s gonna do somethingstupid.”
The fucking boyfriend.He had to go.Now more than ever, because Ari wasn’t his anymore.Not if I had a damned thing to sayaboutit.
But Heath didn’t know I’d staked a claim on his sister, and that discussion wasn’t happening over the phone.That would make me aspinelessdick.
“What kind of pictures?”It was more of a demand than aquestion.
“The kind where he’s wrapped around another woman, buck-assnaked.”
Dammit ...the kind of pictures I’d delivered to more than one spouse after catching someone cheating.The aftermath was never pretty.I’d seen it all—people flying into a rage, curling up into a ball and crying, or staring out the window like their soul had been sucked out of them.I never left them alone without asking them if there was someone Icouldcall.
“And you just lethergo?”
“It’s not like I had a choice.She doesn’t listen to me.Not sure she ever did before.I would go track her down, but Dad’s riled up and I can’t leave him here alone.I needyou,man.”
Did Heath know something had happened between us?What was his angle here?Either way, there was no question about whether I’d goafterher.
“Where’dshego?”
“I don’t know.She won’t answer my calls, and I don’t like the idea of her out hitting some bar byherself.”
“You really think she’d go out?”The Ari I knew wasn’t a barfly, although she’d held her own lastnight.
“I know so.I got in touch with her driver, and he told me he dropped her at Molly’s an hour ago and she sent him away.He didn’t feel comfortable leaving, so he’s parked as close as he can get.But unless she asks for him to come inside and babysit her, his hands are tied.He can’t go against her orders unless there’s an immediatethreat.”
Shit.Molly’s?I’d seen the way those guys had stared at her last night, and on a Friday, it had to be even morepacked.
“I’ll be there in fifteen.I’ll make sure nothing happenstoher.”
“I know you will.There’s no one else I’d trust with my baby sister.Thanks.”
When Heath hung up, his words echoed inmyhead.
“There’s no one else I’d trust with my babysister.”
Tomorrow, I’d find out if he really meant that, because our come-to-Jesus talkwasdue.
I didn’t waste any time before heading out to jump in my Jeep and point it in the direction ofMolly’s.
The French Quarterwas so packed with cars and people that traffic moved only inches at a time.I cut down a dark street that I knew would be mostly overlooked and found a parking spot I’d used many times before.Even after being gone a year, this city was still my home, and I knew thetricks.