BROADRICK: Not sure when I can leave here. We'll talk about the ribs when I get home.

I smiled. Just a little, but it twisted into a frown.

VONNIE: You didn't answer my question. Are you hurt?

He couldn't say all cute things to me like "when I get home" and not answer the actual question I asked. Why was he at the army hospital base? Did they have bunks there? Visiting a sick friend? If it was no big deal, why didn't he say something?

I knew in my heart.

He chose not to elaborate because it was a big deal. A very horrible and serious big deal.

How could he leave me for a mission and then have the audacity to get hurt on the mission? He promised me he'd be safe. My anger grew. The only talking we were doing when he got his ass back here was me telling him off for getting hurt.

"Deep breaths, Vonnie," I chanted.

Whatever happened to him, he was alive. That's what mattered. We'd get through everything else.

After I yelled at him for getting hurt.

First the yelling and then the getting through it.

Once again, I waited for Broadrick's return text, promising me he was fine and telling me I needed to calm my ass down. Once again, it did not come.

Ugh, he was in so much trouble when I saw him. I swallowed hard.

Okay, fine. First, I was going to hug the shit out of him. Then yell. Then work on moving forward.

Oh, and he definitely owed Tony a pizza.

Man, his to-do list was getting long. I needed to write all these things down, so I didn't forget them for him.

It might have to wait until after lunch. My stomach growled. Yeah, definitely after lunch.

I'd pop home, let NB out, and make my myself something from the small helping of food I had left in the fridge. Number four on "Broadrick's to-do list" had to be grocery shopping. Oh, and fixing the dishwasher.

My phone rang. The loud, harsh buzzing sound cut through the open office. I snatched it, hoping for Broadrick, and then narrowed my eyes at the device when the screen said Unknown Caller.

I really needed to update my business cards to say texts only.

"Vonnie Vines, local private investigator," I said as I answered. Since it wasn't Mick, they probably wouldn't yell at me for calling myself a PI a little early. He always had a conniption about it.

"Hello," a woman's voice said and then got right to the point. "Do you work in Pelican Bay?"

Didn't they read the info on my card? "Yes, born and raised."

A pause and I swear I heard what sounded like a shushed argument. I did not have time for a crank call today.

"Look, my freezer is running and I've got to catch it. Do you have something you need?" I asked, hoping to head them off early.

I was going to need two lunch cupcakes if this kept up.

"Do you know all the people in town?" she asked.

What a strange question. "It depends. It's a small town, but there are probably a few people I haven't met."

The odds were slim, but I ran with honestly. Something about the woman's tone put me on edge.

Static came over the line and I almost hung up, but curiosity made me wait to see if her punch line was any good.

"Hi," an unfamiliar male voice said. "Forgive my partner. She's new at this. We're looking for someone who can help us locate a resident of your wonderful town, and we'd like to employ your services in finding them."

"Umm. Okay. Who?" Anyone could do a simple internet search and find out addresses for people they knew, but if they wanted to pay me to do it, I would not object.

I liked easy money.

Plus, I really needed more money. I'd made rent on time, but there wasn't enough in the coffers to pay for groceries and gas until payday. Even if I grabbed shifts at the bakery.

"We'd rather talk in person. Do you have time to meet with us tomorrow?" he asked in a soothing voice. Nothing like the woman who'd started the call.

"I guess. What time?" I tapped my pen on the desk and scribbled down the time we agreed on before giving him my new office address.

My stomach growled again, but I didn't have time for a lunch at home anymore. Plus, I'd only been kidding myself when I said I'd eat food in the fridge. My kitchen cupboards were bare.

I sent Sidney, our dogsitter, a quick text and confirmed that she'd let NB out for his afternoon potty break and then prepared to make a run to Clearwater for a little surveillance on my top suspect.

But before that, I had one place to stop.

The high school.

After closing the case on Coach Torres's death earlier in the year, I'd hoped to never go there again. But my uncle worked there, and I needed to tag his car to see where else he'd been driving. Once I had a tail on him, he'd be easier to track. I still didn't think Uncle Richard was cheating, but I had to figure out why he had so many late-night diner visits for two.

Uncle Richard parked their white Pacifica on the far outskirts of the staff parking lot, making it easier for me to park on the street and not look suspicious as I dropped an AirTag on his back tire well.

Those puppies were expensive but the best form of tracking. The consumers wouldn't hear it if the network went down and Apple dropped the signal. I'd be able to keep my eye on Uncle Richard from anywhere.

I parked Broadrick's truck on the public side of the street and casually opened and shut my car door as I got out, carrying a blank notebook. No one was around, but I still kept my gaze at the sky like I had a great cloud in my sights and didn't want to lose it. As I approached Uncle Richard's van, I leaned forward, and the notebook slipped from my fingers.

"Oh no. Not my notebook," I said as it fluttered toward the back van tire. "How clumsy of me."

I lowered to my haunches next to the tire to retrieve the book and, at the same time, stuck the AirTag under the tire well. I shoved it on to make sure it stuck and then prayed Uncle Richard didn't drive through any mud puddles.

"Let's get you back to safety," I said, dusting off the top of the notebook.

Totally inconspicuous.

The streets were still deserted when I returned to the truck and headed toward Clearwater.

I had an evil stepson to stake out.

My phone buzzed, and I glanced at the screen before my heart stopped, and I pulled to the side of the road to catch my breath.

BROADRICK: It's nothing major. A few scratches.