He told me I looked pretty.
Nice.
“Thanks,” I whispered.
“Goin’ out with Hawk?”
I pressed my lips together. Then I nodded.
He smiled.
Then he straightened and moved into me so the foot that separated us became more like six inches.
Or less.
Then his hand came up and he rested it on my waist and before I could say anything or move, he started talking.
“I don’t want to offend you when I say this but after last night, I need to say it.”
Uh-oh.
I’d tipped my head to look up in his soulful eyes and they seemed more soulful than ever.
“What?” I asked before I could get lost in his soulful eyes.
He hesitated then stated, “Your sister, Ginger, she’s not too smart.”
Oh. Well, I’d expected something else. I didn’t know what but, seeing as his hand was on my waist and he was in my space, it wasn’t Ginger.
“I kind of know that,” I replied.
“You probably know this too and if you didn’t before the last coupla nights, then you do now, but she doesn’t think about who she’s draggin’ into this.”
“Yes, the last couple of nights I’ve learned that.”
He nodded. Then he said, “So, the favor I’m askin’, if you see her again, I want you to call me.”
My body got tight but it was only automatically, nevertheless, he felt it and he got closer, his hand gripping my waist, his other hand lifting to do the same on the other side.
“I can’t say what’s gonna happen to her. If she plays it smart, if we can cut a deal, if we can protect her. There are no promises here, Gwendolyn. What I can say is, whatever happens, she’s safer with us than she is on the street and you are definitely safer if she’s with us and not on the street.”
I could see this.
He kept going. “And, for you, we get her in custody, I’ll do what I can for her.”
Oh. Wow.
“Thanks,” I whispered.
His fingers dug in, giving me a squeeze as his mouth gave me a smile.
“Just want to be clear, I don’t want you to try to detain her. But if you see her, she shows, she gets in contact with you, you won’t be helpin’ her out, even if she tells you you are, by keepin’ it from us. Just call me, tell me what she said, where you saw her and if you know where she intends to go.”
“You want me to inform on my sister,” I surmised.
“Yeah,” he replied, no hesitation, no bullshit.
“Okay,” I agreed, no hesitation either.