Semi-Psychic Life (Glimmer Lake #2) - Elizabeth Hunter Page 0,14
is.”
“What if the guy was an asshole to him for some reason?”
“Then Josh just wouldn’t work with him,” Val said. “There’s not many mechanics in the mountains as good as Josh. So if he told you no, you’d have to go a hundred miles to find anyone willing to work on a really high-performance engine. Unless this guy was an idiot, he wouldn’t start a petty fight with the best specialty mechanic in the area.”
Sully had his hands on his hips, mirroring Val’s stance. He stared intently at her. Intent to the point of Val actually wanting to move out of his line of vision. “So you think the guy is lying.”
“Yeah. That’s what the warrant is about?”
“Yeah. Bridger PD has been trying to find him, and no one is answering. He’s not at home. His girlfriend says he hasn’t been around for about three days.”
Val blinked. Three days? That would have been around the time he’d called her and asked her to call him back.
“Val?” Sully’s blue eyes were lasered on her. “Has he called you?”
“Kind of? He called about three days ago and left a voice mail asking me to call him.” Val shrugged. “It was the middle of the night. And it was kind of broken up.”
“You didn’t call him back?”
“I did the next day. I don’t answer calls or texts from Josh in the middle of the night unless the boys are with him. It went to voice mail. He hasn’t called back.”
Sully blinked.
It took a second for Val to realize what she’d inadvertently revealed. That’s right, I will answer a text from you at midnight, Sully. Don’t read too much into it.
“Okay.” He cleared his throat and reached for his hat. Val reached it before he did, deliberately allowing her wrist to brush against the rim.
In the split second before she turned to hand Sully his hat, she saw him sitting in his office, speaking to someone on the phone.
“Is foul play suspected?” This could be bad. Really bad. And it was the last thing Val needed on her plate. If she was ever going to give him a chance—
Not the time, Sully.
“We’re asking around, but Mason wasn’t exactly a choirboy. He may not have a record, but he’s had complaints. The girlfriend is lying about something. If you want my guess, he’s in Vegas right now, trying to double his money. Seems like the type. Anderson is making all kinds of noise though, so we’re not gonna get any rest until we find him and bring him in.”
“What do you need on my end?”
“Talk to the ex. Sometimes they know more than the girlfriend, you know? They got kids together?”
“Yeah. They’re teenagers.”
“Check their phones if you can get permission from the mother. Gotta be careful with kids. This guy’s a lowlife.”
“Val?”
She blinked and shook her head, holding Sully’s hat in her hands. “Sorry. This is just… not what I expected today, you know? It was actually an easy day for once.” She handed him his hat.
“I know.” Sully put a hand on her shoulder. “I don’t know what to tell you. There’s no sign that someone hurt Josh or that he’s in any danger. What are the chances he’s just lying low somewhere?”
“Where is he going to go? His vacation house at the beach?” She shook her head. “I don’t know what to tell you, Sully. I guarantee he knows nothing about the warrant though.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because there is nothing Josh Mason loves more than defending himself against accusations he thinks are unfair. Trust me. I have the legal bills to prove it.”
Chapter 5
She sat next to Andy on the couch, Jackson sitting in the chair across from her.
“So…” Jackson was clearly confused. “Dad is missing?”
“I don’t think—” Val stopped herself. “I don’t know what to think. There’s no reason to think he’s been hurt or that he’s in any danger. It’s possible he took off with some friends or he and Rachel had a fight or something.”
Andy’s voice was shaky. “We need to find him though. I don’t think he’d do that, Mom. We talk every day. Almost every day. He would tell me if he was going away.”
It was weird that Josh hadn’t told Andy where he was going. Her youngest son had taken it upon himself to call his dad every day after school to give Josh updates about his day and chat about whatever he was doing.
To Josh’s credit, he did enjoy the calls and if he wasn’t