Page 47 of Johnny

Johnny laughs. A genuine outburst. “No,” he says. “I’m pretty sure he’s got enough going on in the

relationship department at the moment. We just need her back. She has a family and…”

“Right,” I say. “They’re contributors.”

“Yes. Exactly.”

“So… they didn’t pay you?”

“No. It’s got nothing to do with that. I just… we need to find her. Maisy, my niece. She’s worried

about her mother. We’re all just worried about her.”

I nod my head. I find Johnny Boston’s interest in Charlotte Kane to go a little beyond just worry,

but say, “OK. But I don’t know where she is. I have never met her. Her family and mine, we don’t run

in the same circle.”

“But she disappeared down here about ten months ago. She was in the Straits of Florida. It’s not a

coincidence. The authorities found her boat. So they took her. I know they took her. She did

something, or said something, or… whatever. She didn’t just leave. Because if she were gonna just

run—”

“Run? Did she run?”

“I’m telling you she didn’t. If she were gonna run she sure as fuck wouldn’t be in the Caribbean.

You know?”

“Yeah,” I concur. “That makes no sense. This is practically the Way headquarters.”

“Right. So they have her. Somewhere down here. Some island. I need to know where these islands

are. Can you help me with that?”

I hesitate for a moment, mostly out of instinct. Generally my answer would be no. I owe no one

favors, not even Johnny Boston here, regardless of what he thinks right now.

But everything has changed in the past few weeks and right now I don’t have a lot of options. So I

say, “Can I look at your GPS?” And nod my chin towards the helm behind him, where all the fancy

electronic equipment is.

“Sure,” he says, letting out a long breath. Like he was holding it in while I mulled over my answer.

“Whatever you need. I don’t want to be down here any longer than I have to. I left my brother in

charge and… he’s not really cut out for the job. You know? So I need to get back before something

happens.”

“I’m not going to be much help,” I say, squeezing past him as I slide into the helm and take a seat in