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“Sir.” The security guard walked into my office a little out of breath and handed me a brown paper bag. “We found it on the floor. The woman who snuck in said it was a tuna sandwich for her father.”
The bag was crumpled up a bit, but the top was still folded. I peeled the two sides apart and looked inside.
My stomach dropped.
The bag was empty.
17
Laura
Sneaking past security would be too risky, so I snuck out the back door instead. The cooler air outside felt like a bucket of cold water on my heated body. I didn’t know what to say when Ryan caught me in the hallway, except to apologize. Those words broke free from my lips with no hesitation.
I could have explained I was looking for my father, but I was too much of a coward. How could I have said I thought my dad was dealing drugs again? Especially when I wasn’t a hundred percent sure of it yet.
Before things got more complicated, I needed to find out the truth.
Pulling out my phone, I dialed my boss at Luxor. “Jim, hi, it’s Laura. I won’t make it to work tonight… I know it’s last minute, but something came up I can’t get out of.”
I tapped on my thigh as he argued with me and threatened to fire me. “I understand,” I said.
I knew the risks, but my father’s freedom and mine were more important than a job right now. But Jim’s bluster faded and he agreed to let me off the hook just this one time. “Thanks, Jim. I appreciate it.”
When I got home, I changed into a pair of black jeans and a black sweater. I waited on the couch for my father to come home.
Unsurprisingly, he didn’t show up.
Tears burned behind my eyes. His avoidance only proved his guilt.
Why Dad? Why did you have to do this?
Unlocking my phone, I opened the ‘Find my phone’ app. When he’d first bought it, I had set up my father’s phone and installed the app because he kept forgetting it some place.
I pulled up the map. It said my father and his phone were in the suburbs, somewhere I’d never been. My father didn’t know anyone in the suburbs. At least he hadn’t until now.
Grabbing my jacket, I headed out to find him.
The GPS directed me onto the freeway about thirty minutes away from downtown. After the next exit, I noticed a significant change in the size of the homes. The further I drove into the neighborhood, the larger the homes became and the further apart they grew.
Iron fences popped up with security pads. My mind raced when I pulled up to the address and found it completely fenced off.
What now?
I drove a little way down the road to a home with no fence. It was dark and nearly nine o’clock. Most people were inside their homes at this hour. I prayed no one would notice me walking into their backyard.
Slowly, I crossed the lawn and made my way to the back. On the side of the house, there were four garage doors and a tennis court.
The backyard looked like a resort with a cabana, umbrellas, and a huge rectangular swimming pool equipped with lights and a waterfall.
I passed the pool and stood at the very end of the property.
Then I smiled.
As I suspected, there were no fences between properties, only shrubbery. I turned right and headed toward the other address.
Yellow light shone through the windows and I kept to the bushes as I crept from house to house.
Finally, I was in front of the home I needed to be in. It expanded to the size of at least four of my homes and was nearly as tall as a low-rise apartment building. I estimated at least four stories high. Even the basement was above ground.
