“YOU’RE SO ANNOYING. Why can’t you just leave me and Cassidy alone and go play with your stupid video games?”
What the hell? Was that really my sweet little Lena, talking to her twin brother like a jerk?
“Elena, I don’t want to hear you talking to Elin like that, you understand?” I asked as I turned the corner into her room.
And I kid you not, the little she-devil rolled her eyes at me.
When did my little sidekick turn into a preteen nightmare?
“Elin, go to your room and leave the girls alone please,” I asked my son, ruffling his hair as he walked by me.
“I didn’t want to hang out with a couple of stupid girls anyway,” Elin grumbled.
“Hey, language,” I said, shocked to hear him talk that way. “And, it looks like you’re the one who owes money to the swear jar this time.”
Elin sighed and walked out of the room.
I turned back to my darling daughter, who was sitting on her bed with my best friend, Amy May’s daughter, Cassidy. She’d been Lena’s best friend almost since birth. Cassidy was looking worriedly at me, but Lena had a who gives a fuck look that I knew well.
It was like looking in the mirror.
“Lena,” I said, fighting for calm. “Don’t talk to your brother that way, or look at me like that. I have no problem taking Cassidy home and letting you spend out the remainder of the weekend staring at that wall.”
I could tell she really wanted to pull a face, or maybe roll her eyes again, but she managed to get her shit together and say, “I’m sorry.”
I nodded, then turned and got out of there as fast as I could.
Lord save me from budding teenagers.
I’d thought dealing with Elin and his hormones was going to be what pushed me over the edge, but, nope, it was going to be Lena’s newly found attitude that was sure to give me gray hair way too early.
I walked through the house, CB following at my feet as always, and decided a cupcake break was just what the doctor ordered.
I opened the fridge, pulled out the box of cupcakes Amy May had dropped off with Cassidy, and took out custard filled with chocolate icing, which was a current favorite.
My mouth was full of custard when my phone rang.
“Ha . . . bo,” was my greeting when I answered.
“May I speak to Delilah Horton?”
“Mmnhmmm.”
“Is this Delilah Horton?” the woman on the other end asked again.
I swallowed and replied, “Yup, you got her.”
“Of Horton Investigations.”
“Yes,” I said, beginning to get annoyed.
I’d started off as an investigative photographer, after the picture I’d snapped of my ex with his face full of snatch had made its way around town. And, yes, it made its way around because I’d taped it up all over town.
Anywho, I’d started working for Moose, who was a private investigator. Unfortunately, during a crazy case with a Mexican drug cartel, Moose had been killed, and, to my surprise, had left all of his worldly goods to me.
His PI firm, his house, everything.
My fiancé, Cade, and I . . . Man, I get a buzz every time I realize Cade’s my fiancé . . . I digress. Cade and I had totally flipped the house and made it something that the kids and I were proud to call our own.
I felt awful about the way Moose died, and the fact that I was the closest person to him in his life, but I would be forever grateful to him for everything he’d given me. He’d taken on a bitter, divorced, single mother, and given me a purpose. A job I enjoyed and was actually good at.
“Are you listening to me? Hello . . .”
Oops. I stopped woolgathering and replied, “Sorry, can you repeat that.”
There was a sigh on the other end.
“My daughter is missing. The police say that because she is eighteen, they can’t do anything. But, she’s a senior in high school and hasn’t been home all week. They keep trying to tell me that she ran away, but I know my Misty, and she wouldn’t do that. I’d like to hire you to find her.”
I walked to my office and grabbed a pen.
“Tell me everything,” I said, then started writing as the distraught mother on the other end gave me her daughter’s description, names of her friends, and the last place she’d seen her. “Okay, ma’am, I’ll get right on it and let you know when I find her.”
“Thank you.”
I shoved the rest of the cupcake in my mouth, then sat down at the computer to do a little research, figuring it was best to start by looking at Misty’s social media.
My phone pinged again, this time signaling a text.
I’ll be a little late, want me to pick up grub?
I smiled at the picture I had saved as Cade’s contact photo. It was from our trip to Hawaii, and he’s wearing only board shorts. His long hair is falling around his shoulders, his body is tan, and he’s built like a badass.
Sounds good. I just caught a case, so I’ll probably be out late, too.
Anything I should know about?
I rolled my eyes.
Cade expected me to get into trouble every time I started a case, but that really only happened a couple times. Sure, the times that it did happen, I’d stumbled across some pretty scary dudes, but I was positive that wouldn’t be the case with this missing person.
At least, that’s what I’d tell Cade.
Nope, just a runaway. Easy peasy.
All right. Let me know if that changes. Later
My fiancé wasn’t the hearts and flowers type, but I was content with him feeding me and constantly giving me the D the way I liked it. We were pretty much a perfect match.