Read Online For the Love of Pete by Julia Harper - Free Book Online Page B

numbers.”
    Lips sighed. “Okay. Give me your cell phone.”
    She dug in her coat pocket and handed it over, mute.
    He tapped in a number one-handed and held it to his ear. “Kevin? Yeah, it’s me. What’s happening?”
    He drove silently as Kevin must’ve said something at length.
    “Christ, Kev.”
    His tone was sharp, and Zoey watched him curiously.
    “Look, I need you to trace the money for me. . . . Yeah, I know it won’t be easy, but . . . Just do your best . . . Yeah . . . The usual place . . . What about Headington? Christ. . . . Okay.”
    Lips flipped the phone shut. He had a thoughtful expression on his face.
    Zoey couldn’t stand the suspense anymore. “What? What’d he say?”
    Lips glanced at her as if surprised by her outburst, then looked ahead again. “My boss is unavailable. And, apparently I’ve got a bank account in the Cayman Islands. Three million dollars was deposited into it an hour ago.”
    “
What?
”
    “Yeah.” His voice was awful and low. “Someone has also made it look like I’m deeply in debt from gambling—as if the mob has a hold on me. Kev’s going to try and trace the money trail, but whoever’s set me up is pretty good. Kevin’s not sure he can do it.”
    “And if he doesn’t?”
    “I’ll be going to prison.” Dante shook his head. “That doesn’t matter right now—”
    Being set up to go to prison didn’t matter? “How can you—”
    He rolled down his window.
    Zoey’s mouth fell open as she realized what he was about to do. “Hey!”
    Out the window went her hot pink cell phone.
    “Awww!”
    “As soon as they figure you’re with me, they’ll ping it,” Lips said ruthlessly.
    “I know.” She couldn’t help her voice sounding resentful. “But it was practically new—”
    He raised a hand, cutting her off. “I’ll buy you a new one. Now. Where can I take you? What about a different relative? Is your father nearby?”
    She shook her head. “He lives in Naperville, but I’m not going to him for help.”
    “Naperville is only a couple of hours away. Look, you might be in danger. If he’s even—”
    “I’m not asking my father for help.”
    Her tone was flat, and she could feel him glancing at her.
    She sighed. “He left Mom and me the summer I turned fourteen and didn’t keep in touch. I’m not going to him now.”
    “Fine.” He stared out the windshield for a minute. “I’ll take you to a motel—”
    “I don’t have the cash on me.”
    “I can get you some.”
    “I’m not taking money from you!”
    His jaw clenched. “Look, I’m just offering.”
    “And if whoever’s setting you up finds me at the motel?”
    “They aren’t going to find you.” He glanced into the rearview mirror.
    “How do you know?”
    He didn’t even bother replying.
    They drove in silence for a bit, Lips thinking deep, federal thoughts, no doubt, and Zoey readying her argument.
    Finally she twisted in her seat to face him. “Look, I know you don’t want me here. I know I’m in the way and I’m a pain in the ass, and I admit I’m scared at the thought of being shot at, but I need to do something to help find Pete. I
can’t
just sit somewhere and wait while she’s out there with strangers.”
    “I don’t—”
    “
Please.
”
    He was silent a minute, watching the street. Somehow they’d ended up in a nicer area. Zoey didn’t recognize the neighborhood in the dark, but it featured shopping centers, restaurants, and all-night groceries.
    Finally Lips muttered, “You’re not a pain in the ass.”
    She felt her eyebrows shoot up. She wasn’t?
    He didn’t look at her, keeping his gaze focused on the road instead. The oncoming headlights strobed across his face and made it look like some Greek statue, all hard planes and no color. “And you don’t have to be scared. I won’t let anyone hurt you.”
    It was a line straight out of a movie—maybe one starring Bruce Willis—but Zoey wasn’t even tempted to laugh. This guy who didn’t even