"I'll look into it, but, Raya, I have to ask... Have you done anything that might have... I don't know, drawn unwanted attention?"
Imagine that; the daughter of a con being accused of doing something unsavory to piss someone off.
"Call me if you can help; otherwise, I'll deal with it myself. You're not the only one with resources to finding out tag numbers."
I hang up before he can say anything. I shouldn't get so pissed when people assume the worst, but there comes a time when it just gets old. What happens when I tell Kade?
Trying not to dwell on the endless possibilities, which all seem bleak, I head out to the taxi that is waiting to take me to the bus station. Brody could take days or weeks to get back to me. I know someone else; someone who won't care to bend the rules and help me out.
Though I'm not overly fond of the gray area I usually avoid, Kade is more important to me. I can't take any risks.
I dial the number that my father would kill me for using this way. He answers on the third ring.
"Joey here," his gruff voice says, making me smile.
He always sounds like he's ready to kill someone. I suppose I'm twisted to find comfort in a voice like that.
"Hey, Uncle Joey. It's Raya."
"Raya? Well I'll be damned, girl. What're you doing?"
I tell the cab driver where to go, and then I lean back in my seat. "Just got finished visiting Dad. I think I had a tail. You care to check into the tag for me?"
"Damn straight I will. What was it?"
I spell it out for him, feeling more confident in getting answers than I did before.
"I think I actually have an app for this," he says, relieving me. That's awesome. So it's not illegal. "It might be tomorrow though. I'm in the middle of hac-"
"Don't tell me," I chuckle out, and he snickers as well.
"Sorry. I don't usually slip up like that over the phone. I've missed you, kiddo."
"I've missed you. How's Sindell?"
"She's the same. In and out of trouble. Since she turned twenty-one, I've aged ten years. I wish she'd take a note from you."
I sigh out, thinking about my wild cousin, Sindell, who had a rougher life than I did, since she knew all the scams her dad was and is still pulling. At least my father sheltered me the best he could, and I had my mom to guide me better. Sin makes me look like an amateur with card tricks and pool cues. It was always fun to watch her work a room and leave with stacks of cash, but I couldn't ever do it myself.
"Thanks for doing this, Uncle Joey. I suppose I'll be seeing you soon... when Dad gets out?"
"You better believe it. As long as that dick Fed doesn't come hang out with us. I don't need him looking into my business."
I chuckle. Definitely don't need Brody around Uncle Joey. I'm surprised he's stayed out of jail. He doesn't have a tenth of Dad's IQ, but Dad always pulled bigger jobs, drawing in more skilled FBI agents.
My father and Uncle Joey were raised differently than most people. My grandfather is still a con to this day, and he's good at it. I don't condone it, but I still love them. It's all they know. I'm just thankful I was able to break the cycle.
The question is... can Kade accept it the way I have? Because I can't change where I come from. No one can.
Chapter 15
Too Soon
"There you are," Kade says with an adorable grin as I walk into the house, still worried about the Audi that tailed me.
I spent the entire bus ride staring out the window, tense with trepidation and dread. It had to have been a tail. There's no other reason it would have been at the bus station and the prison. I looked for an app, but you have to pay for the information, and I don't have a debit or credit card. I'll have to wait on Uncle Joey.
I wrap my arms around him and he hugs me to him. I didn't realize how badly I needed to be held until right now. It feels so good.