“Whatever, dude. It’s your business.” His expression told me he knew there was more to the story. I yanked my beanie off and ran a hand through my hair.
“She’s too fucking young,” I argued as I shook my head. Too bad I wasn’t sure if I was trying to convince him or myself.
“Like I said, your business.” He looked over his shoulder. “Hey, Hacker! Come here a sec.”
Hacker came over, and Snow explained what we needed.
“I’ll use the office computer if that’s okay, Prez?” he offered.
“No problem,” Snow replied, and with a nod, Hacker went into the office and got to work.
“While he’s doing that, let me call her,” I said as I pulled out my phone. I dialed her number. I ignored Snow’s smirk when he realized I already had her number programed in my phone. It was on the tip of my tongue to argue that she was my grandmother’s friend and I was supposed to check on her, but I shrugged it off.
“Snow said you needed to talk to me,” I said after she answered, doing my best to sound distant.
At first she didn’t say anything. Then she stuttered a bit. “I, uh—can I call you when I get home?” was all she got out before I heard a rattle and she shouted, “Holy shit!”
“What the hell is going on?” I demanded, wondering if she’d fucking wrecked again.
“Hang on,” she called out, and I heard more rustling. Then she finally said, “Hello?”
“What. The. Fuck. Happened?”
“This truck cut me off and almost hit me,” she stammered.
“Are you okay? Where are you?” I demanded.
“I’m fine. I’m almost home.”
“I’ll be there soon,” I ground out and ended the call.
“Gotta go,” I said to Snow as I pulled on my jacket and beanie.
“Everything okay? You need me to go with you?” he asked with concern.
“I think she just had a hit-and-run, or they scared the crap out of her at least. I’m gonna go check on her.”
“Yeah, she doesn’t have the best luck driving in winter conditions.” He raised his brows.
“Agreed.”
Hacker came out of the office with a short stack of papers. “This is the basics that we pulled when she was hired at the Shamrock. I can get her full file, but that will take a little time.”
“Appreciate it,” I said as I shook his hand. I glanced through the papers briefly. What I saw sent my eyebrows up.Jesus.
“Well, I’m glad you stopped by. You coming back here after you check on her?” Snow asked me.
“Probably just head out of town afterward, rather than backtracking,” I absently replied. A couple of Snow’s prospects had helped me load everything in the back of my truck and tarp it earlier, so I was ready.
“I’ll have Hacker forward the full file to you once he gets everything.”
I nodded as I wondered if my grandmother had known this about her. “Thanks, bro.”
We embraced, and I said my goodbyes to Snow and his boys. Hacker promised to send me what he found as soon as he could. Then I headed across town to see what kind of trouble Loralei had gotten herself into this time.
My phone died as I was getting in the truck. I plugged it in and tossed it in the cupholder.
Something wasn’t sitting right. What Grams had said, then Loralei stopping to see Snow, along with the light he’d fixed twice—which he confirmed had been busted out the second time.