More Than He Can Handle by Cheris Hodges Page B

he’s the only person I can get it from.”
    â€œWhy don’t you just ask your mother?”
    Her eyebrows shot up in frustration. “Damn, why didn’t I think of that?”
    â€œAll right, stupid suggestion,” he said. “What if your father is dangerous?”
    â€œIf you’re scared, just say so,” she snapped.
    â€œDid I say I was scared? I’m just worried about you. If you feel the need to carry a gun to look for him, then maybe . . .”
    â€œMy father isn’t who I’m worried about,” she said.
    â€œThere are some people who would rather not see my father and I meet.” Freddie left out the part about the bounty hunters. Though she’d never used her gun before, if she had to, she would.
    â€œWhy’s that?”
    She shrugged. “That’s part of the whole mystery. Why would anyone want to keep a father away from his daughter?”
    For the rest of the trip, Cleveland and Freddie rode in silence. Though he wouldn’t admit it to her, he couldn’t help but wonder if he was in over his head.

Chapter 10
    Pass Christian looked like a ghost town. A lot of the storm debris was still piled on the streets. White FEMA trailers stood in the place of the destroyed shorefront houses that couldn’t withstand Katrina’s fury.
    Growing up in New Orleans, Freddie always though Pass Christian was a playground for the elite, a place where they docked their yachts and lived in fancy mansions on the beach. They must have thought their money protected them from nature. What Camille didn’t teach them, Katrina did, Freddie thought as she looked around the rubble. It was the kids that she felt for the most. Some had lost their parents, some had lost their homes, and all of them lost their schools and libraries. She stopped the car in front of what looked like a diner.
    â€œSo, what’s the plan?” Cleveland asked as they stepped out of the car.
    â€œI don’t know, let’s just play it by ear. People around here don’t like it when you ask a lot of questions.”
    Cleveland nodded. “But you know what, asking questions is just what we need to do. We can say we’re looking for someone that fits your father’s description if you don’t want to mention him by name. You’ll get the privilege of pretending to be my wife.”
    â€œDon’t flatter yourself,” she said as she closed the car door. As much as she hated to admit it, Cleveland’s plan had merit. She reached out and took his hand as they walked into the restaurant.
    The chatter stopped instantly when Cleveland and Freddie walked inside. Most of the people there knew each other, they were either residents or long term volunteers.
    â€œMorning,” Cleveland said to a patch of people who kept staring at him.
    They mumbled a greeting before returning to drinking their coffee. “Tough group,” Cleveland whispered to Freddie.
    â€œI guess we stand out more than I thought we would,” she said as she tugged gently on one of Cleveland’s locs.
    â€œThen why don’t we just ask a few questions?” he said as they took a seat in a booth near the rear of the restaurant.
    She shrugged. “I guess you’re right,” she said. Still, she was afraid that they may ask the wrong person the right question. “The last thing I want to do is put him in danger or be the reason that he’s caught,” Freddie admitted. “He’s been running for a long time and I’m sure some people would do anything to send him back to prison—not that he doesn’t belong there. But he is my father.”
    Cleveland focused his intense stare on Freddie. “Why do you think your father is here?” he asked.
    â€œBefore Lillian’s wedding, I heard my mother say something about Jacques being around and all his presence was going to do is cause problems for us. When I asked her about it, she said if I