walked with purpose toward his car as he rolled his eyes.
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”
***
Heading back down to Florida was a good feeling for Abigail. It was where she grew up, where they had a family once upon a time. Now that it was just her and Billy, she was so grateful her older brother still wanted to be in her life. She knew how much he hated Benton, but she needed to make her case to him so he would help her.
“Billy, it would be so easy for you to track him down. Just trace what he did from the time he left me to now.” Abigail was watching the roadside scenery with new eyes. It seemed like decades since she had seen anything except bars. Bars on the windows, bars on her cell, bars in the yard. There were so many cold metal bars to look at in jail. There weren’t any bars out here. She could go anywhere.
“Abigail, I’m a legitimate business owner now. I can’t do the old shady hacks like I used to. My clients respect me as an upstanding citizen of Clearwater.” He sat up a little taller in the driver’s seat, causing her to laugh.
“I still can’t believe you moved to Clearwater. The traffic alone would drive me crazy.” Their father had raised them in Dunedin, which was nearby, but not as congested. The town had a village feel to it, and while their father was out being a drunk fisherman, the town looked after them. She couldn’t imagine wanting to live anywhere else, but Billy wanted to move to a place where his business would thrive. There were so many people in and out of Clearwater, and people always needed a private investigator. Billy was good at what he did, although it consisted of him catching cheaters, a lot. A married man who brought his girlfriend down to Clearwater for a “business trip” better hope his wife didn’t find Billy’s number.
“It’s nice, you’ll see. The traffic is barely noticeable anymore. People trust me to handle their problems. If I start falling back into your messy ways, it’ll be no time before I’m back on the street or in jail. I can’t handle that right now. I have a kid on the way, you know.”
Abigail remembered his last letter had told her she would be an aunt soon. It was a happy time for their little family, but right now, she had bigger fish to fry.
“I know. Just do this for me, B, and I won’t bother you for anything else semi-legal. I promise.”
“You really promise?”
“Yep, find Benton and I am out of your hair.” She ruffled his hair and watched as he scrambled to fix it. “I’ve missed you.”
“I know.”
As they were stuck in nose-to-nose traffic on the highway right before the exit to Billy’s house, Abigail fought the urge to say ‘I told you so.’ How she longed to go home and see Dunedin. There were so many places she missed and wanted to see again. Finally, after twenty minutes, they made it onto their exit.
As they approached Billy’s house, he was preparing her for the state it was in.
“Lila is nesting. She redecorated twice last week. I’m letting her do what she wants for now. It isn’t much, but I’m saving to buy us a bigger place.”
“Billy, I’ve been in a jail cell for ten years. Wherever you live is going to seem like a freaking palace, I promise.”
He smiled and whipped into a short driveway in front of a robin blue house with one of the shutters falling off. They were painfully close to their neighbors in what could only be described as a vacation home.
“We plan on renting this out to tourists who want to visit the docks when we move. It’ll be a great way to make a little extra money,” Billy informed her.
She nodded, looking around at the wind chimes hanging from the porch and the beach towels blowing in the wind. Inhaling deeply, she took in the salty sea air and felt close to home.
“It’s nice, Billy. It seems cozy.” Walking in the front door, she noticed it was all one big room. The kitchen and living room were together, and the bedroom and bathroom
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”
***
Heading back down to Florida was a good feeling for Abigail. It was where she grew up, where they had a family once upon a time. Now that it was just her and Billy, she was so grateful her older brother still wanted to be in her life. She knew how much he hated Benton, but she needed to make her case to him so he would help her.
“Billy, it would be so easy for you to track him down. Just trace what he did from the time he left me to now.” Abigail was watching the roadside scenery with new eyes. It seemed like decades since she had seen anything except bars. Bars on the windows, bars on her cell, bars in the yard. There were so many cold metal bars to look at in jail. There weren’t any bars out here. She could go anywhere.
“Abigail, I’m a legitimate business owner now. I can’t do the old shady hacks like I used to. My clients respect me as an upstanding citizen of Clearwater.” He sat up a little taller in the driver’s seat, causing her to laugh.
“I still can’t believe you moved to Clearwater. The traffic alone would drive me crazy.” Their father had raised them in Dunedin, which was nearby, but not as congested. The town had a village feel to it, and while their father was out being a drunk fisherman, the town looked after them. She couldn’t imagine wanting to live anywhere else, but Billy wanted to move to a place where his business would thrive. There were so many people in and out of Clearwater, and people always needed a private investigator. Billy was good at what he did, although it consisted of him catching cheaters, a lot. A married man who brought his girlfriend down to Clearwater for a “business trip” better hope his wife didn’t find Billy’s number.
“It’s nice, you’ll see. The traffic is barely noticeable anymore. People trust me to handle their problems. If I start falling back into your messy ways, it’ll be no time before I’m back on the street or in jail. I can’t handle that right now. I have a kid on the way, you know.”
Abigail remembered his last letter had told her she would be an aunt soon. It was a happy time for their little family, but right now, she had bigger fish to fry.
“I know. Just do this for me, B, and I won’t bother you for anything else semi-legal. I promise.”
“You really promise?”
“Yep, find Benton and I am out of your hair.” She ruffled his hair and watched as he scrambled to fix it. “I’ve missed you.”
“I know.”
As they were stuck in nose-to-nose traffic on the highway right before the exit to Billy’s house, Abigail fought the urge to say ‘I told you so.’ How she longed to go home and see Dunedin. There were so many places she missed and wanted to see again. Finally, after twenty minutes, they made it onto their exit.
As they approached Billy’s house, he was preparing her for the state it was in.
“Lila is nesting. She redecorated twice last week. I’m letting her do what she wants for now. It isn’t much, but I’m saving to buy us a bigger place.”
“Billy, I’ve been in a jail cell for ten years. Wherever you live is going to seem like a freaking palace, I promise.”
He smiled and whipped into a short driveway in front of a robin blue house with one of the shutters falling off. They were painfully close to their neighbors in what could only be described as a vacation home.
“We plan on renting this out to tourists who want to visit the docks when we move. It’ll be a great way to make a little extra money,” Billy informed her.
She nodded, looking around at the wind chimes hanging from the porch and the beach towels blowing in the wind. Inhaling deeply, she took in the salty sea air and felt close to home.
“It’s nice, Billy. It seems cozy.” Walking in the front door, she noticed it was all one big room. The kitchen and living room were together, and the bedroom and bathroom
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