A Hard Day for a Hangover: A Novel by Jones Darynda

Author:Jones, Darynda [Jones, Darynda]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Mystery, Romance, Contemporary, Humour, Suspense, Crime
ISBN: 9781250266972
Goodreads: 58772945
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Published: 2022-12-06T08:00:00+00:00

14

Now if you’ll excuse me,

tonight’s bad decision isn’t going to make itself.

—T-SHIRT

Three hours later, Sun and Quince had coordinated with the state police and a certified canine search-and-rescue team. They would be there first thing in the morning, so there was nothing she could do at the moment. She called to check on their Jane. Still critical but stable. Then she called Zee on her way home.

“Hey, Zee. You’re not still sitting outside Wanda’s house, are you?”

“No.”

“Really? Because I’m parked behind you and I’m startlingly close to Wanda’s abode.”

“Sorry, boss,” she said, chuckling sheepishly. “I was just gonna sit here until Wanda went to bed. She’s still worried sick. Did you ever get that video footage back from tech?”

“You mean back from my daughter? I’m about to check with her if she isn’t in bed yet. Go home. I’ll get my mom to stay with her tomorrow. We have a busy day ahead.”

“Yeah, I heard about the search. That’s crazy.”

“It is. Get some rest.”

She waved as she drove past her favorite sniper.

By the time she got to her parents’ house, Auri was in bed but not asleep. “Hey, Mom. Quincy picked up Cruz a little while ago.”

“Really? He doesn’t seem like Quince’s type.”

“Funny. We worked on this footage together. I hope that’s okay.”

“Sure thing.” She sat beside her on the bed as Auri dragged out her laptop. “So, what did these guys do?”

“These guys? There’s more than one? And you can see them?” Sun never thought it possible. The footage was way too dark.

“Yep.” She hit PLAY on the footage she’d lightened, then pointed as she spoke. “It’s super grainy, but you can see two of them here and another one running in the background. See there?”

“I do. Holy cow, good job, bug.”

“Thanks. Okay, here.” She hit PAUSE. “It looks like they’re throwing something in Mr. Jacobs’s bushes.”

“They are.” Surely this wouldn’t be that easy. “Can you get a screenshot of their faces?”

“I can do better than that. I know who they are. Kind of.”

Sun gaped at her. “Seriously?”

“They say hi to me every morning at the high school while they’re waiting for their bus.”

“They walk to the high school to catch the bus?”

She nodded. “They must live nearby.”

“What are their names?”

“Mom,” she said, appalled, “why would I know that? They’re kids.”

“Oh, okay.” Sun didn’t realize ageism was so rampant in today’s youth. “They’re so cute. They’re like a tiny boy band.”

“Right?”

She leaned back to gaze at her daughter adoringly. “You kicked ass on this, Auri. This is amazing.”

She lifted a bashful shoulder. “Cruz helped.”

Sun’s mother knocked softly before coming in to check on them. They hadn’t spoken since the Dangerous Daughters debacle. She cringed inwardly every time she thought about it. Nothing like being taken down a notch by your own mother in front of a room full of people you know and kind of admire.

She turned back to Auri. “I don’t know, bug. I think you have a real shot at the FBI as long as you keep a strong hold on that V-card.

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