A Bad Day for Sunshine (Sunshine Vicram #1)(46)

He tilted his head to the side as though stunned she would dare talk to him, his annoyance crystal clear.

When they were growing up, he’d seemed to like her. Well, like may have been a strong word, but he didn’t hate her. They’d even started talking. He was three years older, but after he’d graduated high school, she’d see him around here and there. It always made her day.

But in high school, Sun was involved in . . . an accident. She spent a month in the hospital in a coma. Afterward, Levi kept his distance, even going so far as to ignore her when she called out to say hi. It was bizarre, and she didn’t deserve his indifference, so she grew bitter and he grew bitter, and before she knew it, they were at an impenetrable impasse.

“Or I can bring you in for questioning,” she said, her threat as clear as his corn whiskey. “If that would make this easier.”

He kept his dark, unwavering gaze trained on her face for a solid minute before he answered, “Jimmy didn’t come home last night.”

Sun released a disappointed sigh. Of course, she’d guessed instantly who they were talking about, but she’d needed confirmation. “Levi, I have a missing girl, and now a boy who’s been seen with her is missing, too?”

Fury sparked in his whiskey-colored eyes. He leaned closer, putting Quincy on edge enough to step between them, and whispered just for her, “Fuck you,” before stalking into the house.

The cousin laughed, the sound strangely high-pitched like the jackals she’d considered Levi’s relatives to be.

“Wow,” Quincy said softly at her side. “He really dislikes you.”

“Thanks for the reminder.”

“No, seriously, what did you do?”

“Hey,” she said to the cousin before he could follow Levi inside.

He grinned. “What is it, little girl? You think I’m going to give you information when Ravinder wouldn’t?”

Even the other family members called him Ravinder. “Why do you call him that?” she asked. He flipped her off and tried to walk away again, but she asked, “How long has he been missing?”

The guy turned back, and she could tell his concern was real. “Since yesterday afternoon.” He looked back at the house, checking to see if anyone was watching. “We think he went out and got caught in the storm yesterday.”

“You should have called us.”

“Yeah,” he said, chuckling. “Because the law enforcement officers of Del Sol have always been such peaches to work with.”

She lifted a shoulder. “New regime. You could do something crazy and give me a chance.”

He wore the very definition of a shit-eating grin before he turned and followed his younger cousin inside.

With little choice, Sun climbed back into the cruiser. Quincy followed, but Fields stayed back.

“You’re just going to let this go? It’s the only lead you have.”

“I have no intention of letting it go, but I know the Ravinders. The more we push, the more belligerent they become.” She gestured for him to get inside the cruiser. Once he was inside, she asked Quincy, “How fast can you get into civvies and get back out here?”

He smiled. “Depends on how long it takes you to get back to the station, Grandma.”

“Do they know your vehicle?” she asked him.

“Yep, but they don’t know the Yellow Jacket.”

“You still have your mom’s junker?”

“Junker?” he asked, thoroughly offended. “Well, okay. But you have no idea how much action that old pickup has seen.”

“Um, ew?”

“Jealousy is so unbecoming.”

Fields leaned forward. “May I ask what we’re doing?”

“Wait,” Quincy said, cutting Fields off. “You are jealous, right?”

“Levi Ravinder just happens to be the best tracker in the area,” she said, ignoring her BFF. “Probably the entire state and quite possibly the entire country. If he’s tracking Jimmy and the only lead we have connects Sybil St. Aubin to him, we’re following up on that lead.”

Quince urged her to drive faster, gesturing with his hand. “It won’t take them long to change, eat, and get back out there.”

“I’m hurrying,” she said, trying to stay on the slippery road.

She didn’t want to say it out loud, not with Fields there since he was such a pessimist concerning the note, but according to Sybil, there was a strong possibility the girl was being held somewhere in the mountains as well. Since that covered thousands of square miles, she’d stick with Levi.

“We just need to know where they’re concentrating their efforts. We can get the search party started from there.”

“How long will it take to get a search party going?” Quincy asked, already stripping.

“For now, it’ll just be us. If you’re up for it, Agent Fields.”

He nodded. “Of course. I have a change of clothes in my car.”

“It’s too late to get a large party going. It’ll be dark in two hours. Tomorrow, we can call in the volunteers and get an early start. And you might want to invite your sister. She’s amazing.”

“That she is.”

“His sister?” Fields asked.

“Twins,” Sun said. “Wait until you meet her. You can hardly tell them apart.”