River's End (River's End Series, #1)(43)

“He took everything, Mr. Rydell.”

“Everything? As in your clothes?” She felt where his eyes were fastened and hunkered her shoulders, trying to shield herself.

“Down to my bra. It was all there, in a duffel bag. Other than my toothbrush and a few toiletries that I keep by the sink, it’s all gone.”

“Down to your…” Jack started to say, stunned, before he stopped himself. “Shit. He actually stole your clothes?”

She nodded.

“Are you sure? You really think he did that and isn’t coming back?”

Jack’s words hit her. It was like concrete being tied to her feet before being sunk into a river. “I really think he did it and isn’t coming back,” she whispered.

Jack’s gaze was on her face. She kept her eyes down. “And your money too, you said earlier?”

“The last of my money. It was hidden in the trunk of my car. I never dreamed he’d steal my car.”

“Why wasn’t it in the bank? Who does that?”

“I didn’t know where I would end up. Look, Mr. Rydell—”

“Erin, I think we’re past the Mr. Rydell bullshit. You ticked me off when I first met you and my formalities toward you were simply to keep you at a distance.”

She nodded and raised her eyes to finally make eye contact. “Jack, I don’t have anything. I don’t even have a change of clothes.”

His gaze stayed on her and she was too ashamed to hold it so she stared at her hands.

“Is there anyone to call, Erin? No bullshitting me this time, either; is there any friend in Seattle to call?

She could not look up at him as she shook her head no.

He was quiet, then stood up. “I figured as much. There could be no other reason you’d come to Chance for help except if you were desperate.”

She looked up. Was he planning to throw her out with only a pair of pajamas and sneakers?

“Wh—What are you going to do with me?”

“First off, we’ll find you some clothes.”

“And then?”

“Then I guess we’ll figure out what to do with you.”

****

Jack waited for Erin to come out. His truck idled with a loud gurgle as he looked out the windshield towards the mountains beyond. He tapped a finger to his steering wheel. What kind of brother would steal his own sister’s entire belongings? Or leave her stranded without even a dollar? Or a bra? Jack couldn’t comprehend what kind of lowlife did that. Or that she was now completely stranded there. And suddenly his responsibility. He felt the tightening in his neck. Another damn complication to his already complicated life. Didn’t he know she’d turn out to be just that from the moment he laid eyes on her?

She closed the trailer and came towards him. Still wearing Joey’s coat over her small, light pink tank top, and pink little shorts, she looked miserable, right down to the tennis shoes on her feet. She didn’t even have a pair of socks. Jesus! The rat bastard might as well have left her naked on the side of the road. Who would do that to his own sister? A sister like Erin, no less.

She opened the passenger door and climbed up into his truck. Settling into the seat, she snapped her seatbelt on while adjusting Joey’s coat to cover her. He pulled the truck into gear and left the driveway.

“Where are we going? I can’t go in like this.”

He sighed. No, she probably couldn’t. “Okay. You tell me what to get and I’ll go in.”

“You’re going to buy me clothes?”

“You have a better idea?”

She shook her head and bit her lip.

“It looks like I’m going to be buying you a lot of things before we figure this thing out, so you might as well get used to it.”

Her gaze jerked up to him. He adjusted the heater so it wasn’t blowing over him only. He had warm clothes on and wasn’t as cold as Erin must have been in her shorts.

“And how, exactly, will I pay you back?”

“Can we first get you properly dressed before we go into that?”

She glanced out her window. “You know, I need a bra. Are you going to pick that out too?”

Didn’t he know she needed a bra. “I can probably manage it. Don’t they have sizes on them? Can’t you just tell me which size and brand to buy?”

She folded her arms over her chest. “You don’t have to sound so agreeable to this.”

“How would you rather I sound?”

She shrugged and closed her eyes. “I have never been so humiliated in my entire life.”

He stared at the road. What else could he say to her? The situation was what it was. There was no other way. She had nothing. He had to help her even if he didn’t want to.

She was quiet for a long while before finally saying, “I feared he’d rob you, and never considered he might rob me because I didn’t have very much. I never thought this would happen.”

“They might find him still, Erin. He’s not all that bright. He could easily make a mistake.”

“He won’t when it comes to saving himself.”

Jack swung his truck into the parking lot. She looked faint with embarrassment.

“Do you want to write down exactly what you need?”

She shook her head vehemently. “No. I need pants, a t-shirt, bra, socks, underwear, and maybe a sweatshirt.”