Page 98 of Johnathan

“Thanks, Emma.”

“You better be here first thing Monday morning for a blueberry muffin or I’m going to be pissed.”

“I’ll be here,” she laughed, slipping her hand into John’s as they turned to leave.

“Alright.” John’s footsteps froze outside the bakery. “Are you going to tell me why you looked so upset when you walked in there?”

“Do you think you can give me a ride out to your parents’ house after all?”

His eyebrows came together. “Of course I can. But why did you change your mind?”

She dropped her gaze to the sidewalk. “I seem to have three flat tires.”

“What?”

“Yeah.”

“Come on.” John pulled her behind him as they walked down the alley and back to Abby’s car. Yup, her torn up tires were still there, the hundreds of dollars she’d be spending in the next few days to have them replaced bubbling in the vat of anxiety that was churning in her stomach.

“What the fuck?” John’s grumble filled the air. “Someone did this to your car.”

“Yeah, I figured.” She reached into her pocket. “I think it was probably whoever left this note attached to the tire around the other side. I didn’t take the knife out of it.” Abby handed the paper to John.

“Jesus.” He pulled his phone from his pocket.

“Who are you calling?”

“My parents. We are going to be late to dinner and I don’t want them worrying. Then I’m calling Hank.”

“No, don’t bother him. If he’s even at the station still he should be heading home to Daisy and Sunny.”

“Baby, I love that you are thinking of our friends right now, but they would also want the chance to make sure everything is okay with you. So we are going to let them. Besides, this is weird and threatening and there’s no one I work with who I trust more than Hank.”

“Okay.”

“Hey!” Grace walked to the entryway and wrapped John and Abby in a hug. “I’m so glad you are okay, Abby! Tom told us about your car. That’s so scary!”

“Yeah, it was definitely a shock. Hank seems to think he’ll be able to review some of the neighborhood security footage and get a lead. There’s been some rowdy teens in Silver Springs causing some trouble with random cars and businesses, he thinks maybe they’ve ventured out this way.”

“Well, I hope that’s all it is. Just parking your car in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

John wanted to shift the narrative for the night. If Abby had to talk about her car, he knew she’d be nothing but a ball of anxiety by the time they left.

“So, what did we miss? Where is everybody?”

“Out back being crazy. Tom and Jackson started a campfire and Katy wanted to roast a few marshmallows. Nellie was no match for puppy dog eyes.”

“Before dinner?” John groaned. “I’m going to make Mom come home with us soshecan try and get a sugared up four year old to sleep.”

Grace laughed. “You know if you mention that, she’s going to try to convince you to let Katy sleepover.”

John smiled. “Yeah. I’m going to go out and find the trouble maker.”

“We’ll be out in just a minute. I want Abby’s opinion on something.” Grace hooked her arm through Abby’s and pulled her into the kitchen.

He chuckled as their laughter followed him outside.

Jackson handed a beer to John as he settled into the chair at the fire pit.