Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 55912 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 280(@200wpm)___ 224(@250wpm)___ 186(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55912 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 280(@200wpm)___ 224(@250wpm)___ 186(@300wpm)
Mom returns with two plates loaded with bacon and eggs. She puts hers on the coffee table, interlocks her hands, and says grace. Then, Mom tucks into her food with enthusiasm.
“When do you think we’ll head home?” she asks. “My poor plants must miss me.”
I don’t want to tell her about the metal across the door, sealing us in, the fact Jamie could leave for days if he wanted to, and there’s nothing we can do. “I guess we’ll ask Jamie when he’s home.”
“Home,” she says with a weird smile. “We’re going home, pattycake.”
“Yeah, I know. Just a figure of speech.”
She’s looking at me closely, almost like she’s guessed something, almost like she’d be jealous if she had. I’ve just finished my eggs when I hear the buzz of what must be the metal retracting from the door.
“What’s that?” Mom says, looking across the room.
I shrug. “I guess Jamie’s home.”
Demon pads ahead of him. Jamie’s wearing a black, light jacket, the same color as the shadowy beard across his jaws. He looks at me for too long and locks his eyes on me, silently saying so much. He wants me. I want him. Need him. But he lied. How many times do I have to tell myself that until I believe it?
Jamie walks over to the seating area, drops into the armchair, and rests his elbows on his knees. “We need to discuss how we will sell your return home.”
“Sell it?” Mom asks.
“To the cops. Without implicating yours truly.”
“I was just thinking that,” I murmur.
Jamie smirks and shoots me a look like he’s proud. Then he remembers the game we’re supposed to be playing. He becomes serious again.
“I’ve got an idea. I’ll take you both out to the fair. You’ll walk from the fair to the road. Flag somebody down. The story is they left you a note, Lena, demanding that you bring ransom for your mom. You were terrified. You didn’t have the money, but you went to beg for her life anyway. They held you hostage, but then the men got into an argument. You couldn’t hear what they said. They were speaking Spanish, but one of them got shot. You were scared. You hid. Then you finally dared to sneak out.”
“Will they buy that?” I ask, knowing I need to get out of here fast. I can’t hang around Jamie much longer. Even now, with Mom right there, I want to grab hold of him, squeeze tight, and never let go.
“They may have their suspicions. If they run ballistics, the gunshot might confuse them, but they won’t be able to disprove it. I’ll need to tell them what you supposedly said to me on the phone, Lena. Simone, you can be honest about everything except the wallet and stick to the relationship story.”
I cringe when Mom leaps to her feet. “The relationship story?” she snaps. “It’s not… It wasn’t… It’s not a story. You can’t call it that.”
Jamie groans, seeming to realize his mistake as he massages his forehead. “Simone, I don’t know what to say. We were never—”
“Will you please just be quiet,” she hisses. “All my daughter and I care about is getting home. If I have to return to that evil place to make it happen, then okay, Jamie, I’ll do it. I’ll tell the police whatever I must, but don’t… just don’t…”
I wait for Mom to go on and outright challenge him, but she hasn’t said anything concrete. She hasn’t said, “We were together,” “We were in love,” or anything definite. I wonder what’s going on. It seems more complicated than I first assumed.
Jamie sighs, looking at me like a challenge, wondering why I haven’t got the truth from her yet. Or whatever her version of the truth is.
“So we agree?” Jamie says.
“Are you sure we’re not putting you at risk?” I ask. Mom glares at me as if wondering why I’d ever care about putting him at risk. I glare back as if to say, He saved your life, Mom.
“A few people might be suspicious, but police resources are thin. One dead narco and two safe-and-sound women will be enough for them. As long as you keep to your stories.”
“We will,” I say firmly. “We’re grateful, Jamie, for everything you’ve done.”
“We are.” Mom raises her hand like she’d put it on his arm if he’s sitting closer. Luckily, he’s not. “Without you, I’d be dead. You saved my life.”
“Don’t mention it,” Jamie says, leaving the room quickly. It’s like he can’t tolerate being in here any longer. Soon, I won’t have to worry about resisting him. It will be back to my regular life, the boring day-to-day stuff. It’s for the best, I remind myself.
“I’m sorry,” Jamie says, returning with blankets clutched in his hand. “You’re going to have to hide in the trunk on the way there.”