Nothing.
“You know, offensive lineman for San Francisco?”
Still nothing.
“Local kid,” I said, hoping to give him something. “From Woodstone. Made it to the NFL. I’m kind of a big deal.”
The cop blinked. “Are you trying to name-drop your way out of a misdemeanor?”
“Yes,” we said in unison.
There was a long pause.
Ellie leaned across me toward the window. “You got any daughters? Wives? I’m currently on tour. I’ll get them tickets to whatever show they want. VIP tent and everything.”
“Ma’am.” He sighed like we were his tenth annoyance of the day. “Let me see your IDs.”
She leaned in and whispered, “Should we run for it?”
I shook my head at her. She whined sarcastically and pulled out her ID, vibrating beside me as if trying not to laugh.
I grabbed my wallet, pulling out my ID then handing it over.
“Stay here,” he said, walking back to his car.
“You know,” Ellie whispered, “if we end up in a small-town jail cell tonight, the headlines will be nuts.”
“I’m never going to live this down once my brothers catch wind,” I muttered.
“Which one?” she asked, trying to stifle a laugh.
“Both of them.”
The officer came back, making me jump. “You two always break into homes for fun?”
“Only when we’re bonding,” Ellie said.
“It’s kind of our thing now,” I added.
She nodded. “It’s romantic, really.”
He stared as if he was deciding whether to handcuff us or call Animal Control and have us tranquilized. He stepped back and thumbed his radio.
“Nope,” Ellie whispered, eyes locked on him through the side mirror. “No, no, no. He’s not?—”
He was.
“Dispatch, this is 4-7,” he said calmly into the mic. “I’ve got two cooperative subjects for trespassing on Delmont. Transporting to the station for questioning.”
Ellie turned to me, panic climbing up her throat. “Questioning? Sawyer! I can’t go in for questioning!”
“I told you we should’ve left!” I said, already regretting every decision I’d made, including being born.
“No, I told you we should run. You said this would be chill.”
“No. No. I said,Let’s not break into a house, Ellie.You’re the one who walked in like a ghost hunter on a mission. I followedyou!”
“You didn’t have to carry me like I was your bride escaping a haunted wedding.”
