“No one died, lil’ maggot,” Erika says.
Not the first time she’s called him a maggot, an egghead, even a turd, but can we all try to be kind, especially today?
“Fart face,” Reid shoots back.
I rear up to scold, but Reid continues to talk. “Dad said someone died. Why did I have to leave early?”
“I saidfamily emergency.” Clint keeps glancing in the rearview mirror. “Anyone following?”
I kept watch out my side mirror as Clint made the last few turns. “Don’t think so.”
Reid tries to spin around in his seat belt. “Who would be following us?” he asks with something like glee in his voice. “And why are we in Ella’s car? Are we being chased? Like for real?”
“How do you know we’re in Ella’s car?” I don’t know how to answer his other questions.
“Erika said when we got in.” Reid hops up and down in his seat. “We are being chased. What did we do?”
“We didn’t do anything,” Clint barks. “Now I need—”
“Then what is going on? Why did I have to leave?” Reid’s voice matches Clint’s intensity.
“Hold on, Reid.” I turn back to him. “I know this is confusing. First, we’ve got to help your dad.” I put my hand on Clint’s tense arm. “What can I do?”
“Where am I going?”
Oh, right. Good question. We can’t go home. Definitely not tothe Poconos. We need to get somewhere safe for a few hours so we can figure out who to trust. Someone at Garman Straub has set me up to take a pretty big fall. Who knows what else they’ve done to cover their tracks?
The sign for Taconic State Parkway looms ahead. “I don’t know. I think you’re doing the right thing. Driving until we figure it out.”
“Like most teen cars, the gas is on less than a quarter,” Clint grumbles.
“I have some cash if we have to stop.” I dig into my purse.
“Can we go back to Grandma’s?” Reid pushes his face between the seats. “She said I could take the boat out next time.”
“That’s one of the first places they’ll look, doofus,” Erika says.
“Who’s looking? Someone tell me something,” Reid moans from the back seat, his frustration palpable.
As Erika begins to explain about bad actors at my job, I lean over to Clint. “What do you want to do? Hotel? Do you think they’re tracking our cards?”
“If they’re tracking phones and maybe my truck, I don’t think we can trust our cards.” Clint rubs his hand down my thigh.
Suddenly, I’m very cold. I lean into him. “I’m not sure who I can even call.”
“Mom, maybe if you just explained to your boss about how you didn’t do anything wrong. Maybe you can help get them caught,” Reid says.
“Good idea, bud. We just need to figure out who to explain what to.” I dig around in my computer bag, unsure what I’m looking for. I pull out a fresh pack of wet wipes.
“Do not clean Ella’s car,” Erika growls from the back seat. “Seriously, Mom.”
“I wasn’t going to.” But maybe I was. I don’t even know. I shovethe packet back in my bag. “When we give the car back, maybe we can have it detailed for her.”
“Not a bad idea,” Erika mumbles.
“Still not sure where I’m driving.” Clint glances over at me.
I take a quick breath. “You’re the only one with a phone. I don’t have anyone’s number memorized. Maybe we can just show up at someone’s house within a quarter-tank radius?”
