But he was only there for a few short moments before he said something to his friends and got up.
And walked directly back across the yard. Right toward where he knew they were hiding.
What.
The hell?
Rodney stopped right at the edge of the thicket and unzipped his pants. Or at least he pretended to, his hands over his crotch as he assumed the slightly spread-leg stance required to not pee on one’s sneakers. “Relax, they think I’m taking a leak,” Rod said as he gazed down into Hobbit’s astonished face. “Where the fuck is Cassidy?”
“I’m right here,” Jules whispered. The stage makeup that Belle had brought along for them to camouflage their faces with streaks of brown and green must’ve really worked because hewasright next to Hob.
It was possible Rod was embarrassed, because he ground his next words out through gritted teeth even as he pretended to keep peeing. “Sadie’s gonna be here soon, but Trent’s inside the house.”
They’d discussed the logistics of this sting operation extensively over the past few days. With the exception of Sadie using the bathroom off the kitchen—either to relieve herself or to give Trent a chance to dump a little flunitrazepam into her wine—no way was she going inside. There were too many rooms in Carter’s house. Rod could easily lose track of her—plus Suspect X could take her out the front door.
Also, they needed whatever happened to take place out here, so they could catch X’s wine-spiking on video.
“Should I, I dunno, go in and get him?” Rod asked.
Hobbit was already shaking his head, but he acquiesced to Jules, letting him answer.
“Definitely not,” Jules said. “You’re not close friends, so... We don’t want him getting suspicious when he’s probably already on high alert.”
“So what are we supposed to do?” Rod asked. “Just wait for him tomaybecome outside...?”
“Have another fight with Sadie,” Hobbit suggested. “Make it loud. Draw a crowd.”
“Fuhhhck,” Rod said as he pretended to shake off his dick. “I hate fucking improv.”
“Grab Sadie and grope her,” Hobbit instructed, “and when you pull her in, inappropriately close, whisper to her:create a scene. She’ll know exactly what to do.”
“She’s gonna fucking hit me again,” Rod muttered.
“She’ll lead,” Belle whispered from where she was dug in on Jules’s other side. “Just follow where she goes. Be creepy. Be loud. Act like you’re shitfaced.”
“Whatever she says or does,” Tom said. “Don’t accept herno. Just keep pushing.”
“Get a beer, but then spill it on her,” Shelly suggested.
“Ooh, that’s a good one,” Hobbit said, admiration in his voice. He turned back to Rod. “You can do this, King of the Forest. You got this. Just trust Sadie.”
“Thank yousomuch for not really peeing on us,” Jules whispered as Rod pretended to zip his pants.
“Fuhhhck,” he said again, and went back to his soccer friends.
“I really hope no one else decides to pee in the bushes,” Tom said, almost conversationally from his spot over on the other side of Belle.
“Yeah,” Jules said, laughing a little. “Me, too.” Wow, thatwould really suck. They’d just have to hide here and bear it. Just quietly endure, God help them.
Belle was thinking the same thing. “We don’t move,” she whispered fiercely. “No matter what. We are catching this motherfucker tonight and a little urine won’t stop us.”
Jules smothered a laugh. “I’m getting that printed on our business cards. It’s our new motto.Cassidy and Co., Crimebusters. A little urine won’t stop us.”
Now they were all giggling, even Shelly and Meg whose stress levels had to be off the charts as the possibility of finally facing their rapist rapidly approached.
“Heads up,” Hobbit whispered. “Here’s Sadie....”
And there, indeed, she was. Walking onto the patio.
