“Open the lid,” one of them whispered through a strained breath.
“I’m trying, but I can’t see anything. It’s too dark in here.” A heavy thump rocked the frame, followed by a soft grunt.
“Did you hear that?” Destiny’s small voice carried from inside the van.
“It’s probably gas,” Lola said. “That happens sometimes.” Another soft thump, like a compartment lid closing. Then the two women jumped down from the back and dusted off their hands.
The rest of the women filed out of the house, stripped off their rubber gloves and hair nets, and deposited them into a trash bag.Kathy came out last, holding a spray bottle and a wet rag. The chemical scent of bleach wafted from it as she shook it out. Sally tugged down the garage door, bracing its weight with both hands to soften the noise before it hit the ground.
“Let’s go,” Gita said, closing the van door.
My cell phone vibrated in my coat pocket, and I scrambled to turn it off.
“What’s that?” Mrs. Haggerty snapped, eyeing each of the women in turn. “You all know the rules. No phones.”
“Sorry!” Destiny reached into her coat pocket, the pale glow of her screen illuminating her face as she checked her notifications. “The kids are staying with a new sitter tonight and I promised her I would keep my phone on in case she needed anything.” Several of the women gave her sympathetic nods as she typed a quick message back.
Mrs. Haggerty grabbed Destiny’s phone before she could hitSend. With an admonishing look, Mrs. Haggerty powered it down and stuffed it in her pocket. “Sally will ride with us. Let’s go, ladies. Vi’s waiting.”
Sally, Lola, Destiny, and Kathy retreated to The Eggplant with Mrs. Haggerty. Elizabeth and Gita climbed back into the van.
I waited until both sets of taillights had disappeared down the street before poking my head out of the bushes.
“Vero?” I whispered, afraid of drawing the attention of Sally’s neighbors. I crept out of the hedge, but Vero was nowhere in sight. A sick feeling settled in my stomach as I remembered the quiet thump I’d heard in the van right before Lola and Destiny had hauled their bundle into the refrigerated compartment. It had made the same soft thumping sound when they’d closed the lid. Right before my cell phone had buzzed.
I rushed to turn it on.
“Oh, god.No, no, no, no!” I whispered as my notifications began to load.
One missed voice mail message from Vero.
“I’m locked inside the reefer truck, Finlay! Get me out of here. NOW!”
I dialed Vero’s number as I ran to the Charger.
She picked up on the first ring, frantic and breathy. “I’m covered in tree sap, there’s a pinecone jabbing my ass, and a dead dude in fishnets is lying on top of me. Please tell me you have a plan!”
“Don’t panic!” I put my phone on speaker and tossed it in the passenger seat.
“Where are you?”
“Everything will be fine,” I said with as much calm as I could muster. She was definitely panicking. My heart stuttered as I pushed the ignition and nothing happened.Oh, god!Vero had the key.
I got out of the Charger and sprinted down the street toward my house. “Just relax and stay where you are!”
“That’s not funny! Tell me you’re right behind me!”
“Not exactly,” I said, starting to panic. Becausenowwas the time to panic.
“Why not?”
“Because you have the car keys. But donotworry,” I panted. “I’m running home to get the minivan.”
“I’m going to die.”
“You’re not going to die!”
“A group of remorseless killers are going to cremate me and put my ashes in a jar on some old lady’s mantel!”
