“Takes a dog to know one.”
Sophia rolled her eyes. “There’s no reason to be petty. I get that you’re jealous, but you can’t blame Javi for having a little fun while you were gone. I mean, I know you think you’re hot shit, but you didn’t really expect him to wait for you, did you?”
Vero’s mouth fell open. Her eyes brimmed with rage.
“Oh my god. You totally did.” Sophia laughed and touched her heart. “That’s so sweet. And so completely naive of you.”
I touched Vero’s arm. “We should go,” I said in a low voice.
She held up a hand. “I’m not going anywhere until thishotells me what she did with my boyfriend!”
“He wasn’tyourboyfriend until you made him chase you allthe way to Virginia. But now that he’s back, I’ll be happy to help him pass the time while you’re doing yours in the slammer.”
Vero’s hands curled into fists. Her ankle monitor flashed like a countdown to launch.
Footsteps pounded on the pavement behind me. I turned in time to see Javi and Ramón sprinting down the street toward us. They skidded to a stop when they reached Sophia’s driveway.
“What the hell, Veronica!” Ramón shouted. “You’re supposed to stay in the yard!”
I jumped to intercept him. “Everything is fine. I swear! I was here with her the whole time.” I wasn’t about to explain the belt in front of Sophia. I was afraid Vero might suddenly remember she was wearing something that could be used as a means of strangulation.
Sophia glanced over Vero’s shoulder at the three of us. She smiled seductively at Javi, playing with a lock of her long, dark hair. “Hey, Javier. The bruises are looking good.”
I thought Vero might go ballistic. Her eyes narrowed on Javi. “Sophia was just telling me all the fascinating things I missed after I left for college.”
Sophia winked at him. “Not all the things.”
Vero lunged for her. Javi grabbed her by the arms before she could swing.
“You’re such a bitch!” Sophia snapped. Ramón held her back as she tried for a sucker punch.
“I’ve got twenty on Vero!” Cam called out from the back of the van. Cam held up both thumbs, looking pleased with himself. “Don’t worry, Mrs. D. Her signal’s good, even with all that interference.”
“No one’s betting on anyone,” I shouted over the ruckus. “We’re leaving. Right now.”
Javi shot Sophia an admonishing look as he and Ramón towedVero back to the house. She kicked and swore at them, dangling between them by her armpits. They didn’t let her feet touch the ground until they were safely out of Sophia’s sight.
Vero whirled on her cousin and punched him in the arm. “Sophia? Seriously? You let Javi sleep with that tramp?! You have so much explaining to do, Ramón!”
“Me?” he cried, shielding himself with his forearm. “How didyoumake it all the way to her house without your damn alarm going off?”
“And why do you look like you ate twelve boxes of Krispy Kremes?” Javi asked, frowning at her sweatshirt. She turned on him and started hitting him, too. The Fantastic Four began shambling out of their houses, the commotion drawing them into the street like a horde of the Walking Dead.
“Everybody into the van!” I opened the back door and directed everyone inside until we were packed like sardines in a big white can. I slammed the door, locking us in.
“What the hell is all this?” Ramón asked, careful to avoid sitting on scraps of duct tape and wires. “And what’s Cam doing here?”
Vero lifted her sweatshirt. Javi and Ramón nearly tripped over themselves as they scrambled away from her, both of them falling backward against the side of the van. Vero dropped her sweatshirt. “Relax, you idiots, it’s not a bomb.”
“Then what the hell is it?” Javi asked.
“It’s a GPS spoofer,” Cam answered.
Javi’s terror morphed into surprise. “It actually works?”
“Of course itworks.” Cam looked offended. “She could drive this van across twelve state lines, and the cops would think she’s still in her bedroom.”
Vero’s eyes lit up as if she was imagining the possibilities. I got a little nervous when Javi’s did, too.
