“No idea,” Vero said. “Maybe I was drugged at my wild pizza party. One minute I was there, and then suddenly I was here. And that’s the god’s honest truth.”
“Are you suggesting I send you for a drug test?”
Vero clamped her mouth shut.
Officer Oates jerked her to a stop in front of her car. She knelt and lifted Vero’s pant leg, tipping her head to get a better look at the ankle monitor. She glared up at Vero like she wanted to wring her neck. “It’s soaking wet.”
“I fell in the pool.”
“Was that before or after you were drugged by a group of senior citizens and forced to attend a kegger?”
“Very funny.”
“You think I’m enjoying this?” Officer Oates raised her voice, getting up in Vero’s face. “Nothing about this isfunny, Ms. Ramirez. Being on house arrest is a privilege, and you blew it. All you had to do was stay home, watch some TV, and wait for your trial date. You could have gone to court, done your time, scored an early release for good behavior, and put your one stupid mistake behind you. Instead, you went and racked up a few more charges. Tampering with your monitor is also a crime, Ms. Ramirez.”
“I wasn’t tampering! Those water incidents were both accidents.”
“Those accidents are going to cost you.”
“I already paid for two monitors. I’m not paying for another one,” Vero said stubbornly.
“You won’t need another one. Not where you’re going.”
“Where am I going?”
“You violated your house arrest. You’ll spend tonight inlockup. Tomorrow you’ll meet with the judge. After that, you’ll be transferred to the county jail until your court date comes up.”
“No! Wait!” Vero dug in her heels as Officer Oates nudged her around the hood of the car. “You don’t understand. Icannotgo to jail tonight!”
“Don’t panic!” I called out to Vero as Officer Oates deposited her into the back seat. “I’ll call your mother—”
“Donotcall my mother! She’ll completely freak out!”
I watched, frustrated and helpless, as Officer Oates buckled her in. Vero wasn’t the one who belonged in the back of that police car, but I had no way to prove it. And sharing the pieces of the puzzle wehadmanaged to find would only make Vero sound guiltier.
“Call Ramón—” she managed to say before Officer Oates slammed the door.
Officer Oates got into the front seat, one leg still out of the car as she made a call to Dispatch. I didn’t recognize the local codes, but I heard enough to get the gist. “… Noise violations… serving minors… underage drinking…” This party was about to be busted. More police would be called in, citations would be issued, arrests would be made, and the entire place would probably be searched.
I ran back to the house, scurrying around the side of it to retrieve the sopping-wet transmitter belt from under the bathroom window. I held it close to my body, concealing it from view as I hurried back to the Eggplant, relieved to find the Lincoln right where I’d left it.
I paused when I saw the back end of the car bounce.
It was moving, the chassis squeaking as it rocked gently up and down.
The tinted windows were fogged, the interior too dark to make out. The disco ball was on, spraying iridescent colors over the glass.I stood beside the driver’s side door, my eyes growing wide when I heard Zoey’s breathy voice over the low music playing in the car.
“Am I doing it right?”
“That’s right,” Cam said eagerly. “You’ve got it. See, you’re a natural!” The car bounced a little faster. Zoey giggled as the bouncing picked up speed. “Eaaaaasy,” he warned her, “it’s sensitive.”
“Too much?” she asked through a gasp.
“No. Go as hard and fast as you want.” The squeaking got louder. The back end of the Lincoln caught a little air. Zoey laughed. Cam let out a whoop.
That’s it!My patience was fried. Vero was being arrested, Cam and Zoey were both underage, a slew of cops was going to be there any minute, and we didn’t have time for the two of them to be caught in flagrante in Mrs. Haggerty’s hooptie.
I banged on the window. “Cam! Zoey!”
