“Are you crazy?” she cried. “Stealing a police car is a felony!”
“I’m not stealing it. I’m just moving it.”
“That’s not how this is going to look in court, Finlay!”
“I know! That’s exactly the point! I didn’t break into the car. I didn’t have to. The key was already in it. All I had to do was let myself in while everyone else was distracted and move the vehicle someplace else.” It was exactly how the thief had gotten into Vero’s room and moved the cash. They hadn’t broken into her room in the dead of night. They’d done it with a key, in broad daylight, while everyone was too busy panicking to notice.
“Have you stopped to think how you’re going to explain this to Nick? You are crossing a line you can’t come back from!”
I paused as I considered everything I had already trusted him with this week. He knew how hard it had been for me to walk away from my house, to leave my kids. I knew he would do anything to protect them, because I would do anything to protect my family, too.
“I’m going to tell him the truth. Nick knows there are thingsabout my life that come with the territory. My children, their tantrums, the preschool pickup line, and nosy neighborhood moms… it all comes with the territory. You know what else comes with the territory? You, Vero! Because you are my family, and we’re a package deal, and Nick will either be okay with what I’ve done or he won’t, but I am not leaving this party without you, so unless you want me to sling you over my shoulder and carry you out of here, we’re taking the car!”
“Well, since you put it that way.”
I shifted into reverse and stomped on the gas.
CHAPTER 28
Vero wriggled in the back seat of Officer Oates’s car, her body twisting at an odd angle in my rearview mirror as I hauled ass out of the neighborhood. A seat belt clicked open. Her head popped up beside mine as she leaned forward to see. “Are you going to explain to me what we’re doing?”
“I’m not sure yet,” I said, my eyes darting between my phone and the road as I speed-dialed Cam.
He answered, winded. “Mrs. D. I should preface this by saying the badass in me sees and recognizes the badass in you, but I feel compelled to tell you that what you’re doing is nuts.”
“Are you okay? Did you and Zoey make it out?” I asked.
“Yeah, she just picked me up.”
“Did Oates see your face? Could she recognize you in a lineup?”
“Of course not. I told you, Mrs. D, I’m a professional. Which reminds me, I still haven’t gotten my—”
“If the wordcheeseburgercomes out of your mouth, you will never get another one,” I warned him.
“Fine, I can wait. Where the hell are you? Zoey said you stole Oates’s car.”
“We just moved it,” I said defensively.
“Want us to swing by and pick you up?” he offered.
“No. Take Zoey back to her house, and both of you stay out of sight for a while. I’ll call if I need you.” I disconnected. Cam had done enough. I couldn’t risk involving him or Zoey any more than I already had.
I changed lanes and turned in to the parking lot of a shopping center, then drove straight into the covered garage. When we were safely inside, I parked in the darkest corner I could find and turned off the headlights. My phone illuminated the cabin in a pale blue light.
“What’s Jackson’s last name?” I asked Vero.
“Ferrante,” she reminded me. “Same as Ava’s.” Vero’s brow furrowed as I typed their surname into my search engine. “Why? What’s this all about?”
“I think Jackson stole the money.”
“Jackson? But he never even went to the sorority house that night.”
“You’re right. He didn’t go to the sorority house at night. He went there the next morning, when he drove Ava home from the party.”
“But by the time Ava got to the house, the police were already there. The money was already gone.”
I shook my head. “What if it wasn’t? Everyoneassumedit was already gone—even you. But the police didn’t search your room untilafterCeleste had sent Ava upstairs to find you. She was supposed to round up everyone on the board to come downstairs to talk to the police. Ava went to your room to look for you, and you weren’t there.”
