Her smile could only be described as impish.
“And please pull the plug on any other little pranks you may have planned. I mean, I don’t want you to get in trouble, and please don’t tell your mom I said this, but”—I made a big show of looking right and then left—“your ladybug plan was ingenious.”
“Really?” Her voice lilted with excitement, but then she remembered all too quickly that she was supposed to be mad at me. Her tone shifted from enthusiastic to sarcastic. “You really think so?”
“Really.”
We stared at each other, and I made a solemn vow to never attempt to use a middle schooler to do my dirty work for me ever again. Toounpredictable. Between the roller coaster of puberty and the horrors of middle school, children of that age were not to be trifled with.
Her eyes narrowed. “And what about you, Miss Stella? Doyoulike Taylor Swift?”
“I wouldn’t claim to be an expert, but I enjoy her work. I hope there’s no ‘Bad Blood’ between you and me.”
Nope. Didn’t move the needle.
Song must’ve been too mainstream.
Think, Stella, think. Taylor Swift songs. You know Taylor Swift songs. If he can do it, then you can, too.
“Uh, ‘This Is Me Trying’?”
“And?”
Truly, thirteen-year-olds were the most terrifying creatures on the planet. Were my palms sweating?
Assert your dominance, Stella.
“‘No Body, No Crime.’”
She nodded with all the solemnity of a Yalie welcoming someone to the Skull and Bones society. Relief washed over me.
“Maybe I’ll send an apology pizza up one day next week,” I said as I backed away from the door.
Enthusiasm lit Addie’s eyes for the briefest of moments before she adjusted to cool and added loftily, “I think that would officially make us even.”
I bit my lip to keep from laughing and waved before turning for the stairs. The apartment door closed as I descended, and I allowed myself a quiet giggle.
Kids, man.
That Addie needed to look into law. Or maybe just go straight to being a fixer.
My phone buzzed.
Meet Salcedo and me at the Waffle House at midnight.
Another summons. With Malone out of pocket, what else did I have to do other than worry about him and finish my homework?
Once again, I was the first person at the Waffle House.
“How’s the plantar fasciitis, Betty?”
“Bah. Those stretches you taught me do help, but I think the only thing that’s going to cure it is retiring.”
“You’re probably right,” I said at the same time Jasper said, “You’re never going to retire. I’m gonna have to cart you out to the dumpster at the end of your shift one night.”
“Watch yourself, Beanpole,” she said. “I’m not in the mood for your mess tonight.”
“Trouble in paradise?” I asked as I slid into my customary booth.
