But I stay quiet, chewing on my lower lip.
“He also sent you a car,” adds the girl—Sophie, I think Jones called her.
“A car,” I repeat in disbelief.
“Yeah, it’s out front, waiting for you.”
I open the door of the precinct and look out. Sure enough, a sleek black car, its windows tinted grey, is parked at the curb. I hesitate, looking back over my shoulder inside the police station, but Jones has already disappeared in his office, apparently relieved that I’ve found a place to stay. And Sophie smiles encouragingly, clearly certain that I’m about to fall head over heels with a sexy mystery man, only she has enough tact now not to speak those thoughts aloud. The stupid girl has clearly read one too many dark romance books.
I sigh then turn back to the car. I have a sickening conviction that whoever’s at the wheel is involved in my parents’ death. Maybe he’s not the murderer. But he knowssomething. Otherwise, why would he involve himself in this situation?
Which means, getting into that car could be dangerous.
At the same time, though, the past hour has made it clear that I won’t get answers from Jones and his shoddy police work. If I want to find the killer… I’m going to have to do some digging myself.
And if that means putting myself at risk, well, so be it.
They don’t call me Pissed-off Piper for nothing. I’m pissed off, that’s for sure, andsomeone’sgoing to pay.
Angrily clenching my fists, I slowly cross the sidewalk andseize the handle of the car door. It’s open.
As I enter, I can’t shake the feeling that I’m walking straight into a trap.
4
Piper
Present Day
Five minutes is all it takes to convince me I’m not getting any answers from the driver.
Mainly because he’s a complete fucking idiot who has no clue.
“I’m just Josh,” he says in answer to my persistent questioning. “I got a call. So it wasn’t from you?”
“You said it was a man’s voice.”
“Right. So not you. Your boyfriend, maybe?”
“I don’t have a boyfriend,” I hiss through gritted teeth. “I told you so already.”
“Right, right. So, I guess not you. I don’t know, I’m just Josh. A man called to reserve this car. I told him there’s a perfectly good taxi service in Astley, but he really wanted to go through the car company I work for, even though it’s two towns over. So that was that. I got hired. I don’t know anything more than that. I’m just Josh.”
I roll my eyes in exasperation. “And how did you get paid?”
“My boss paid me.”
“And how didheget paid?”
Just Josh shrugs. “I don’t know. You’ll have to ask him. Here we are.”
He pulls up to the curb and I gulp, staring up at the massive steel building with two doormen stationed in front. There’s got to be a mistake. There’s justgotto be.
Or maybe I’m even stupider than Josh, and I’m about to getkilled, too.
Well, fuck it. I’m going to solve this case, just like Nancy Drew.
I snort, remembering my favorite book series as a kid.
