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“What about the car?”

“That’s the other thing. She specifically requested that we rent a quote-unquote normal car for the trip rather than bring one of the Town Cars.”

“This sounds weird.”

Pops shrugged. “You know rich people, they’re eccentric as hell.”

After years of working for wealthy people who liked to be driven around and pandered to, Pops and I both had little patience for people who had more money than sense. But twenty thousand bucks sounded too good to pass up.

“Are you in? Or should I offer the gig to another driver?”

“Of course I’m in. You didn’t raise a dummy.”

He raised one eyebrow like he had his doubts, but only said, “Great. Here’s the company credit card and my notes from the call. Go reserve a rental car and be ready to leave in the morning. You’re picking her up from her office.”

His phone buzzed and Pops looked at it with a smile. Ignoring me, he tapped out a reply with his thumbs.

“Who are you texting with?” I asked. None of his friends were big on texting.

I could swear he looked guilty for a second, but Pops only shook his head. “No one. See you later, kid. Have a safe trip.”

I was up early the next morning, inexplicably excited about the trip though I couldn’t say why. After renting a hybrid SUV, I stowed my bag in the back of the vehicle and headed to an office building downtown. Per the instructions from the client, I entered a code and drove into the underground garage, parking in the loading zone.

“Jenny Mazella?”

I jumped as someone popped out from behind a concrete pillar like someone out of a spy movie.

“Um, yes?”

“Hi, I’m Katy Houghton.”

I straightened my spine as I sized up the heiress. I’d never met her before, but she looked exactly like I expected – wealthy. She didn’t have that snobby air that a lot of rich people had though.

“Nice to meet you, Miss Houghton,” I said politely.

“You too. Pull into space 26B please.”

I drove over to the indicated space, our company owner’s daughter following me on foot. It was only one aisle over, but I wondered if I was supposed to offer her a ride. As I pulled into the parking spot, Katy opened the back door to the SUV, then the door to the Mercedes parked next to me. Someone dove into the backseat, sliding to the floor and covering herself with a blanket.

“What’s going on?” I called.

Katy ignored me, dragging two suitcases into the back of the car. As she slammed it closed again she came back to the window.

“Get out of downtown as quickly as you can. Stop someplace crowded once you’re out of the city,” she said. “She needs to stay hidden until then.”

“Wait. Is this something illegal? I do not want to go to jail.”

Katy laughed like I was being ridiculous. “Of course not. She’ll explain everything once you’re out of the city. Have a safe trip.”

Then she was gone. I sat completely still for a full minute, trying to decide if whatever this was would be worth the payout. Then a disembodied voice called from the floor of the backseat, “Can we get moving please? I want to get away from here as soon as possible.”

Damned rich people, they were so weird.

With a shrug I put the car in gear and made my way out of downtown, my eyes scanning the area behind me for any evidence that someone was following us. If they were, I couldn’t pick them up.

I made my way to the freeway where we hit stop-and-go traffic that was more stop than go. It was ten a.m. on a Friday but traffic was an unfortunate fact of life here.

“Hey, I’m Jenny. What’s your name?” I called to the person hiding in the backseat.