“Not likely.” His gaze dropped to her mouth just as Quincy came over the radio.
“You two done?”
Sun pivoted away from Levi like she’d been caught in the act itself.
“Because we secured the men following you like five minutes ago.”
She cleared her throat and pressed the talk button on her mic. “How many?”
“Two,” Rojas said. “They supposedly don’t know where the other guy is.”
Quincy came back on, “We called in the staties to check out their hotel in case he stayed behind. They’re coming out here, too. Hope that’s okay.”
“It’s more than okay. Not sure what we can hold any of them on, but it’s worth a shot to try to find out their end game. Did Zee have to shoot anyone?”
“Not today, boss,” she said almost sadly. It was a joke. Sun saw firsthand what it did to her the last time she had to take down a perpetrator.
“You guys okay to get them back to the trailhead?”
“Ten-four on that,” Quincy said.
“They’re hog-tied, boss,” Zee said. “I can stay on you. Watch your six, just in case.”
Levi grabbed the backpack and Sun ripped it out of his hands. “Nah, stay on them, then hustle up with the ATVs when the state police get here.”
“Ten-four.”
With the stalkers out of the way, they could continue their journey to the boys and, hopefully, get some answers.
“I want a do-over,” Levi said. After stuffing their water bottles into the backpack, he stole it once more and secured it on his shoulders. “I felt my performance lacked authenticity.”
Unfortunately, Sun responded before giving it much thought. “I doubt your performances are ever found lacking, Mr. Ravinder.” When her words sank in, she froze for a solid minute, then started forward, suddenly eager to be on her way.
Auri turned to the tapping on her window a microsecond after her grandmother left her room with her lunch tray. Finding dead bodies got her all kinds of special treatment. She’d give it five stars. Highly recommended.
She hobbled over and opened the window. “Cruz, what are you doing here?”
“Checking on you. I got your texts.”
“Sorry. I just had to tell you about last night. Why aren’t you in school?”
“Why aren’t you in school?” he asked, his mouth pressed together on one side, forming a lopsided grin that made him so handsome, it hurt her heart.
“Either way, you will not believe what happened.”
“You found a dead body,” he said.
She frowned. “How did you know?”
“It’s all over school.”
“Of course it is. Come in.” She stepped aside so he could scale the tower wall and enter her fortress of solitude. Also, mixing up fandoms was a specialty of hers.
“I can’t, Auri. I have to respect your grandfather’s wishes.” He paused, his serious expression almost comical, then added, “And you. As a friend and as a woman, I have to respect you.”
She offered him a look of bemusement before catching on. She rolled her eyes. “My grandpa is standing right behind me, isn’t he?”
Cruz nodded.
“Can he hear me?”
He nodded again.
“That’s what I meant, Cruz. Go to the front door and let my grandparents know you’re here to see me. They won’t mind.” She turned to her grandfather who’d totally invaded her space bubble. “Right, Grandpa?”
His lashes narrowed on them. “I’m going to pretend I fell for that.”
“Thanks, Grandpa!”
Cruz went around and was shown in the old-fashioned way, which was way easier on the shins. They lay on her bed, Auri under the covers and Cruz on top, and talked for the next hour nonstop.
“I’m going to confess everything,” she said to him, “to Mrs. Fairborn. I’m going to tell her why we broke into her house, how it was all my idea, and how I was going to turn her in for being a maniacal serial killer.” She hoped Cruz would understand. “I can’t send her to prison, Cruz. She’s too old.”
“I don’t think they would send her to a regular prison. Maybe they have one for the elderly that has a bingo palace.”
“I’m not sure I want to take that chance. I do want to get that necklace, though. And I …I kind of need your help.”
“I’m in.”
“But I haven’t—”
“I’m in.”
“It’ll be dangerous.”
“I’m still in.”
“And we’ll have to wait until dark. We’ll have a very narrow window. Basically, after my grandparents go to bed and before my mom gets home. She’s working a big case.”
“Still with ya.”
“And Mrs. Fairborn could catch us and kill us. Clearly, she knows what she’s doing.”
“I’m still in, beautiful.”
His compliment caused a rush of warmth a microsecond before reality sank in yet again. How could she risk Cruz’s freedom? How could she be so selfish? And why would he agree to another one of her harebrained schemes without question? “Cruz, you’re not listening.”
The more she thought about it, the more panic took hold. But this was her best option. She would be appeasing the Press family while completely botching the investigation and keeping Mrs. Fairborn safe.
Still, she’d be putting Cruz at the center of it all. She’d opened the can of worms they were now swimming in. It was up to her to close it. She wouldn’t need his lockpicking skills if she walked right up to Mrs. Fairborn’s door and knocked. Once inside, she could excuse herself to go to the bathroom and grab the necklace.
“I’m pretty sure I am.”
“You are?”
“Listening.”
She fell back against her pillows. “Never mind. I can’t get you into trouble again.”
“Auri,” he said, leaning over to brush his thumb across her bottom lip, “I’m in.”
Relief washed over her. She really was selfish. “Thank you.” She looked at the clock on her nightstand. “You know, sixth hour is starting soon. You’re going to miss class.”
“It’s okay.”
“You’re in enough hot water with your dad, right? Did he make it home last night?”
“No, not yet. He had an emergency.”
Auri had to wonder what kind of emergency a mechanic would have out of town, but her thoughts were interrupted when Sybil texted asking how she was doing.
“You answer,” Cruz said. “I’m going to get you something to drink. You need to stay hydrated.”
She smiled as he left and texted Sybil back. I’m fine. Cruz is here.
Oh, good. I was worried.
Why?
He hasn’t been here all day. Thought maybe his dad killed him after all. LOL
Cruz said he heard at school about what happened last night.
IDK. Wasn’t in any of his classes. It’s all over FB tho. Maybe he saw it there.
That was strange. She texted back a quick Maybe then let her suspicions run wild. If Cruz hadn’t gone to class, where did he go? And why did he lie to her about it?