I glance at my watch. Forty-five minutes until Dad said I needed to be home—it’s not enough time.
“You need money,” I say. I’m hoping that after my dad remarries his new wife will be gracious enough to give me money to help support Liesel. But until then, I need to ensure Liesel has money for food.
She opens her mouth to disagree but then snaps it shut. She knows she needs money.
“What do you suggest?”
“We are going to steal it from someone who doesn’t need it. Okay, huntress?”
“And where are we going to find someone around here who doesn’t need money?”
I frown. I honestly have no idea.
“You’re the huntress. Do you have any ideas?” I ask, embarrassed that I don’t have an idea of how to help her.
She smiles. “Maybe.”
I grin along with her.
“Do you have money for bus fare?” she asks.
I reach into my pocket and pull the twenty-dollar bill out—the only money I have left.
“This enough?”
“It’ll have to be.”
We spend the next twenty minutes on the bus driving toward the beach. We’ve ridden the bus this way before, but usually to enjoy the beach, not to steal.
We stand on the crowded beach. I suggested we go to an area with shops and stores, but Liesel disagreed.
“Okay, we’re here. Nothing but tourists for miles.”
She grins. “Exactly. Tourists swimming in the ocean, leaving their belongings on the beach. And tourists always have cash.”
I suck in a breath. “I hope you’re right.”
“I am. I hunted, it’s your turn to go in for the kill.”
I laugh. “Stay right here. I’ll be back soon with plenty of moola.”
She stands on the edge of the beach as I jog along the tourists’ belongings, looking for an easy target.
Liesel was right—there are unattended bags everywhere. But if I start going through belongings, I’m going to draw attention to myself. So rather than going through every bag, I pick my targets carefully, only selecting bags where the wallets are already in plain sight.
I snatch a wallet and pull out the cash before dropping it back down before anyone notices.
I do this three more times, collecting almost two hundred dollars and then run back to Liesel. It should be enough for a while, but not enough to grow up on. She needs money for years. Money to feed her, clothe her, send her to dance classes or let her join the softball league. Money she’ll never have. Money I’ll never be able to give her.
“Here,” I say, shoving the money into her hands.
“Wow, that’s a lot of money. Um…maybe you should keep some of it.”
“I won’t need it where I’m going.”
She nods slowly in understanding and fists the money.
I glance at my watch. I’m officially a half-hour late. I know the beating I’ll have to endure for being late, but I don’t care. Tomorrow, we leave. Tonight, I’m spending every second with this girl.