How to get the mattress is a problem. Mom and Dad will notice if either Rory or I move our mattress out of the house. So that’s out.
“Are you sure about this, Rory?” Jordan says.
My sister nods. “I don’t know of an alternative. Don’t worry. I’ll take care of myself.”
“And you and I won’t be far away,” I tell Jordan.
“Are you sure you can keep the record on your phone?” Jordan asks.
“Yeah,” Rory says. “I’ll just set it down next to the bed. Trust me. He won’t notice.”
“And the line will be open,” I say, “so while she’s recording, I’ll also be listening.”
“Good.” Jordan nods. “Now…where do we find a queen-size mattress?”
“I can help you out.”
The three of us drop our jaws in near unison.
Carmen Murphy and two others stand about ten feet away from us.
“Damn,” Rory says. “Where the hell did you guys come from?”
“We were walking by and noticed you guys in a thick conversation.”
“Yeah, well, this is private,” I say.
“We only want to help,” Carmen says. “We know Lamone was behind that hairy buffalo. And we’d like to see him get his due.”
“How do you know?” I ask.
“Because Lamone is such a dickhead that he spouts off his mouth. I heard him talking to Jimmy Dawson and DeShawn Phillips behind the equipment shed yesterday afternoon.
“So it was Jimmy,” I say. So much for “this is the last time we speak of this. Ever.”
“Yeah. Although from what I heard, Jimmy and DeShawn didn’t have anything to do with the actual spiking. That was all Pat.”
Rory nods. “Figures.”
“So you need a mattress, huh?” Carmen says.
“We do.” I nod.
“I don’t even want to think about what you’re planning to do with it,” one of the other girls says.
“I’m sure you can imagine.” Rory tugs at a strand of hair that has come loose from her ponytail.
“Are you sure about this?” Carmen asks.
“I’m sure.”
“So you’re going after the Steel reward money,” Carmen says.
“And now I suppose you’re going to want to split that six ways,” I say.
Carmen nods. “I think that’s only fair, Callie.”
“I suppose you’re right. It’s still a lot of money.”