“Thank you, Callie. Thank you for saying that.”
I do appreciate her sentiment.
But she’s wrong.
What I did was not admirable.
I abandoned my little sister. I abandoned my family.
My brother, to whom I owe everything.
And my parents, to whom I also owe everything.
And who, I’m finding out, may not be the people I thought they were.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CALLIE
I hand one thumb drive with Pat Lamone’s confession to Rory. The other I place in my purse. Rory and I have plans to drive to Denver this weekend and open up a safe-deposit box in a downtown bank. The confession will be safe there.
“I can’t believe we pulled this off,” Rory says.
“I can’t believe you let that piece of shit kiss you without gagging,” I retort.
“Believe me, it was difficult. I guess I’m a better actress than I ever thought I was.”
“Are you kidding? You’re a great actress. And a great vocalist. You’re going to make it, Ror.”
“I hope you’re right. I wish I could make this my audition.” She laughs. Sort of. More like a nervous giggle.
“I know you feel pretty dirty about the whole thing. But don’t. We’re going to be ten thousand dollars richer pretty quick.”
“You mean thirty-three hundred dollars richer. Between the two of us. We have to split it with all the others.”
“Yeah, that does kind of suck. Oh, well. Thirty-three hundred sure is a lot better than zero.”
“True that. So we’ll go to the Steels after we make sure this one is safely deposited in Denver?”
“Or we go now. What do you think?”
“I don’t trust Pat Lamone. Or any of the other guys who know about this. I want to make sure the evidence is secure before we go to the Steels.”
I nod. “Good enough.” Then my phone buzzes.
I have more information for you about Pat Lamone. Under the bleachers. Noon.
I widen my eyes as my heart starts beating rapidly. I shove my phone under Rory’s nose. “What do you make of this?”
She pulls her own phone out of her purse. “I have the same text. My phone is still on silent from the other night.”
“What do you think? Do we go?”
“I don’t know. We already have the evidence. How can there be any more?”
“I don’t know. Maybe one of us goes, and the other stands watch.”
“Sounds good. I’m the older sister. I should go.”