Jessie stood up, as did Barry Lander. He again gestured, this time forher to leave. As he led her back down the hallway to the front door, she couldn’thelp but feel that Marin’s protestations were more of a performance than aresult of any heartfelt offense.
When they reached the door, Barry opened it for her. She started tostep through when he leaned in. For a second she thought he was about to make apass and made a fist, which she kept tight at her side.
“We feel that our word should be enough to confirm our whereabouts lastnight,” he whispered, his breath hot on her neck. “But should the need arise,we might have video evidence that confirms that we were in our hotel room, andwith whom.”
“What are you saying?” she asked.
“I’m saying that I hope you’re able to find Gabby’s killer withoutneeding to upset the delicate balance of our group. I don’t want to add insultto grievous injury. But if push comes to shove, and our freedom is at stake, Ican definitively verify where we were from ten to eleven twenty and who waswith us. I assure you that you can eliminate us as suspects, Ms. Hunt. Andthough I would prefer not to provide visual evidence to corroborate it, you caneliminate Theo as well. What can I say? The boy was curious.”
Jessie stared at him for several seconds before responding, refusing toeven hint at the excitement that was growing in her chest.
“Don’t lose that video,” she told him. “You may end up needing it.”
Once he closed the door, she fought the desire to sprint to her car.Within seconds of getting in, she was looking up the Aldridges’ address on herphone. And within moments of that, she was headed their way.
CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE
Hannah was getting bored.
The movie had distracted her for a few hours. But she was stillagitated by her encounter with Kat that morning. She had hoped that walkingaround the mall with the three girls from school whose company she could standwould keep her restlessness at bay. But there was only so much trying on ofcute tops that she couldn’t afford to buy before her thoughts began to wander.
Jessie had left her alone after a flurry of smothering calls and texts,but Hannah knew it could get far worse than sisterly over-communication. So farit seemed that Kat had kept her mouth shut. If she’d spilled, Jessie wouldalready be here. But even if she’d been lucky so far, the situation with Katwas a ticking time bomb. She’d thought that she could keep the woman quiet bywarning her that telling Jessie anything would imperil their friendship.
But the more Hannah thought about it, the less effective she suspectedthe move would ultimately be. Katherine Gentry was used to dealing withhardened, violent criminals. She wasn’t likely to be intimated by a teenagegirl, regardless of the consequences.
Hannah passively observed as her brain starting to come up withalternative solutions to her dilemma, ones more dramatic than simple blackmail.Unsavory images popped into her head. She felt a shudder of an emotion thatrarely reached her: shame. Almost audibly, she ordered herself to stop thosethoughts. She needed to focus on something else.
As she looked desperately around the mall, her eyes fell on a chainjewelry store just across the indoor courtyard from where she and her friendsstood. It was staffed by two bored-looking women: one middle-aged, the other inher late twenties. There was no security guard. She had an idea. And eventhough she knew it was a bad one, it seemed like the only way to shake evenworse thoughts out of her head, so she went with it.
“Hey, guys,” she said, getting the attention of the other girls. “Whatif I told you I had a way for all of us to buy every outfit we tried on today?”
“I’d say I’m listening,” said Melina, the snarkiest of the three. Talland skinny with long black hair, she always seemed the most game for trouble.
“Okay,” Hannah said, motioning for them to gather round her as shelowered her voice. “This is going to sound a little out there but I think itcould work. Do you see that jewelry store over there?”
They all glanced over and nodded. Kayla, always a little skittish,already looked nervous. Her cheeks turned red, offering a dramatic contrast toher pale skin and light blonde hair.
“This isn’t going to—?” she began.
“I thought you were going to at least hear me out,” Hannah balked.
“Sorry,” Kayla said, chastened.
“That’s okay,” Hannah said and quickly moved on. “So I’m thinking thatJanine goes in by herself. Ask the younger woman for help. You should find anitem in the thousand-dollar range, maybe a bracelet or necklace. While you’retrying it on, chatting with the saleswoman, the three of us will come in,asking the older one if they have anything inexpensive. Maybe we say we’relooking for matching charms or something.”
“Why are we doing this?” Melina asked.
“We’re not really,” Hannah explained. “After a minute or two, I willpretend to have a seizure. I’ll fall to the floor and start writhing around,flailing my arms everywhere. One of you should get the older lady to help you subdueme. The other should tell the younger saleswoman to see if they have anythingsweet in the back—juice, soda, whatever. When she goes to the back and, whilethe older one is helping me, Janine just walks out with whatever jewelry she hason. Head straight for the mall exit. Once you’re outside, put the bracelet inyour pocket and walk to the McDonald’s across the street. Wait inside. When I ‘recover,’we’ll meet you. Sound good?”
The three girls all stared at her with their jaws hanging open. It tookseveral seconds for any of them to speak. Finally Kayla did.
“Are you serious?” she asked.
“Are you in if I am?”
“No,” she said emphatically. “No top, no matter how cute, is worthgetting arrested for. That’s not just shoplifting. Stealing an expensivebracelet from a jewelry store takes it to another level.”
Hannah
