A Good Day for Chardonnay (Sunshine Vicram #2) - Darynda Jones Page 0,97
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?
21
Driver reported he swerved to miss a tree.
It was later discovered to be his air freshener.
—DEL SOL POLICE BLOTTER
Sun heard the ATVs coming up the mountain. It only took her and Levi another half-hour hike to get to the mine. She was surprised to hear her deputies coming so soon.
“The state cops must’ve been close,” she said, panting as they studied the opening to the Sawry Silver Mine. Her lungs burned and her legs ached. Clearly she needed more cardio and less Oreo.
The entrance was boarded up with the words KEEP OUT plastered all over it. “They may as well post a sign that says, Hey kids! Come on in! We dare you!”
“They are kind of inviting trouble with all of this.” He pulled away a board that hung loosely over one end of the opening. Dust billowed around him when it broke loose. “Here.”
She walked over and looked inside. “It’s very dark.”
“Scared?” he asked, taking his flashlight off his belt. The flashlight right next to the hunting knife.
She scoffed, ducked inside, and took out her flashlight, too. The dank smell mixed with animal droppings took some getting used to.
Levi crawled in after her, his wide shoulders barely scraping through. He winced and groaned a little, favoring the left side of his rib cage.
“You know, if you get a punctured lung up here, your chances of survival are almost nonexistent.”
“Thanks,” he said, his voice strained.
“Let me have the backpack.” She held out her hand.
“Please.” He whacked it out of the way, then scraped past her into the mine.
Rude.
She followed, the underground cave so dark it seemed to absorb the light from their flashlights the deeper they went. The slits in the wood slats glowed when she looked back at the opening, but the light didn’t reach far.
“How do you want to handle this?” he asked her.
“You’re sure they’re here?”
“I’ve been tracking them for the last two miles. Eli’s dirt bike is tucked behind a copse of bushes about twenty feet from the