The Love Scam - MaryJanice Davidson Page 0,84
walking in on them if they were in the bathroom, or dressing, or undressing. Pretty soon there were dozens of accidental sightings every week. The foster mother refused to take it seriously
(“Oh, you girls are so sensitive! Aren’t we all one big happy family? Who cares who sees what?”)
and the girls knew from experience that CPS was overworked and unlikely to be helpful without proof. So they’d hacked his home office and computer and found the porn, which was gross but not unexpected, and the monthly payments to the seventeen-year-old mistress, which was gross but helpful. Which they discussed with him. At length.
End of “accidents.”
“I wish you’d told me what you were really up to,” Rake said, having the gall to sound wounded.
“How could I? Your takeaway from Lillith’s story was ‘Your dead mom was a thief and a blackmailer.’ Why the hell would any of us confide anything we didn’t absolutely have to?”
“I like how she’s lumping us in with her,” Ellen commented with a grin. “I actually wouldn’t have cared if you’d confided.”
Rake cleared his throat. “So … you guys didn’t go to prison together?”
“What? No.” Delaney saw what he was getting at and realized she couldn’t give him shit for this one, because that’s what she had told him earlier in the week: We did time together. “We were in the same foster home. Why do you think I didn’t care about talking to the cops once we knew exactly how Donna died? I’m the only one in the family who doesn’t have a record. And do you know why, Rake?”
“No, but I’ll bet it’s a great story.”
“It’s a wonderful story,” Teresa confided. “We come off as piuttosto eroico.”*
“It’s not because I was smarter or faster or trickier. It’s because they”—pointing at Ellen and Teresa—“took the fall. Each time we got caught—which admittedly wasn’t often, and certainly not since we were voting age—they kept me clear of it. We’re all dirty, but they help me at least look clean.”
“Is that why the Big Pipe Dream is so important? Why it has to be an off-the-books shelter? Because some of you have records?”
“Yes, that’s exactly right,” Delaney said as the other girls nodded. “It’s one more piece of bureaucracy that gums up the works and makes it harder to make kids safe. But, thanks to your grandmother…”
Mrs. Tarbell was already nodding. “Oh, yes, dear. You’ve done your part and then some. I’ll be wiring the rest of your funds first thing in the morning.”
“You— Really?” From long habit, Delaney had already began mustering arguments. “Just like that?”
“It’s not ‘just like that,’ Delaney. You did everything you promised, even though your life was in danger—”
“Repeatedly,” Rake growled.
“—and your friends were at risk, to say nothing of my littlest darling.”
“Aw.”
“Not you, Rake.” Lillith giggled.
“It was worth being at risk,” Teresa said. “To find out what happened to Donna. To find her girl and make her safe. We would have done such things for nothing.”
“Which is not a hint to delay sending funds,” Ellen said. “Like, at all.”
“I wish I had friends like you guys,” Rake said with bald honesty.
Delaney smiled. “Everyone does.”
Lillith tugged on his hand. “We agreed, remember? You and I are friends.”
Rake smiled down at her. “I remember. Now I just need five more of you.”
“Listen, why do you think we paired you and Lillith up as soon as the principals were in place? Who the hell would trust a kid with ten grand?”
Ellen’s hand shot up. “I know!”
“Former street kids,” Delaney said, ignoring Ellen’s hand waving. “Plus, look at her! Could she appear more disarming and cute?”
Lillith smirked.
“And who would view a notorious carefree playboy with suspicion?”
Rake snorted. “You Bruce Wayned me?”
“Oh, I like that,” Ellen said, nodding. “Yep. That’s exactly what happened. You’re pretty and careless and spend your money doing pretty, careless things. Hell, googling you brings up loads of pics of you with supermodels. And not a little public nudity.”
“I went to one Victoria’s Secret fashion show,” he mumbled.
“My point! Who’d ever think you were doing anything but being Rake Tarbell on vacation?”
“We made you guys as safe as we could by putting you together,” Delaney added. “But one thing I don’t get—Lillith?”
The girl broke off the “I’ve got no use for a pony, but I would like the latest MacBook Air, please” discussion with Mrs. Tarbell. “Yes?”
“Why didn’t you tell me you had the flash drive? Why wait until we were literally under the gun?”
“That’s exactly what I waited for. Mama told me