UnBound - Neal Shusterman Page 0,87
had to pee in someone’s shampoo bottle. She smiles and finds it odd that this has somehow become a pleasant memory.
“I can handle it,” she tells him.
• • •
An hour later, to Miracolina’s profound despair and disappointment, Griffin makes an appearance in the alley. Both she and Bryce watch through the trash bin’s bullet holes as he meets with a man who appears to be missing an ear. Although they speak quietly, and they’re at least twenty yards down the alley, she hears enough of the conversation to know that Griffin is the one selling them out.
The question is, will Jill believe her, or her own brother? Then she realizes she doesn’t have to convince her if she has evidence. So she raises her phone to the small hole and opens her camera app.
• • •
The roach balloon bobs mockingly over Jack and Jill Exterminators, looking far more threatening than it ever did before. They waited ten terrible minutes in the Dumpster after Griffin left, afraid they might bump into him on the way back. Neither Jack nor Jill are answering their phones. The call goes straight to voice mail. Just as well; this has to be done in person, and Miracolina knows she can’t bring this to Jill—she has to tell Jack. He’ll know how to break the bad news to her that her brother has betrayed them. Miracolina doesn’t want to see the disbelief and dawning despair in Jill’s face. She doesn’t want to be the one responsible for wiping Jill’s smile away, perhaps forever.
The steel security screen is already down over the window, and the door is locked. No sign that anyone’s inside. It’s always like that after hours. Signs of activity would be suspicious. Miracolina jabs the bell and looks up at the camera she knows is hidden above them, to the left of the entrance, and gives a thumbs-up.
The door buzzes open, and Miracolina pushes Bryce through. The door from the front office to the back hallway is ajar, which means they don’t have to go through the intercom code-talk to get in. They both slip through the front office and into the hallway that leads to the kitchen. It’s quiet. Too quiet. For a second she thinks that Jack moved up the transfer, and the vans have already left with the kids. Which would mean they’re on their way to being captured by parts pirates. Then she chides herself for panicking. It hasn’t even been a half hour since they’d seen Griffin in the alley. She hears movement ahead of them, someone shuffling through cupboards, and they hurry to the kitchen . . .
. . . where Griffin is making himself a sandwich.
“Is that the AWOL AWOL? I’m surprised you were able to drag him back.”
There’s no sign of Jack or Jill anywhere. Bryce turns his back, opening the fridge and lowering his head to look inside. Miracolina can’t imagine he’d be hungry at a time like this, and then she realizes that if he had seen Griffin last week on the way to his Dumpster, Griffin could have seen him. That was why he kept his hood low when he was here the first time. That’s why he’s poking his head into the fridge now. She stands in front of him, hoping it’s not obvious to Griffin what they’re doing.
“Can you check if there’s a bed downstairs for him?” Miracolina asks.
Griffin spreads mustard with a rather sharp steak knife—but that’s not the weapon she’s worried about. There’s a gun in his belt. It’s most likely loaded with tranqs, but that’s little comfort.
“He doesn’t need a bed. We’re moving up the transfer. I’ve already got my van, and Jack and Jill are out picking up the other two now. We should be ready to go by midnight.” Then he goes to the fridge and pulls Bryce away. “Dude, y’ can’t leave the door open like that. Everything will spoil.”
He closes the door and catches sight of Bryce’s face. He studies it a moment too long. Then he frowns. “Why do you look familiar, kid?”
Miracolina feels an awful sinking feeling—but Bryce grins.
“I was just here for dinner, remember?”
“No—I’ve seen you before that. . . .”
Still Bryce just shrugs it off, playing the part for all he’s worth. “Everyone says that, sir. I got an average-looking face.”
Griffin isn’t buying it. Shielded by Bryce, Miracolina gropes for something on the counter. Anything to use as a weapon.
Griffin’s eyes narrow. “Were you hanging around an alley last week,