The Perfect Cover (The Perfect Stranger #2) - Charlotte Byrd Page 0,34

they have a peaceful relationship. I hope that he treats her the way that she deserves to be treated.

Given what India says about men who abuse women, it is unlikely that he has improved his behavior.

But a person can have hope, right?

“I’m really sorry that you had to go through that, but I’m glad that you’re with someone so much better now.”

I give her a slight nod and a forced smile.

I don’t want to think about the fact that if Maggie were to be interviewed by the FBI or the police, they would immediately find out that I am not being held hostage in this car.

“Of course, I’m not mad about it anymore,” I say as casually as possible. “We were never really right for each other. He was here and I was there and our relationship was to a large degree just a convenience. We got along just well enough to keep going until it became too hard. After we broke up, I promised myself to never be with someone out of convenience again.”

19

Tyler

When the lights flash...

When I hear the two of them in the back seat laughing and joking around, I forget that we are actually on the run.

For a moment, I actually feel like we are just two couples, four friends, taking the trip of a lifetime across America.

I try to stay in this headspace for as long as possible but old thoughts creep in.

I don’t know much about Maggie and she doesn’t offer much while she rides with us. She must have told Mac some sort of story and even though I doubt that it’s the truth, I hope that she has enough riding on whatever it is that she’s running away from to keep our secret.

I don’t know how much longer I want to travel with Mac now that Maggie is here.

I still owe him a favor, a big one, but even though I haven’t taken him far, I feel like I have paid him handsomely.

Having Maggie here is a danger to both me and Isabelle. Having Mac here is bad enough, but she’s a bystander, an outsider.

Once she finds out about the reward, there will be nothing stopping her from turning on us and collecting the money. While I try to formulate a solid plan, an exit strategy, I keep my friendliness level up.

I don’t want to be rude or a bad host. I don’t want to draw attention to anything about us.

The longer that she can keep thinking that we are just three friends out on a road trip, the better we all will be.

As we get further and further into the desert, I try to figure out exactly what it is that she knows. She knows our names and some general things about us. She doesn’t share much about herself and seems to be okay with the fact that we don’t either.

The only thing that comes as a surprise to me is the fact that Isabelle tells her about an abusive ex-boyfriend, one that she hadn’t even told me about. I wonder if they have this in common.

Perhaps it is what they bonded over while we stopped for gas and to stretch our legs. The girls speak in hushed tones in the back while Mac turns up Metallica in the front.

I sit in the front passenger seat and stare out the window at the beautiful desert that unfolds before me. If I am lucky enough to escape and start a new life, I’m never going back east. I decide this right here, right now as the shrubs whiz below the endless fucking blue sky that goes for miles and miles in all directions.

We drive for a long time today, occasionally changing drivers. I’m back behind the wheel when I see the flashing lights.

It’s hard for lights to creep up on you unless you’re not really paying attention, and in this case, I’m not. In fact, I haven’t even seen that it was a police car because Mac and I were so deep into our conversation about whether Guns N’ Roses or Led Zeppelin is the superior band.

My heart leaps into my chest as I keep checking the rearview mirror to make sure that my eyes are not deceiving me. After a moment, I look back and that’s when he puts on the sirens.

I don’t have much time to make a decision. I either put the pedal to the floor and gun it or pull over and try to pretend that everything is