Page 90 of Darkwater Lane

Instead, I clear my throat and say as calmly as possible, “That sounds like a lot.”

Her lower lip trembles. “She needs my help, Mom. I’m the only one she trusts.” There’s an urgent desperation in her voice.

“I didn’t realize you and Florida were that close.”

Her cheeks flush. “Yeah, um... When I was down here with Sam last fall, we hung out. And we’ve sort of kept up with each other since. You know. Online and stuff.”

Suddenly, I put two and two together. “Sunshine state of mind,” I say. “Florida.”

Her eyes go wide and fill with panic. “Shit. You know about my Insta account? I know you’re against it, and I’m sorry. It’s just that?—”

I wave a hand. “Let’s not worry about that right now.” I stand. “I assume you’re okay if I drive?”

Lanny looks at me with wide eyes. “Really? You’ll take me?”

“Of course, I’m going to help you when you need it. That’s the way this trust thing works.”

She launches herself at me, grabbing me in a huge hug. “Thank you, Mom.”

I hold her for a moment, squeezing her tightly, grateful that shetrusted me enough to ask for help and hoping like hell I don’t regret giving it to her.

While she runs to get dressed, I stop by Connor’s room. He’s still asleep. I consider waking him and making him come with us but then reconsider. It’s probably safer for him to stay here, and at fifteen, it’s not like he’s not used to being home alone.

I text him, letting him know Lanny and I are out and will be back in about an hour. Knowing him, we’ll be back before he’s even up.

Next, I swing by my bedroom, pulling on my shoulder holster, and grabbing my firearm from the lockbox in the bedside table. I try calling Sam, but it rolls to voicemail. With a growl of frustration, I check the location app. His phone is offline. Again.

I squeeze my eyes closed and curse under my breath. Where the hell is he?

I dash off a quick text.

Gwen

Where are you?? Call me!!

We’re in the car less than five minutes later, headed into the mountains. The Belldenes own a significant amount of land, and it’s all crisscrossed with dirt roads and paths that don’t show on any map. Florida texts Lanny directions to a small clearing deep in the woods by a stream. As we drive deeper and deeper into the forest, a part of me wonders if I’m heading into a trap.

“You sure you trust Florida?” I ask Lanny. “You know how much her family hates ours. They could have put her up to this.”

She shakes her head vehemently. “She’s not like them. That’s one reason we get along so well. We’re both judged based on the criminals in our family.”

I swallow down the ache her answer causes in my chest.

Lanny looks out the window, her arms tightly crossed. “She’sthe one who encouraged me to apply to all those schools. I didn’t think I even had a shot of getting in, but she did.”

And, just like that, any hesitation I had about Florida Belldene is gone.

I take a sharp turn onto a deeply rutted road barely wide enough to fit the SUV. As we bump over water breaks, I glance toward my daughter. “So, I guess it hasn’t been all bad moving back to Stillhouse Lake, huh?”

A small grin tugs at the corner of her mouth. “No.”

I keep an eagle eye out as we approach the designated meeting place. Florida’s standing by a copse of trees at the edge of the clearing. When she sees us coming, she races toward us. Lanny launches out of the car before I’ve even fully stopped.

The two collide in a fierce hug.

Lanny presses her hand against Florida’s cheek. “You okay?”

Florida nods, her eyes glistening with tears. “I wasn’t sure you’d come.”