Page 41 of Gin & Jewels

“It’s too coincidental.”

“You need to turn the car around. This is crazy.” I rubbed my head again.

“I can’t do that.” He shook his head. “You’re my baby sister, and I need to protect you.”

“I can take care of myself,” I snapped.

“I’m not letting you go back. If you turn me in—”

“I’m not going to turn you in.”

“That may be true, but that guy is too suspicious.”

Of course, I had my doubts about Brad too, but it wasn’t enough for me to run away. When he drove me home because I wasn’t feeling well—and because I really needed to clear my head—I decided that I was going to play it by ear and see if he started to fish for any information about the robbery. So far, he hadn’t, and that gave me a little hope that he wasn’t trying to get close to me so he could get evidence against Keith.

I crossed my arms over my chest. “So, what’s the plan? We’re just going to live in Nashville because you think he can’t find us there?”

“I have a friend from high school who lives near Nashville, and he said we can stay with him until we get on our feet.”

“Get on our feet? You’ve never had a job!”

He blew out a breath. “Being shot has really opened my eyes. I’m going to change. I don’t want to end up in jail.”

I rolled my eyes and then looked around the backseat for my belongings. I couldn’t believe him. “Where’s my phone so I can callmywork?”

“I left it.”

“Then how am I supposed to call them?”

“When we get to Albuquerque, we’ll get you to a payphone.”

A payphone? Was there even such a thing anymore? “When we get to Albuquerque, I’m taking a bus home.”

“How? Do you have money?”

I looked around the backseat again and saw nothing. “Did you pack my clothes? Bring my purse?”

“No. I got us into the car and left.”

“What is wrong with you?”

“I’m trying to save us, Cass.”

“I didn’t need saving, Keith. You could have left me and just disappeared. I did nothing wrong.” I looked out the window and wondered where we were. I didn’t know how long I’d been asleep or how far Albuquerque was from Las Vegas. I’d only ever been to California when my parents took us to Disneyland and Universal Studios a few times.

“You’re wrong,” he stated.

“How?”

“You’re an accessory.”

“How am I an accessory? I had nothing to do with the robbery.”

“But you know it was me and the guys.”

“So?”

“If I get charged, so will you since you never reported it.”