Page 115 of The Five Year Lie

“We have the picnic today,” he says. “I don’t want to do the sack race. It’s not fun. You just fall over.”

“Okay. You don’t have to do the sack race.”

He smiles.

I pack his pj’s into his backpack alongside his clean clothes, and I wonder where we’re going to sleep tonight. Maybe in mymother’s house? I’ll need upgraded locks before I’m willing to go back home.

I wonder how I’ll explain that to Buzz.

“Does Tara have cereal?” he asks hopefully as I walk him into the kitchen. “The one with marshmallows in it? She had that last time.”

“Let’s see,” I say, although what I really mean isLet’s hope not. Because ick.

“Do you mean this?” Tara shakes a box of Lucky Charms. “I already got it out for you, Buzzy boy. But we’re adding some Cheerios to the bowl so your mother doesn’t freak out about the sugar.”

“Cool,” he says, showing me all his baby teeth when he smiles. There’s an older kid in his class who’s already lost a tooth. It’s only a matter of time.

“It’s shopping day, though, so we don’t have much else,” Tara says, opening her refrigerator to peer inside. “Eggs, but no bacon.”

“Don’t cook,” I insist. “We’ll have brunch after I drop Buzz at school. My treat. As a thank-you.”

So that’s what we do. We drop Buzz off at school and then get a booth at Becky’s Diner.

We order, and I pounce on the coffee as soon as the waitress brings my cup. I feel hungover, even though we drank nothing stronger than tea last night.

Stress is exhausting.

My phone rings, and it’s my mother’s ringtone. It’s rude to take a call in a restaurant, but given yesterday’s break-in, I’m afraid to let it go to voice mail. “Hello? Mom, I’m just at Becky’s. Is everything okay?”

“Everything is fine,” she says quickly. “Take your time. I wasjust calling to tell you that I called in a favor with Maria.” That’s her twice-a-week housekeeper. “She’s in your apartment right now doing her best to make it look like nothing ever went wrong in there.”

“Oh wow.” I take a grateful gulp of my coffee. “Mom, thank you both. I had assumed I would spend the afternoon doing exactly that.”

“You shouldn’t have to,” she says. “I want you to put this behind you. I have a locksmith coming, too. Ray and I think you should have your locks changed.”

“Thank you,” I repeat. “Although locks are pickable, apparently. The detective thinks that’s how they got in.”

“That scares me,” she says. “I’ll ask the locksmith about a security bar for when you’re alone at night. And isn’t Officer Barski rather cute?”

“Mama.”I let out a startled laugh. “Are we discussing my personal safety? Or are you trying to set me up with a cop?”

“Noway,” Tara grumbles.“God.”

“It was just an idea,” my mother insists. “If you and Buzz were with a policeman, I’d know you were always safe.”

Tell that to a girl named Amina.“Thank you for all you’ve done. I’d better hang up now.”

“Take care, sweetheart.”

Larri rolls her eyes as I end the call. “Not a fan of that woman.”

“I know.” I set my phone down, but then think better of it. I open up my texts and find a message from Zain. “I don’t think Zain ever sleeps. He messaged me at one thirty in the morning.” And it’s a voice note, which isn’t like him.

I pressplayand hold it up to my ear. It’s Zain’s voice, but hesounds high-pitched and weird. “Ariel. Take bussan run.” Then there’s a loud thunk before the sound cuts out.

Wait. What? I play it three more times, each time with rising anxiety. But that doesn’t help it make sense. So I pass the phone to Larri. “What do you think he’s saying?”

Her eyes widen when she listens. She puts it on speaker and plays it for the table. But it doesn’t make any more sense that way.