Page 44 of The Summer Request

Michelle crossed her arms. “Right.”

A smile curled his lips. “I’m so curious what got you interested in coming to my home, then to my conference. I just can’t figure it out.”

Lisa stepped out from behind her friends. Her voice was even and quiet, her stance non-threatening. “It was all because of a friend of ours.”

He smiled down at her. “Justine?”

She shook her head.

“Ah, someone new.” He let out a chuckle. “It’s nice you can still make friends at your age.”

Lisa nodded. “Yes. His name is Sam Beverly. Do you know him?”

He stared at her, lips still pulled into a wide smile over his bright porcelain veneers. “Oh?”

She took a step toward him and lightly pushed him in the shoulder.

The security guards moved toward her, but he quickly threw a hand up, motioning for them to stand back.

Lisa smiled at him. “We’d like our phones back, please.”

“Give them back,” Lou said to Keith.

Keith was bewildered. “But – ”

“Now!”

He produced their phones and, without another word, the three of them filed past.

Sixteen

They burst out of the room, Lisa leading the way to a clearly marked exit door. They went straight for it, pushing it open and spilling onto the sidewalk, the stuffy night air filling their lungs.

“Freedom!” Val yelled. She looked over her shoulder to make sure they weren’t being followed. It looked clear. “Let’s find a place with people. Witnesses, so we’re protected.”

“There’s a coffee shop over there,” Michelle said, pointing.

Val nodded. “That’ll do.”

“Good idea,” Lisa said.

When they got there, Lisa disappeared into the bathroom. Val waited to confront Lisa until after she emerged. “Okay, where onearthdid that come from?”

She shrugged. “I’ve had to go for the last two hours.”

Val laughed and shook her head. “Not that. I mean you standing up to Lou. Whoareyou?”

“I’m just little old me!” She walked over to the counter and peered at the menu on the wall. “Did you guys order anything yet? I’m thirsty.”

Michelle shot Val an alarmed look and lowered her voice. “Did they do something to her in there? Inject her with something?”

Lisa spun around. “I don’t know why you’re acting so strange about this. Clearly, the longer they kept us there, the more trouble they were in. They brought Lou in as a final act to scare us. It didn’t work.”

“But…” Val trailed off, staring at Lisa. She didn’t know what to think, or what to say.

A man appeared behind them. “Are you in line?”

Val said “no” at the same time Lisa said “yes.”