Page 23 of Take the Wheel

Nancy exhaled slowly. ‘Why didn’t you tell me that was what this was all about?’

Ari’s jaw tightened. ‘Would you have helped if I had told you?’

Nancy considered that. ‘Do you have a plan?’

Ari gave her a look. ‘Obviously.’

Nancy arched an eyebrow. ‘Which is?’

‘Step one: find Paris’s room. Step two: get my necklace back.’

‘That’s not a plan,’ Nancy muttered. ‘That’s an objective.’

Ari shrugged. ‘Details.’

‘I didn’t think you even cared about that necklace.’

‘You know about that?’ Ari said, surprised.

‘You and your mother were arguing about once. I wasn’t trying to listen, but… She was angry. And you were very casual about the whole thing.’

‘Because there’s not a lot else I can do when she gets going,’ Ari said.

‘But if Paris stole it, I don’t understand why you didn’t tell her what happened?’ Nancy asked.

‘Youknowthat wouldn’t have helped anything,’ Ari huffed. ‘She wouldn’t have believed me. Or if she did, I still would have been to blame because I ended the relationship badly. Or if not that, there’d be some other way this was my fault.’

Nancy couldn’t argue with that. The woman would have pinned the Kennedy assassination on Ari, given half a chance.

‘If you know how she is, why do this? Why try to correct it? She won’t appreciate it,’ Nancy told her honestly.

Ari’s face set in a determination that looked alien on her. ‘I just wanted to see her face when she sees I got something right. I need it. Just one flash of surprise on that smug face. Just once.’

Sympathy swept over Nancy. But only briefly. ‘You should havetoldme.’

Ari’s shoulders slumped. ‘I just wanted to handle this on my own. I didn’t think you’d ever even find out. But now I feellike a fool, running around in formal wear like I’m in some crap heist movie.Ocean’s One.’

Nancy laughed despite the tension.

‘Are you going to leave the wedding?’ Ari asked.

‘Should I?’ Nancy asked seriously.

‘I hope you don’t, but I suppose I couldn’t blame you,’ Ari said helplessly.

‘Ari, Jesus,’ Nancy exclaimed, annoyed. ‘I deserved to know what was going on here. You’ve pulled me into a crime.’

‘Technically, there’s been no crime yet. And even if I find the necklace, it’s mine. I’m justretrievingit,’ Ari said.

‘I understand that. But it doesn’t mean we can’t get in trouble. You doseethat, don’t you? Rooting around the bedrooms, looking through the family’s stuff? It’s dicey. Atbest.’

Ari nodded. ‘Right. But you’re already here, so why not help me out?’

‘Because I’m not getting a custodial sentence for you and your grandmother’s trinket,’ Nancy replied plainly.

Ari stared at her. ‘Fine. Let me get on with it, then.’

As Ari reached for the door, Nancy caught her wrist. ‘No.’

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