Page 82 of The Whispering Night
It makes her think of the Whisperer.
“I’m sorry, E,” she continues. “Things are bad—”
“No shit.”
“And I need a ride out of here. Is your car here and can I have the keys? If anyone asks, just say I stole it.”
“My car isn’t here—” Erica breaks off as a cheer erupts that could literally puncture eardrums. The toilets sway, and Erica leans close enough to shout right into Winnie’s ear: “My car isn’t here. But meet me at my mom’s car. It’s in the VIP lot, black Lexus with the bell on the windshield. I’ll get us out of here.”
“Us?” Winnie shouts back.
And Erica smiles.
CHAPTER
34
“The official story is that you got hurt last night at the hotspot and you’re a hero who has graciously handed your crown to L.A.” This is the first thing Erica says once she hits the unlock button on the Lexus—which Winnie now recognizes as her ride to the Saturday breakfast a few days ago.
“Uh, trunk for you!” Erica snaps, when Winnie aims for the passenger seat. “You’re covered in paint. Also, what if people see me driving you out of here?”
Both points are good ones, so Winnie crawls into the trunk space as soon as the door is wide enough to fit through. Then she lies on her back and folds up her legs.
God, she’s tired.
In seconds, Erica is backing them out and resuming her story—though louder now, to be heard over the crunching gravel and car engine. “Only me, L.A., Trevor, and Bretta really saw that Tuesdays took you, not Monday ambulances. And… well, we’ve all been threatened with cell time if we say a word during the Masquerade.”
What about after the Masquerade? Can you blab then?Winnie doesn’t ask this. “What about my mom? Or Darian? Do you know where they are?”
“No.” Winnie can hear the pity in Erica’s voice. “I haven’t seen either of them all day—ohshit!They’ve got a blockade at the exit, Winnie. There are scorpions raising their hands for me to stop.”
Winnie screws her eyes shut. “Stop then, E. When they find me, act likeyou didn’t know I was in here.”Maybe this time I can look for Mom and Darian before I escape.
Erica does not stop. Instead, the SUV lurches. So hard, inertia yanks Winnie back against the door. She hears gravel spray like firecrackers. Then she hears furious shouts and yelps rebound off the SUV.
Erica whoops:“HELL YEAH.”
And Winnie shoots up to a seated position, jaw to her sternum as she gapes out the tinted window at four scorpions chasing them down the road. One is also bellowing into a radio.
“They’re going to come after us!”
“Yep!” Erica grins into the rearview mirror. Her eyes look slightly unhinged; her energy leans towardchaotic neutral. “But you know what they say about Thursdays!”
“Your clan is too uptight?”
“Never without a plan!” Erica bangs both hands against the steering wheel. “And believe it or not, Winona, I actually have a plan for a day like today!”
“When Tuesdays would chase you through Hemlock Falls?” Winnie doesn’t mean to sound screechy, but she definitely sounds screechy. “Because there is a Hummer pulling out of the estate now!”
Erica laughs, also a screechy sound, except it’s lesspanicked bearand moreoverzealous bell.“Not quite that, but trust me: I got this.”
Winnie wants to trust Erica. Shereallywants to trust Erica—especially because she has no seat belt on and they are currently accelerating to warp speed on a residential road. Which is basically whatallroads in Hemlock Falls are. The roads are also all peppered with approximately three billion stop signs.
One of which Erica blows right through.Hi, Monday estate! Bye, Monday estate!
Well, at this point, Winnie supposes she has no reason to remain in the trunk. They are both fugitives now.Agents Wednesday and Thursday on the run.She clambers over the seat into the back seat. “They’re still behind us.”
“I can see that. But it’s just one Hummer.”
