Lie Like a Villain

Chapter 5 || Shell Shock

Rachel drove as the first drops of a rainstorm splattered against her windshield. In the backseat, Jason's head lolled to the side. He'd fallen asleep about ten minutes after he'd navigated Little Miss Creepy back to his side—a stupidly stubborn undertaking considering he still looked like he fit better in a morgue than a marathon. She had decided that if he passed out on the side of the road, she was just going to leave him there.

But he'd pulled the girl into the backseat with him and stayed alert as long as he could manage. He'd even startled himself back awake a couple times. His sister didn't notice an ounce of the devotion.

In fact, she hadn't said a word. Not while Rachel had been sewing her brother back together. Not when they drove through the underwater tunnel, the ocean pressing in around them and the world blocked from view. Not when Rachel repeatedly tried to make small talk—what's your name, where are you from, how's a nice girl like you end up on a crazy trip like this. Instead, she stared unflinchingly forward like they were in a horror flick and she was some evil spirit's frozen puppet. Rachel swore when the girl opened her mouth, it would be to consume their souls.

She shivered even though she knew she was being ridiculous. There was no way that skinny kid could hurt her. But Rachel would still have felt more comfortable if Psycho Boy had been alone.

The car rolled along the highway, exits coming in and out of view. She passed them all up, ready to put as much distance between her and Hampton as physically possible. After too many hours of driving, dawn began to touch the sky, and weariness crept over her. Her blow-up with Rafe, her escape from his Lost Boys, and her impromptu surgery all dropped its weight on her at the same time.

So the next time she saw a sign for a city, she followed it. Within ten minutes, she found herself in the tiny town of Berlin, Maryland. A faded sign announced they were now in the "the coolest small town in America," and she scoffed.

A couple sleepy stoplights later, she parked in front of the most run-down looking motel she could find. The roof sagged and dirty water dribbled from the gutter. Drunkenly tilting numbers decorated doors that might have once been white. Over the crusty lobby window, rusted bars pretended to offer their protection.

Though Little Miss Creepy continued her staring contest with the window, Jason stirred. "What are we doing here?" he mumbled.

"Sleeping," Rachel answered shortly. "I need a break."

Jason eyed the motel. "Looks like a great spot to bed down." He dragged a hand over his bleary eyes. "I'm sure the roaches love it."

She switched the engine off. "Where do you think they're gonna let you in at? Some five star? We'll be lucky to get through the door here. You look like death." She turned around, pleased to note he didn't look quite as dead as he had earlier. "And you promised me something?" She held her hand out, forcing it to keep still despite her nerves thrilling with anticipation.

With his good arm, Jason dragged one of the bags into his lap and dug through it. As he counted out a fat chunk of cash, Rachel glued on her poker face. He'd said he had the money, but until seeing it here, up close, part of her hadn't believed it. She and Rafe hadn't hit a score this big in years, and now, striking out on her own, here was some rando offering her that and more.

She craned her neck, trying see exactly how much money he had in that bag, but he shifted it out of her view. "Five-thousand dollars, as advertised." As he pressed the bills into her hand, he held her gaze. "You'll get the other five in New York."

His dark, piercing eyes unnerved her, and she fought the urge to squirm in her seat. She broke his gaze to focus on the money in her hand, examining it like he didn't exist. Though she'd watched him count it, she still checked the denomination and hefted the stack. Wouldn't have been the first time someone had ripped her off, and she didn't want him thinking she took his word for anything. Satisfied he'd dealt honest, she tucked the money into her hoodie's pocket and climbed out of the car.