Page 100 of Jagged

"I'm gonna hurl." Frankie pretended to choke, then dramatically fainted backwards into the pillows on the floor beside Reagan.

Right away, the kid began giggling her head off and the two of them tumbled into a round of silliness.

I held my hand to Clem and she placed hers in mine. She gave me a squeeze and, in that moment, all of me finally relaxed. She belonged here with us, with me, and for once I didn't question if I was in the right place at the right time. For the briefest moment, everything felt aligned, and the sensation of resolution settled in my fated heart.

Chapter Fourteen

"Bullshit," spat Sali as she threw her empty coffee cup across the room. "I don't need a warrant."

"You need a warrant." I stared at her, blinking way more than I should. "Everyone needs a warrant."

"No." She flailed her arms. "All I have to do is walk on over to the dump…" Her voice dropped an octave as she mimed herself strutting across the landfill. "Dig on up some dirt." Again, more charades of her explanation. "Find a body, and BAM! Done. Evidence."

I stared. Just stared at her.

Zay gawked, his head on the swivel as he looked between me and Maggie. Neither of us said anything at first, but it was Maggie who broke the stalemate.

"In-ad-miss-ible evi-dence." Maggie emphasized every syllable as she propped her hands on her hips. "You're ridiculous."

"Inadmissible evidence on that body! But the warrant gets us entry and the shit for the rest." Sali flopped her hands and they slapped against her thighs. "C'mon."

"Like I said. Ridiculous." Maggie waved her off. "Next plan." She pointed at me. "Go."

"Me?"

"You."

"What—"

"Plan." Maggie clapped once. "Let's go."

"But—er."

"No butter. Plan." Three more claps. "Think."

"How can anyone think with this wildcard interjecting every three sec—"

"I am not—"

"You are," Maggie interrupted Sali interrupting, then held her hand up to shush her.

"Not." Sali huffed, and tossed her a deadly glare.

Maggie smushed her hand in Sali's face. "Calm down." Her gaze never left me, and she continued, "Plan."

"Um…" With the pressure to come up with something, my brain decided to slow down to an absolute halt and do exactly nothing.

After a few seconds, Sali made to open her mouth, but Maggie covered it with her palm.

"We'll wait," she said.

Zay finally lost his composure beside me and chuckled at the two of them. It didn't help me any at all.

"Um…" I repeated as my mouth dried to sandpaper.

Unlike the others, Maggie's calm demeanor held my attention as I forced myself to ignore the other two.

"We, um…we can put on a play? Get some undercovers to cooperate with us to get in there." My suggestion seemed weak at best.

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