Page 24 of On the Line

“Shhhh, you’ll wake Val!” She disappeared back inside, shutting the window behind her. I hop-stepped to duck behind a bush, hoping she was on her way down.

A minute later, I heard the kitchen door creak open. She peered around and I stepped out of the shadows. “What areyou doing here at this hour?” she whisper-shouted. “Trying to get me in trouble?” Her angry eyes turned concerned as she took in my bedraggled appearance.“Wait, what happened to you?”

“I need your help, Ellie,” I said, unable to control the tremble in my voice. “I don’t know what to do.”

“Help with what?” She looked me up and down. “Why are you all wet?”

“I messed up.” It all came crashing down, and I started to weave on my feet as the adrenaline that had kept me going faded. I leaned back against a gnarled lignumvitae tree. “They got George,” I admitted, dropping my head in my hands.“The cops got George.”

“But you told me you were out,” Ellie said, more concerned than angry.

I looked up at her, her pale hair a silver halo in the moonlight. Shame washed over me in a cold wave. “Iwasout. George said if I did this one last job, I’d be out. But everything went wrong.”

Something shifted in Ellie as she stared down on me. Sympathy took hold. Putting her arm around my shoulders, she knelt beside me. “It can’t be that bad. Tell me what happened.”

Wordlessly I pulled the duffel closer and unzipped it, tearing the black plastic to show her the bricks of cash inside.

She reached out a hand, poking the edges with one finger. “Spencer?”

“We got to the marina and George changed things up,” I blurted. “Instead of being a lookout, he wanted me to makethe money drop.” I struggled to catch my breath between the words that poured. “I was on my way to Alligator, heading offshore, when they raided the marina and arrested him.”

Her eyes narrowed. “So, George is in jail… But you still have the money?”

“Mateo told me to hold on to it, that George will come for it. I don’t know what to do with it. I can’t put it in the bank.”

“No!” she shouted in agreement, surprising herself, and instinctively covered her mouth. Glancing back at the house for signs her aunt had heard the noise, she whispered, “No, you absolutely cannot put the money in the bank.”

“I can’t take it home with me either. What the hell do I do?” I had too much money stashed in my closet already, but that was nothing compared to this.

Ellie zipped the duffel. “Make Mateo deal with it.”

“I can’t, he’s gone.”

She squinted. “What do you mean,gone?”

“He dropped me off and split town,” I explained, embarrassed for some reason that I’d ended up in such a ridiculous position. “Waylan too, he’s heading to Tallahassee as fast as he can.”

“Fuck…” It was the first time I’d ever heard Ellie use that word. She unzipped the bag again and peered inside. “How much is it?”

I laid out the soggy cash in 10K bundles, on the pea gravel. 25 of them. “$250,000?” I added one last, smaller, bundle to the stacks. “Plus my take.”

“You definitely can’t take it to the bank.” She picked up a brick, weighing it in her hands. “Deposits over $5000 have to be reported.”

“So what do I do with it then?” I asked, sick to my stomach as she dropped the money bag into the bag.

Ellie looked up to meet my gaze, wiping her hands on her cut off jean shorts. “I don't want to get involved with drug money. But I hate to think what might happen to you if you don't keep it safe for George.”

“Me too,” I said, running my hands into my salty hair. The thought made me sick to my stomach.

Ellie spoke slowly and matter-of-factly. “If this is really it, and you're out, then I'll help you hide it.”

“I’m done,” I pledged, hand over my heart. “This was one last job.” My voice caught in my throat. I reached for her hands, holding them as I leaned forward and placed a kiss on her forehead. “I’m sorry to put you in this position, Ellie. You’re the last person I want to put at risk.”

“I know,” she said softly. “Come on.” She stood, still holding one hand. “I have an idea.”

“Where are we going?” I asked, wearily coming to my feet.

“I’ll show you—this way,” she pointed toward the bay. “Bring the money,” she added as she took off down to the water.

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