Page 78 of The Summer Request
She let the tension out of her shoulders and told herself to focus. Just as she’d practiced, she clicked over to the video Sierra had created for them and hit play.
“Is the video up?” she texted Lisa.
“Yes,” she wrote back, “but there’s no sound.”
Shoot.
Michelle fiddled with the computer, but she was afraid to touch any of the cables. Maybe it was a broken setting?
Val’s voice carried on. “Dear, sweet Justine is gone now, but I can see her spirit is living on through all of you. But, oh my, has Lou been a naughty boy!”
Another message from Lisa. “Security is on the move. Time to run!”
Michelle’s muscles tensed. She wasn’t going to be able to fix the sound. She ran to the edge of the stage and saw that the TV had big, bold captions, just as Sierra had promised.
That would have to do. She clicked her headset on. “Tell Val we have to go.”
Kelly responded a second later. “You got it.”
Val was still on the microphone, talking quickly. “Where does all the money go these days? Well, funny you asked – ”
She stopped talking and looked straight at Michelle, who was waving her arms and mouthing, “We have to go!”
Val nodded and ran off stage, microphone still in hand. “The video you’re seeing now is evidence unearthed by Emerald members showing what Lou has been up to, siphoning money from the company to line his own pockets. He’s corrupted the Emerald mission, all in the name of greed.”
They made it backstage to the hidden corner where Michelle had stashed a duffel bag. She tore the bag open and handed a wig, hat, and jacket to Val.
Val was still on the microphone, somehow getting changed without sounding out of breath in the least. “Have you ever felt pressured to bring in family or friends to sessions? Or to spend more money than you had?”
A few cheers from the crowd.
Val talked on as she slipped into the black leather jacket. “Know you’re not alone. It doesn’t have to be this way. Your pursuit of self-improvement doesn’t make you weak. It means you’re a good person, like Justine. And – ”
The microphone went dead.
“Dang!” Val yelled, tossing the mic to the ground. “I was on a roll.”
“You did amazing!” Michelle was already sweating under her furry coat and fiery red wig. She was seriously impressed Val managed to keep talking that whole time. “It’s time to run!”
Val laughed. This was a thrill. This wasjoy.
She ran after Michelle and popped a pair of fake teeth into her mouth, slowing her pace only when a pair of security guys approached.
Michelle knelt down, pretending to fuss with a speaker. “What was that?” she whispered.
“Fake dentures,” Val responded with a slight lisp. She knelt down, too, and a moment later, the security guys rushed by.
Michelle took off and Val followed.
What a day. Val loved that they’d pulled one over on Lou. She loved his team turning against him, and she’d loved her time on stage. Most of all, she loved being able to say Justine’s name in front of all those people.
They weaved through the crowd, which was decidedly more disgruntled than before. Michelle led the way to the drink stand and they nearly ran into Lisa.
“I thought you were a teenager,” Val yelled over the growing boos of the crowd.
Lisa winked at her. “Thanks, babe. It’s all in the dress. Loved the show, by the way. Wish it could’ve gone longer.”
Val laughed, then coughed, out of breath for the first time.
