Elaine wept through most of the night. Hannah was her sister, her guardian angel, and her hero, and in a moment of weakness, Elaine had agreed to rob her blind. Donny had slipped his blade against her neck and instead of slowly descending into darkness, she’d offered up her best friend’s house as collateral. It was a new low, even for her.
She kept telling herself that the robbery would be quick and clean. Donny had run through the plan with her a thousand times, but she’d been in a daze, trying to think of a solution out of the whole mess. Even as they stepped into Hannah’s backyard and walked up the door, Elaine hadn’t given up hope that she’d find some way to make it right.
No one was home. Elaine knew that Hannah and her family were at the summer carnival. Hannah helped organize it every year, so Elaine planned their robbery for 8:00 PM, right smack-dab in the middle of the festivities. Hannah should have been halfway to the top of the Ferris wheel surrounded by funnel cakes and cotton candy.
Elaine noticed the lights on downstairs as she retrieved the spare key from beneath the potted hydrangea out back but didn’t think much of it. Hannah tended to leave the lights on even when she wasn’t home.
“Hurry up,” Donny said, edging behind her and yanking the key out of her hand as Elaine pushed to stand.
He shoved the key into the lock, turned it, and pushed the door open with the care of a destructive giant. Elaine followed Donny and Carl into the house, careful to wipe her shoes on the floor mat. The guys headed for the living room, but Elaine dragged her feet, conscious of the sick feeling pooling in her gut. She wanted to turn and run. She wanted to rewind and go back to the other night and let Donny slide his blade across her neck. Death would be a welcome end to the guilt that grew with every step into that house.
Hannah didn’t deserve to be robbed.
She walked past the kitchen, glanced in, and froze when she saw Hannah’s purse sitting on the kitchen counter.
Fear gripped her heart as she held out her hand.
“WAIT,” she yelled. “Someone’s home!”
Donny ignored her and headed for the flat-screen TV hanging on the living room wall.
Elaine shook her head and ran after him, trying to get them to listen. “No. DONNY THEY’RE HOME. LET’S GO.”
Carl grabbed her neck and shoved her against the wall before edging past her to help Donny with the TV.
“Be useful and grab something,” Donny said, angling the TV away from the wall mount.
Elaine stepped forward and listened, trying to decide if she heard footsteps upstairs or not. The padded carpet made it impossible to tell.
“I’m going to check upstairs,” she said, trying to sound as if her heart wasn’t racing a hundred miles a minute.
The guys ignored her. She sprinted up the stairs and paused when the hallway bathroom light flipped off. The door opened and Hannah stepped out, still wiping her hands with a hand towel. She met Elaine’s gaze, tilted her head, and frowned.
“Elai—”
Elaine flew forward and pushed her hand over Hannah’s mouth, forcing her into silence.
“Don’t say a word,” she whispered, pleading with her friend to stay silent. “Do you understand?”
Hannah’s eyes widened as she tried to break out of Elaine’s grasp.
Elaine fought her and pushed them both back into the bathroom. She closed the door and kept the light off. The two of them stood in darkness as Elaine listened to determine whether the guys had heard them. Two long seconds passed in silence and then Elaine moved her hand away from Hannah’s mouth.
“Someone’s in my house?” Hannah whispered.
“Yes. Two men. Two very bad men.” Elaine paused and turned toward the door, listening for Donny and Carl. They were yelling at each other downstairs but she couldn’t make out their words. She turned back to Hannah and grabbed her arms. “Let them rob you. I’ll buy you a new TV. I’ll buy you a new house. Hannah, just please stay in here and don’t say a word.”
Hannah reached out and gripped Elaine’s arms in the darkness. “What are you doing, Elaine? Are you helping them?”
Elaine shook her head over and over again. “I’ll explain it all, I promise, just please—”
“ELAINE. Where are you?” Donny yelled from the foot of the stairs.
Hannah jumped and let out a little squeak. In the quiet bathroom it sounded as if she’d just yelled bloody murder, but Elaine had to hope Donny hadn’t heard. She put her hand up to Hannah’s mouth and pressed her index finger against her lips before turning for the door. She cracked it open and yelled down for him.
“Donny, I’m up here looking through jewelry.”