“She had a heart attack.”
Parker turns back to me. “How old was she?”
“Thirty-one. The doctor said it’s rare at her age but it can still happen.”
“That sucks,” Briggs mutters.
I look out the window and see we’re back in the city, surrounded by cars. None of them knows what we did. We might’ve killed a guy tonight, and nobody knows.
Only the four of us will ever know what really happened tonight, assuming the police don’t figure it out. That can’t happen. I can’t get arrested for this. I have my whole future ahead of me. It can’t just end because of this, something I didn’t mean to do. Why didn’t I call for help before Parker took my phone? Why did I leave the scene? I could’ve stayed behind. At least then I wouldn’t have looked guilty. Now if the cops find out, they’ll assume I was in on it — that I was trying to cover up a crime.
“No fucking way,” Briggs says, looking in his mirror.
“What?” Parker says.
“Look behind us.”
We all look and see the flashing lights.
“Oh my God, they know.” I try to breathe, but can’t.
The cops know. Why else would they be pulling us over? Briggs wasn’t speeding, and he stopped at every light.
This is it. The end of my future. It’s barely started, and now it’s over. I can’t believe this is happening!
Chapter 14
Ella
Briggs slows down and signals that he’s pulling over. “Everyone shut up. I’ll do the talking.”
I bend forward, clutching my stomach. “I think I’m gonna be sick.”
Finn turns to me. “Donotthrow up in my car!”
Right as he says it, I throw up. It hits the back of the leather seat and slides down to the floor.
“Fuck!” Finn yells. “Why didn’t you open the door?”
“Shut up!” Briggs says. “He’s coming over.” Briggs rolls down his window. “Hello, officer. Is something wrong?”
The officer leans down to the car, looking in the window at the four of us. “Did you know you have a broken headlight?”
“No. I didn’t,” Briggs calmly says. “I’ll be sure to get it fixed.”
“It’s the front right,” the officer says. “Do you think it happened recently?”
“Probably not. I’m guessing it’s been that way for a while but nobody noticed.”
“Any idea how it happened?”
“No. Like I said, I didn’t even know it was damaged.”
How does Briggs remain so calm? I’d be so nervous I wouldn’t be able to talk.
“Is this your vehicle?” the officer asks.
“It’s a friend’s. I’m just borrowing it.”
