Lucky(50)

There was no actual harm being done, Lucky kept telling herself. The dividends would still be paid, people who wanted to take their money out to retire could still have it; there was no shortage of money in the corporate account to cover payouts. No one was suffering. No one was getting hurt.

But it didn’t happen just once. It was never going to happen just once. Lucky had been reluctant at first, but stealing felt so natural. She barely thought about it. And Cary was happier. He began to relax. Everything started to fall back into place again—except that, after a year of trying, she still hadn’t gotten pregnant.

Lucky and Cary went to a doctor and found out Lucky had endometriosis and blocked fallopian tubes; in vitro fertilization was their only option. But it was expensive: tens of thousands of dollars for the treatments and medications.

And so Lucky borrowed more from the investment accounts. Twice, she and Cary tried in vitro, and twice, the implantation failed. Lucky stopped recognizing herself when she looked in the mirror. She was tired and drawn. The hormone shots made her emotional, crying one moment, elated the next.

“If it’s making you miserable, maybe we should stop,” Cary implored one night.

“I’m not miserable!” Lucky shouted. “And I can’t give up now. I just need to relax and work less.” But that was impossible. They were in too much debt.

“I will get pregnant,” Lucky said. “We’ll try again. And at some point, it will work. I’ll make it happen like I make everything else happen.”





CHAPTER THIRTEEN


Lucky walked around the side of Priscilla’s Place and stood in the shadows, watching the guardhouse, and Nico inside. Just as she had at noon the day before, Sharon came out of the main house and brought Nico a plate of food. He put up his feet, took out his phone, and began to eat the sandwich and salad, his finger moving back and forth across the screen, totally focused on the virtual game of Texas Hold’em he was playing.

Lucky watched a moment longer, then turned and looked up at the window to Priscilla’s apartment. She had been observing her habits over the past two days, too: Priscilla fasted in the morning, then wandered the premises, chatting with the residents, sipping green juice. She kept a close eye on Lucky almost all the time—except at lunch, when she went upstairs to break her fast and have a session with her personal trainer, an attractive, muscle-bound woman named Dee. Lucky sensed the time ticking away until their trip to Boise, when it would inevitably be revealed that she had been lying about the storage locker. Coming here had been a mistake, and Lucky didn’t want it to turn into a fatal one. If she was going to escape, she had to take a risk. It had to be now.

Lucky backed up, turned, and walked into the yard, where Janet was eating her lunch at one of the picnic tables. “Hey,” Lucky said, sitting down beside her. “I keep meaning to tell you, I just love your baseball cap. I’m a huge Angels fan, and someone stole my cap while I was sleeping on the beach in Santa Monica. I keep looking at yours, and it reminds me of it.”

“Aw, really? No way. Well, listen, do you want to borrow it?”

“Would you be interested in a trade? You borrow mine”—Lucky removed her Fabulous Las Vegas cap—“and I borrow yours, just for today? It really would make me happy.”

“Sure. Of course. I’m glad you’re doing so well here, Jean. It was the dog, right? The way she took such a liking to you, that made you feel you could really be at home here? I’ve noticed a change in you these past few days. And Priscilla hardly leaves your side!”

“Something like that, yeah.” Lucky paused. “Hey, you know what? It’s really so kind of you to let me borrow your hat. I want to give you my sunglasses as a thank-you.”

“Give me? Oh, come on. Those are really expensive sunglasses.”

“Yeah. They’re the only thing I have of any value. But—you’ve been so kind to me. Here, take them. I insist.”

“Well, then, you take mine in return.” Janet slid her cheap mirrored aviators back at Lucky.

“Thanks,” she said, putting them on. “What do you think?”

“I think you look pretty cool,” Janet said. Then she glanced at her watch. “Oh, shoot—I’m late. I’m supposed to walk Betty today.”

“Right! I forgot to tell you. We got switched. Sharon decided last night it would be better if I walked her today, and… you’re on dish duty.”

“Ohhhhh,” Janet said, laughing. “That’s what’s with the sunglasses gift. You want to make up for the fact that you stole my cushy job and stuck me on dishes.”

“Yeah. Totally.” Lucky forced a laugh. “I’m sorry. Still friends?”

“No apologies needed. I don’t mind doing the dishes. And Betty really does love you so much. She’ll be happier with you. Enjoy your walk.” Janet reached over to the bench beside her and handed Lucky the leash.

“Thanks,” Lucky said. “See you in a bit.”

Betty was napping at the front of her doghouse, but stood when she saw Lucky coming with the leash in hand. Lucky put the baseball cap and sunglasses on, clipped the leash on Betty, and walked around to the side of the house. With her head down and Betty at her side, she passed the guardhouse. Nico was still eating his lunch and playing on his phone. He barely looked up when she passed and gave a casual two-finger wave, exactly the way Janet would have. She opened the gate. A moment later, she was out on the sidewalk; the gate clanged shut behind her, as loud as her pounding heart felt. Every part of her wanted to sprint down the sidewalk now that she was out, but she forced herself to walk slowly, allowing Betty to stop and sniff flower beds and fire hydrants until they were out of sight of Priscilla’s Place.