Lie, Lie Again(95)
Hi, it’s Sylvia. We have a situation that needs to be dealt with. It has to do with Jonathan’s plans to sell. Please respond ASAP.
Seconds later, her phone rang.
“Hi, Embry. Thanks for getting back to me.”
“What’s going on?”
“Jonathan just called, and he has an investor coming over tonight who’s made a fortune buying old properties and turning them into big complexes or condos. Bottom line is, we have to find a way to stop him or else we’re looking at moving boxes and bulldozers.”
“What can we do? He won’t care if we come up with faults about the place if his intent is to tear it down.”
“No. He won’t. It will require something more. Are you in?”
“Yes. Whatever it takes.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
Riki let herself into her apartment and locked the door behind her. The euphoria she’d felt earlier had been swallowed by fear. She’d mocked the head of school and criticized powerful parents. And worst of all, she’d quit! What had she been thinking? She gently banged her head against the closed door.
The voice of reason edged in, and she stopped. Your sanity is more important.
That may be true, but how would she earn any money? She fumed as she stormed to her bedroom. Questions swarmed her mind until she felt dizzy. She yanked the tote from her shoulder, and both straps ripped clean through in the process. She chucked it across the room and watched as her papers spilled out across the floor. What a mess. “Just like my life,” she whispered. She wished she’d paid more attention to Amelia when she’d warned her about the parents. But even if she had, would their watchful eyes and critical words ever have felt okay? The answer was no. Maybe she could ask Grandma Willet for some tips on how to solve word puzzles. She could try out for Wheel of Fortune. Who knows? Maybe she’d end up making more in one night than she made in a year. Wouldn’t that be great? She shook her head. That was just another stupid fantasy. She’d have to find something.
Even though it was only just past eight, she took her phone from her purse and flopped onto her bed as she dialed her mom.
“Hello?”
“Hey, Mom.” It was all she could manage before she burst into tears.
“Riki? What’s going on? Talk to me, honey.”
“I’m okay. It’s just—I quit my job.”
“What happened? Why?”
Pressing her fist to her forehead, she swallowed her tears and told her mom everything, from Mrs. Trainor and the emails to the scandalous sex toy and the early-morning meeting.
“Couldn’t you have reached out to this Mrs. Fitzsimmons to ask if she knew anything about what was in that box?”
“It wouldn’t have helped. People loved her, and I’m certain she had no idea it was in there. I’m guessing some parent cleaned out a closet and donated all the unopened games, not realizing that one was totally inappropriate.”
“Oh, sweetie. I had a bad feeling about you moving down there. Maybe it’s time you come home. I’m sure you can find a job at a school up here.”
Tears threatened again, but she forced them back. “Yeah, but you and Dad would get sick of me after about five minutes. I’d be over for dinner every other night.”
“We’d love having you back. You know that.”
Do I? Her mom spent so much time talking about how much she missed Rowan that it felt like she didn’t mind that Riki was far from home too. Not as far as Australia, but still. “I guess.”
“Uh-oh. What’s that I hear in your voice? What else is going on?”
She swallowed. “Nothing. I’m okay. It’s just a lot to process.” Taking a breath, she said, “And I ended up in the urgent care after a ski accident this weekend. I had to get twenty-five stitches in my neck.”
“What! Why didn’t you call sooner? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. Really. The doctor said I shouldn’t have a big scar.”
“Well, that’s a relief.”
“I’m like the good-news queen today.”
“Do you need me to come down there? I can get Grandma to join me. We can take her new car. She got the Lincoln, by the way. It’s bright blue—not the color I would’ve chosen—but she says the sparkle makes her happy. Anyway, how about I call her right now?”
“It’s okay. Really. Everything happened so quickly, and I haven’t had a chance to sort out my feelings about all of it. But I’ll find another job. I know I will, even if I have to work as a sub for a while.” She bit her lip before continuing. It wouldn’t help if her voice came out shaky. “And the cut will heal.” She rested her head against the pillow and touched where her wound was hidden beneath the thick turtleneck sweater.
“Keep the positive attitude. And check in with me tomorrow. The job situation will work out. From what you’ve told us, you’ll be better off at another school. They sound like a bunch of blowhards there.”
“Yeah.” She chuckled softly and sat up. “I might have told them off. As things go,” she said, crossing her room, “it felt good.”
“That’s my girl! Sometimes people need a little drink of reality.”
Taste of reality, she thought as she looked down at her phone. A text had just come in. “That’s the truth,” she said absently, her focus now on the text. “Tell Dad I said hi, okay? I love you.”