Changing the Rules (Richter Book 1)(57)

“Park across the street and text me.”

She hung up the phone and told the team the address she was headed toward.

“AJ, hold up on the side street during the pickup. We don’t want Eastman seeing you.”

“You got it.”

With an eye on the rearview mirror, Claire noticed Eastman hang back when she turned into the quiet residential neighborhood.

When she parked, Eastman pulled into a driveway and killed his lights.

“Do you ever get the feeling we’re playing cat and mouse?” Claire asked Jax.

“As long as we’re the cats.”

They laughed, texted Elsie, and waited.

Within a minute, Elsie bounced out of her house, a backpack in her hands.

She tossed the pack in the back seat and jumped inside. “Thank you so much.”

She closed the door and Claire pulled away from the curb.

Jax swiveled around in her seat. “Did you have to sneak out?”

Elsie shook her head. “Told my parents we were gonna head to the mall, then have a sleepover. Hope that’s okay.”

“My aunt’s gone, so you can stay over.”

While they talked, Elsie was pulling her bulky sweater over her head. Under was a tight tank top, appropriate for a teenage party.

“What’s up with you and Kyle?”

Elsie groaned. “He’s acting strange. Totally bailed tonight. Which . . . whatever. He’s a drag at these things. I’ll have more fun without him.” The girl kept in motion, different shoes came out of her backpack, and more makeup was put on her face.

Claire turned on the freeway. In her ear she heard Neil telling them the position of Eastman and AJ. The team was already at the venue. “Looks more like a rave than a house party. Lights and loud music. Signs indicate there’s some kind of Hollywood movie shoot going on,” Cooper reported.

“Do we know who’s throwing the party?” Jax asked.

“Jim told me it was Brandon and Russell.” Elsie applied a fire shade of red to her lips.

“Who is Jim?”

“My tutor. He goes to Bremerton. You might know him,” Elsie told Jax. “Jim Cromer.”

Jax shook her head. “Doesn’t sound familiar.”

“Total geek. I think he thinks if he can impress me with party information I’ll hang out with him.”

“How does the geek get all the good party info?” Claire asked. More for the team than for the girl in the back seat.

“He knows Russell. I think Russell tutors, too.”

Claire and Jax exchanged glances. Seemed like some of the lines in their investigation were starting to cross.

“Jimmy Cromer. Senior at Bremerton. Honors student. Runs for Bremerton’s track team. Distance. Never wins.” Sasha’s voice sounded in Claire’s ear.

“Everyone knows someone,” Claire said.

“I heard this party was going to be huge.”

“She’s not wrong,” Cooper said.

Jax gave the last of the directions, and before long they found the movie-set markers posted on corner fences that wound around an industrial park.

“Holy shit.” Elsie pushed up between the bucket seats of Claire’s car as the venue came into view. Two blocks away and they could hear the music.

Cars were parked everywhere as kids flooded the party.

“Wow.”

Claire parked the car, noticed when Eastman drove past with AJ on his tail.

The sky had started to drizzle misty drops, which had the girls walking faster toward the entrance of the party.

At the door, Claire took notice of two new male faces. They could pass for high school seniors, but her guess was early twenties.

The guys looked them up and down as they walked past.

Inside was a haze. Lights flashed from a small stage where a DJ was blasting music. People were dancing and carrying on.

The building itself was a corner shell of what looked like an industrial center, although the inside didn’t look like it was being used for anything other than the party.

“This cost some serious money.”

Elsie’s eyes were open wide. “I had no idea.”

“Does anyone look familiar?” Jax asked as they mashed through people.

“Not really,” Elsie answered.

“Let’s stick together,” Jax suggested. Her eyes leveled with Claire and back to Elsie.

“Good idea. You guys drink if you like, I’m driving.”

Elsie looked surprised. “You’re not going to drink anything?”

“Not worth it.”

They weaved in and out of the crowd and found a cooler filled with drinks. Jax and Elsie both grabbed a hard seltzer and they started to circulate.

“Need a mic check,” Neil told them.

“I can barely hear myself think,” Jax said over the music.

“Let’s move toward the back, see if we find anyone we know,” Claire replied.

They walked away from the music and searched the room for players.



Cooper’s attention was tuned in to Claire’s voice.

Unlike the house party, this one seemed to attract kids from every school in the district. At least three times the number of kids from before. And like Claire, he felt he was looking at an entirely new group of people.