The Ocean Inside by McMahan Janna

Author:McMahan, Janna [McMahan, Janna]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Kensington Books
Published: 2010-07-01T07:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 21

Emancipation

“So that’s the deal.” Cal was assured of the plan. “All you do is drive my Jimmy. We drop the rental car at that truck stop off 95 near Florence and we’re done.”

“What’s in the car?”

“You don’t need to know. See, that’s the beauty of the plan. The less you know, the better. You make a thousand dollars. I make four thousand dollars. We’re both happy and we drive home.”

“So I just drive your car from Miami to Florence and then you drive back home?”

“Yeah. Easy.”

“How long a drive is it?”

“It’ll take us all weekend. We’ll leave Friday and drive through the night. Lie on the beach on Saturday. Pick up the car late Saturday night and drive through to Florence. We’ll be back home by late Sunday afternoon with money in our pockets.”

Sloan considered his offer. Money in her pocket was something Sloan desperately needed. But people didn’t pay that kind of money just to transport a car. It was the something in the car that carried the high price of transportation.

Sloan lowered herself down onto the picnic blanket beside Cal. The stone walls of Atalaya grew around them, crumbly and gray. Palms scratched in the ocean breeze. An old oak cast patterns of shade against their bodies.

“Cal, you’re not telling me the whole story. Who asked you to do this?”

He was on his back with his eyes closed. His arms cradled his head. “You don’t have to know every single thing. It’s just a road trip and I need your help.”

He rolled over and stared into her eyes. “Look, you need the money, right? Well, I need the money, too. It’s too easy to pass up. A weekend road trip. That’s all I’m asking. Two days. Can’t you give me two days?”

“It’s kind of scary is all.”

“Kind of exciting, you mean?”

“No. I mean I don’t like doing things and not knowing why. I know this has to do with something illegal.”

“Look, I can’t tell you anything. I want to leave on Friday. You’re not going to let me down, are you?”

“What will I tell my parents?”

“Tell them you’re going camping in the mountains. That way you can say there isn’t any cell phone reception.”

“Why would that matter?”

“Trust me. I’ll take care of you. I’ll take care of everything. It’ll be fun. I just really need you to do this for me.” He pulled her close. His lips brushed hers as he whispered, “Come on, Sloan. This is a sweet deal. Like free money.”

But, she thought, nothing is free.

Still, she could use the cash for the deposit for school. Of course, the tuition was eighteen thousand dollars and it had to be paid by July. She was hoping things would change with her family, that the insurance company would pay, that her college fund would have enough for them to squeak by. She’d thought about calling her grandfather in Jersey to ask for help, but her mother had said no, to be patient and her father would take care of everything.

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