I look over at Simon, who stands here watching the two of us. “Simon.”
“Yeah?”
“How old are you?”
He rolls his eyes. “I’m 11 and a half.”
I grin back at him. “That’s the perfect age for you to be.”
He finally smiles at me. “Thanks.”
Austin steps between us. “Is your Hallmark moment over yet? We’ve got a lot of butts to save.”
I stare back at him. “Let’s go, Die Hard with a Vengeance.”
We peek out into the hallway to be sure the coast is clear before we walk around the curve. Something brushes my hand. I spin around. I almost scream out loud when I see Jenni.
“Where are you going without me?”
I stare at her I disbelief. “But you’re? I mean, I just saw you on the floor, thrashing! They stuck you with a needle.”
She giggles. “We gave quite a performance, didn’t we?”
I hug her tight even though I’m like a lot creeped out. “I’m so glad you’re not catatonic.”
She squeezes me back. “Me too.”
I think about her words. “You mean the others are in on your act?”
She laughs. “Enough of them, yes. That wasn’t a real shot. I figured if you believed me, other people would.”
A tear rolls down my cheek. “Don’t ever do that again, Jenni.”
She winks at Simon? “For the love of the game, right, Simon?”
He fist bumps her. “Damn straight.”
We continue down the hallway and cling to the sides. Austin pulls up his hood and ducks into a side door. We follow.
We hover in a circle, and Simon starts talking. “Something big is going down tonight. I heard about it at the bowling alley. T.J. and his buddies were drinking in the corner, and they didn’t realize they were being so loud.”
Austin looks at Simon. “Did you get any more details than that?”
Simon shakes his head. “Nah, man. I just know it’s something, and dad must know too, because he told me he loves me, and he’s never said that before. He was acting all weird and clingy. He kept taking my phone and looking at the pictures in it, which is stupid because he has his own phone and his own pictures.”
Austin puts out his hand. “Hand me your phone, Simon.”
Simon takes it out of his pocket, and Austin opens it. “What’s the password?”
Simon snatches it back and turns away from us to enter it before handing it back to Austin.
Austin’s eyes are glued to the screen. “Something’s big is coming alright. Your dad’s skipping town for good. He’s taking as much as he can with him.”
Simon’s face crumples slightly. “Are you sure?”
Austin takes a deep breath. “I’m sure, Simon. He wasn’t looking at your pictures. He was sending out messages. He’s breaking out of here, and he’s taking the money. It’s up to us to stop him.” He turns to me and Jenni. “We have to find Hank.”
Jenni turns to me. “I found the Room of the Departed.”
I stare back at her. “And?”
She stares into my eyes. “And your aunt is gone. Amy, I’m so sorry.”
I shed a few more tears. “And her ashes?”
She pulls out a Ziplock baggie. “They’re right here.”
Austin jumps back a few paces. “Jenni! You’ve been carrying ashes around?”
Jenni shoves the bag in my hand, and I shove it in Austin’s draw-string pack, because he’s the only one who has a bag. She turns on Austin. “I had to take them. I didn’t think I’d be able to get back in there.”
I hug her hard. “Thank you for giving my aunt back to me.”
She takes my hand and presses it to my heart. “She’ll always be right here, Amy. Always.”