Chloe rolled onto her back and stared at her bedroom ceiling. She didn’t believe that Eloy had any intention to delete her photos.
He was blackmailing her, but the minute they completed his shoplifting scheme, the tables would be turned. She could demand he remove the pictures from his cell and take her image off his website…or she’d go to the cops.
She was proud of herself for thinking of a way to undo the self-inflicted damage. On the other hand, he was so much older and world savvy, she couldn’t imagine he’d be eager to abide by her wishes.
Her only other play was to alert the authorities before the crime occurred. But if Eloy was in jail, how would she get the pictures—or worse yet, what if the police saw them and told her parents?
She took a shower and followed her normal beauty routine. She was supposed to meet him at the train station at ten. The boost was to happen at twelve-thirty.
He’d ordered her to leave her phone at home. She thought that was dumb, but he insisted that if something went wrong, the device would lead the cops straight to her.
Later, arriving at the train depot, she drove into the parking lot looking for Eloy’s car. The parking area wasn’t large and almost empty. She didn’t see his boxy black Jeep.
“Come on,” she said to herself. “I’m sure he beat me here. Where the hell is he?” If I had my cell, I could call him and find out where he is…idiot!
There were a half-dozen sketchy guys loitering under scrawny trees. The tree trunks were covered in graffiti and scarred from wounds of being knifed or hit with blunt objects. The group of men eyed her and her flashy car.
Her heart pounded, ticked off he’d pick a dangerous spot like this to meet—especially knowing she didn’t have her phone.
Then she saw that away from the parked area there was a roundabout where people who’d just got off the train were being picked up by other drivers.
Standing at the far end was Eloy. He had a black backpack with him.
She gunned the engine and swung her sporty Toyota into the loop and pulled to the curb.
He glared at her. “What the hell? You didn’t see me? I was waving my arms at you like some kind of freak.”
“I was looking for your Jeep. Where is it?”
“I took the train.”
“Why?”
“Because we’re taking your car to the job.”
She exited the Metrolink Station onto the major boulevard setting her up to head to the Porter Ranch Promenade.
“I’m not stealing,” she said.
“I don’t expect you to. You and I will be parked in the parking lot to run interference if any of my crew need help.”
“What does that mean…run interference?”
“Like if the cops show up or mall rent-a-cops decide to become heroes, we can get in their way.”
She hovered her hands over the steering wheel. “I don’t want to be involved in this.”
He reached over to her and rubbed her shoulder. “You’re just my driver. If something goes down, I’ll hop outta the car and handle it.”
She gripped the wheel again. “You promise I won’t have to do anything illegal?”
“My job is to protect my girl, and that’s what I’ll do.”
Two days ago, she’d have swooned at such a romantic declaration. Today, she just prayed she wouldn’t have to put the truth of Eloy’s statement to the test.