Criminals

Chapter 2

2

"Mom, I need you to promise me you won't tell anyone." I said once we were seated in the safe environment of our car.

"You haven't even told me anything yet." We pulled out of the parking lot.

"I know, but it's important that you swear in advance that you won't tell anyone what I'm about to tell you."

"Is it about the case?" She asked. I furrowed my eyebrows. She was going somewhere with this.

"Yes."

"Is it important for the case?" Now I knew for sure she was going somewhere with this.

I hesitated. "Yes."

"Then I can't promise you." She decided. I groaned. I really had to tell her.

"Mom, please. Would you-" I hesitated and looked around conspiringly. "Would you turn in Oliver to the police if you'd known he'd done something like this?" She hit the brakes and my body jerked against my seatbelt as I reflexively held onto the dashboard for dear life.

"Oliver did this?" She asked, looking at me unbelievingly.

"Mom, either drive or get off the road. You can't just stop." I complained, looking into the mirrors. It was nearing morning on a Monday. I pulled my upper lip up in distaste. If I was done telling my mom the details of last night, there was no way she was going to let me stay home. On top of that, I never managed to take my brownie ingredients home and after the damage in her shop, I didn't dare ask Dorothy my money back.

After they arrived, the police had taken me to the station to get my statement and also to question me because I apparently looked like I would knock out Dorothy and tear down an entire store by myself with no reason at all. Speaking of, Dorothy was taken to the hospital and we hadn't heard about her since. I was just going to have trust those crazy boys not to have done any lasting damage.

Anyway, I hung up a story that mostly resembled what had happened, except I left out the part where Fox took his mask off and where we locked lips. I did tell them he had an accomplice, although I wasn't sure I was supposed to. Since I didn't want to risk saying too much I kept it vague, with lots of "I don't know-s" and "I want my mommy-s". Of course they had to let me go, calling my mom to come and get me.

"Jacey!" Mom exclaimed, eyes bulging out with annoyance. "Did your brother do this?" I hesitated.

"No, but someone who knew him did." There, I said it. She looked pale as she finally started driving again.

"Fox?" She guessed.

"I don't think I should tell you." I said carefully. She hit the steering wheel.

"Damn it, Jacey. I promise I won't tell anyone; not my friends, not your father and certainly not the police, just spit it out."

"Jeez, okay, okay." I held up my hand in defence. "I'll tell you what I know, but I don't know that much. Basically, it was Fox, but he was really cryptic about it when I asked him if Oliver's in town. But if he wasn't, he would just have said no, don't you think?"

"I don't know." Mom said pensively. "How was he doing?" Of course she'd ask about that little thief's well-being.

"He looked well. And arrogant." I said. Mom smiled.

"Sounds like nothing's changed." She murmured nostalgically.

"Mom, I need you to remember that he just violently robbed a store with a friend of his that may or may not have been Oliver. We don't know what's changed."