Kelly laughed because she thought it was a joke. Amber didn’t laugh because she didn’t know if that was actually the truth.

“Might I suggest we all stop sharing private information and go to sleep?” Milo said from his bunk.

“What’s wrong?” said Kelly, amused. “You don’t trust me with your personal details?”

“Not at all,” said Milo. “But in a modern, high-tech facility such as this one, I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that every word spoken in these cells was recorded and listened to by the fine law enforcement officers who keep this town safe from the likes of us.”

“Huh,” said Kelly. “I guess you have a point. What do you think, Ronnie? Think these walls have ears? Ronnie?” Amber watched Kelly’s shape move to the bars separating her from her friend. “Oh, for God’s sake, he’s asleep already.”

“That’s my cue,” said Milo, and turned over in his bunk.

Amber watched Kelly stand there and sigh. She muttered something to herself and went to her bunk. The moment she sat, her outline was swallowed by the gloom, and Amber listened to her take off her boots and lie down.

“Goodnight,” Kelly said.

No one answered except Amber. “Night.”

Chapter 18

THE SUN WAS PALE and weak and it was a cold morning. They had the heater on in Virgil’s Sienna as they sat there, staking out Oscar Moreno’s house and trying to look inconspicuous.

“Are we doing it right?” Javier asked.

“Of course we’re doing it right,” said Virgil. “This is the only way to do it.”

“We could be hiding.”

“This is hiding.”

Javier made a show of looking around at the residential street they were parked on. “I don’t feel very hidden.”

“We’re hiding in plain sight.”

“Or just hiding in sight, really. We should be in a different car, at least.”

“This is the only car I have.”

“It’s a minivan,” Javier said. “It can fit eight. How many people were you expecting to carry when you bought it? We are two old men sitting in a car designed for eight with the engine running. I think we stand out.”

“We do not. And we need the engine running to get the heater going.”

“We don’t even know if he’s home. Should we knock?”

“That doesn’t sound very stealthy.”

“But at least we’d know.”

Movement caught Virgil’s eye. A heavyset woman, walking their way. She hadn’t seen them yet. “Oh hell.”

Javier stiffened. “What? Did he see us? Where is he?”

“Not him,” said Virgil. “Her. Duck down. Quickly!”

He tried to squirm lower, but his seat belt was on and his hips were old. Beside him, Javier wriggled in place, then tried leaning forward and sideways a little. It wasn’t working, and their movements had attracted her attention so Virgil straightened up.

“Act cool,” he said.