He’s frantic, rummaging through the top layer of the main compartment and jerking Josh’s bag out of the way to grab his second bag. I take a step back and Harper looks at me, the reflection of my own unease in her eyes. Because we’ve already done our own frantic searches. We’ve already lost something.

“You must have misplaced it,” Josh says, but he doesn’t sound like he believes it.

None of us do.

Harper’s wallet, Josh’s book, my phone, and now this? Our stuff isn’t going missing—someone is stealing it. And there are exactly four people who could be responsible.

I take a sharp breath and look at my fellow travelers with new wariness.

Someone in this car is lying.

Chapter Thirteen

Brecken throws his backpack down, face red, the tendons in his neck stretched tight like cords beneath his skin. “Everyone out of the car.”

“What?” Josh asks.

“Now,” Brecken says. “We’re searching bags.”

“What are you talking about?” Kayla asks, sounding groggy.

“Brecken lost something,” Josh says, tugging his crutches free of the cargo area. “He wants to search the bags.”

Outside, I stay quiet and still, watching Brecken root around the trunk and check his pockets, inside and out. He’s angry, but thorough, unzipping every zipper, fishing around each pocket with his large, wide hands.

Josh is at the back already, but Kayla is slow, shuffling in the car for what seems like an hour before she finally emerges.

“So, what are you missing?” Kayla asks, frowning.

“A backup battery for my phone,” Brecken says.

Though I’m freaked out by another missing item, I can’t help but roll my eyes. “The world comes to a halt over that, but you thought my actual phone wasn’t a big deal.”

“Let’s just say it’s not the damn battery I’m after.” Brecken looks at Kayla and all of our eyes turn to her.

“What do you mean?” I ask.

“I don’t give a shit about it, except that it’s high end. It’d fetch more than a few bucks at a pawnshop, just like a phone. Or a wallet.”

“Uh, probably not a book,” Josh admits, scratching the back of his neck. “I mean, I guess it looks old, but it’s not valuable.”

“Well, as far as I can tell, there’s one person in this car who hasn’t had something turn up missing,” Brecken snaps. “I say it’s well past time we check Sleeping Beauty’s bag.”

If Kayla’s surprised by the question, she doesn’t show it. She crosses her arms over her chest and glares. “Bullshit.”

“Bullshit why?” Harper asks calmly. “He’s right. You’re the only one who hasn’t lost something, and—correct me if I’m wrong—but you don’t seem super keen on us looking through your bag.”