"No," Dani interrupted, suddenly coming back to life. "You're not trading yourself for me, Brynn. I'm not going anywhere without you."

"You have to go," I said, looking back at her. "You have other people to think about. They need you."

"And I need you," she said, her voice filled with emotion.

"Let them both go, and I'll give you what you want," Rachel said. "This is between the two of us, not them, Max."

"They'll run to the cops," he said.

"We won't," I told him, as I got back to my feet. "Do you think I want anyone to know my real parents are terrible people?" I saw Rachel's face whiten at my words, but I needed them both to believe that my hatred was real. Actually, it was real. At this moment, I hated them more than I'd hated anyone in my life. "We just want to leave. We don't care about anything you stole."

"She's definitely your kid," Max sneered. "She thinks she can lie her way out of this. But she can't. Here's what's going to happen. One of you will tell me where the stones are, and then my guy is going to get them. If he doesn't come back with anything, then I'll shoot someone." He paused. "You won't be first, Rachel. Because I don't think these girls know anything, but you do. You know where your sister hid the stones. So, if you don't want to see your girls die, then start talking."

I saw Rachel hesitate. Clearly, she didn't believe that telling him the truth would save our lives. I didn't believe it, either. I also knew that the stones were no longer buried in the garden. But sending someone to the house would buy us time. I didn't know what we were going to do with that time since our hands were tied, and Max had the gun. But I did know that we couldn't just do nothing.

"I know where they are," I said. "I found them earlier."

"Brynn, don't," Rachel pleaded. "It won't matter. He'll kill us anyway."

I turned back to Max. "Will you let my sister go if I tell you?"

"No. But I'll let you both go once I get the stones."

"He's lying," Rachel said. "Don't give away our only bargaining chip."

"You can't bargain," he told Rachel. "It's too late for that."

"They're in the master closet in a box under a pile of clothes at my mom's house," I said. "I found them earlier. They were buried in the garden. I hid the box in the closet when I left." I didn’t mention that I'd taken the pouch and put it in the wall, because I didn't think we'd survive once he had everything.

Max stared at me, as if weighing my words, then walked out of the room.

Rachel shook her head. "You've made a mistake, Brynn."