“He knows, and he thinks it’s all right. But you’re not to talk to him about it. You can’t be involved in any way. But knowing will help you understand what’s going on. So, can I trust you to keep this to yourself ?”

She shrugged. “I guess.”

“That’s not good enough. Can I trust you? Or would you rather not have the secret to keep?”

“All right. You can trust me.”

In the simplest terms possible, Allison told Brianna about the Edgeway Group, their Mob connection, and why Burke was refusing to sign with them. She left out her suspicions about Garrett. There was too much risk that Brianna wouldn’t believe her, or worse, that she would warn the man she thought of as a friend.

“So how does my dad plan to save the theater?” Brianna asked.

“He’s working on a bank loan for enough to repay the short-term loan and remodel the theater. But we’re talking a lot of money. If the bank agrees, he’ll need to put up collateral—amounting to almost all the property he owns. Do you understand?”

“I’m not stupid. I know what collateral is. If he can’t pay the money back, he’ll lose everything. That’s why you’re saying I can’t have a new convertible.”

“Right. Then there’s that bad decision you made tonight. Lawyers don’t come cheap, and you’re going to need one.”

Brianna gazed down at her hands, saying nothing. Allison was about to start her car and pull away when she spoke again.

“What about school? That costs money, too.”

“School’s important,” Allison said. “It’s a lot more important than a car. I know your father will do everything he can to keep you at Northwestern—and if the money becomes an issue, you can always get a job or take out a student loan. There’s just one problem. The court may not allow you to leave the state until your DUI case is resolved—and not even then if you’re on probation.”

“No! That’s not fair! I wasn’t even drunk!”

“I’m sorry, Brianna. But fair or not, I’m not the one who made the laws.” Allison felt genuine pity for the girl.

“But Northwestern has one of the best journalism programs in the country!” Brianna argued. “I was lucky to get in. And if I have to drop out, they might not let me come back. I’m talking about my future—my career!”