They stood huddled together in the dark and the quiet of the mansion, hearing the rain and the wind outside. John Wesley came into the living room, dragging his small suitcase, Holly already trying to explain to him why they had to leave this big, nice mansion in the middle of the night. She told him there was an even better place down the road, a place filled with ice cream and hot dogs and more video games than he could play in a year. TJ walked to the front window and looked down the driveway, seeing the two police parked sideways. Blue lights flashing without a siren.

“Fuck me,” she said.

“Don’t tell me you’re gonna give up,” Chastity said. “Walk outside with your hands in the air and put your faith in a higher power to make things right?”

“Don’t be so damn stupid,” Holly said. “There’s nothing else to do.”

“Bullshit,” Chastity said, turning to Ladarius. “I just hope that you and little John Wesley didn’t use up all the gas in the boat this afternoon.”

“We didn’t go too far,” Ladarius said. “So cold out on that water I about froze my nuts off.”

“Y’all head on down to the boat,” Chastity said. “I’ll turn on some lights upstairs to confuse them. Just don’t get all stupid. Be quiet walking down there. Those steps can get slick as glass. And nobody—I mean nobody—say a goddamn word.”

Holly had her arms wrapped around herself, shivering like she was cold although they’d cranked the heat up plenty in that big old house. She tried not to make eye contact with TJ but when she did, she just closed her eyes and shook her head from side to side.

“You got a better idea, Holly Harkins?” TJ asked.

“I don’t want to leave,” John Wesley said. “Why can’t we stay here, TJ? Why are those policemen here? What’s going on? Nobody tells me nothing.”

TJ turned to her little brother, losing her temper for just a second, and telling him to shut the hell up and let her think. John Wesley looked to Holly, who grabbed him by the hand, and marched out to the patio where Ladarius and Chastity waited. The glass doors open, wind and rain blowing on into the marble floors. Chastity motioned for them to come on, so she could get to what she wanted to take with them. TJ figured if they were real quick about it, maybe they could get on the boat and out onto the water before Chastity caught up.

“And don’t even think about leaving without me,” Chastity said with a wink, dangling the boat keys in her hand.

“You gave the keys back?” TJ said to Ladarius as the girl disappeared up the winding marble staircase.

“How’d I know the cops would show up?” he asked. “Hell.”