“Tell me I’m lying, TJ,” John Wesley said. “Why can’t I just walk out and get some air? There’s a swimming pool outside. And some swings.”

“It’s too cold,” TJ said. “And that old pool is empty.”

“I’d rather freeze my damn peter off than sit around in this stink,” John Wesley said. “TV’s busted, too. Can’t get nothing but the weather and shows of folks trying to sell you jewelry. You can pay for a movie called Three Musketeers but Ladarius won’t let me.”

“It’s a flick,” he said. “Ain’t fighting with those swords.”

TJ reached into her bag for some underwear, jeans, and a fresh clean hoodie. She changed in the steamy bathroom and walked back out to tie her hair up in a bun. Everyone was quiet now. Chastity on her phone, scrolling faster than she thought humanly possible, with John Wesley and Ladarius laying in the bed, cover turned down on account of all the stains. They watched two old ladies selling a wood cutting craft set. TJ knew it had to remind John Wesley of Momma, the way she’d sit for hours outside at her workbench, making door hangings for Miss Donna Grace’s flower shop. work hard/pray hard. welcome, y’all. simply blessed. And TJ’s personal favorite, welcome to the shitshow. hope you brought alcohol. That one really made her momma laugh.

“You all right?” Ladarius asked.

TJ nodded.

“Wanna step outside for a smoke?” he said.

Chastity turned and looked up from her screen. “Okay.”

“You stay here,” Ladarius said. “Watch John Wesley. We’ll be right back. Got something private to discuss with TJ.”

Chastity winked at the both of them, like they were going to go back to that stolen car to fool around. Everything they’d been through, being chased out by the cops, running that boat across the cold lake, and having to steal a car, and now Chastity was thinking they’re about to get down and dirty. That girl had no limits. No wonder Holly left.

“Here,” he said, handing TJ a cigarette.

They didn’t go anywhere, just hung by the motel door, TJ taking a seat in an old ratty chair outside the window, watching the traffic roll on by.

“John Wesley’s right,” Ladarius said. “This place sucks.”

“Took all the money we had.”

“Chastity’s holding back,” he said.

“Credit cards,” TJ said. “But how dumb would that be?”

“Pretty damn dumb,” he said. “I still don’t like what y’all did. Posting that shit online. You with a gun, acting like we kidnapped that stupid girl. That ain’t gonna get us nowhere but jail.”

TJ took a drag of the cigarette and let it out slow. She was bone tired, sinking in the chair, wanting to close her eyes just for a minute. “But she’s not wrong.”

“About getting money?”