“We eat when it’s safe to go out,” TJ said. “Damn, John Wesley. You just downed a pack of them little Krispy Kreme donuts. I swear to Christ, your stomach is gonna get us all kilt.”

In the motel room, it was just her, John Wesley, and Chastity. Holly Harkins, TJ’s best friend since kindergarten, had decided enough was enough and left them on the side of the road, saying she planned to walk all the way home. Now it was night, they were flat-ass broke, and TJ’s boyfriend Ladarius had headed out to steal them another car. They stole the one they had now from a marina parking lot back in Hot Springs after escaping the cops and riding in a boat across Lake Hamilton. TJ was worried as hell about Ladarius after the news of their escape from the law had been broadcast damn near everywhere. grisly discovery. teenage lovers on the run.

It had been more than a week since her mother had gone missing and five days since they’d found her body stuffed in that oil barrel over in Parsham County. The law didn’t take long before looking right at TJ, accusing her and Ladarius of things that weren’t true, had never been true, trying to make it seem like some kind of race thing, even though her mother had never been too interested in TJ’s personal business. Why they decided to up and blame her, she had no idea, but hadn’t been about to stick around and find out. Her whole life had been a struggle, trying to break free of folks trying to put her down or use her up. TJ Byrd wasn’t standing for that shit anymore.

“Hope Ladarius steals a fast one,” John Wesley said.

“Hope he steals a nice one,” Chastity said. “Maybe a Lexus. Or a Mercedes like mine.”

“Just what are you getting out of all this?” TJ asked.

“Don’t you know, TJ?” Chastity asked. “Justice. I want justice for all y’all.”