Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 64751 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 324(@200wpm)___ 259(@250wpm)___ 216(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 64751 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 324(@200wpm)___ 259(@250wpm)___ 216(@300wpm)
From what I remember, there are cameras in the yard but we should be able to get to the shed and sneak in without being seen if we go in the right way.
We’re going to risk it in hopes that it can be moved.
Then, Acacia is going to try and sneak into my house and steal Ethan’s phone.
That’s the part that terrifies me.
I know the security system, and unless he has changed it, I can unlock the door and disarm the alarm. I can’t see him spending money on changing it after one day of me being gone. No, he would be more worried about finding me. So, here’s hoping we get away with that, too. It’s a risky plan, but I can’t deny that it’s a good one. If it works, we are covering my ass, and then all we have to do is get Ethan to make a confession of sorts, and he’s going to prison.
I hope this works.
“We’re clear. Can you get over this fence?” Acacia asks, as we stop at my back fence.
It’s high, but not terribly so. Just enough that a person can’t step over it easily.
“I’ll try. I know where the safe is, it’ll be quicker if I come.”
“I’ll go over first,” Myla offers, her voice a whisper. “Then Acacia can give you a leg up, and I’ll help you down. It will probably hurt still, but a whole lot less.”
I nod.
Bonnie brings her phone out, using the flashlight so we can see what we’re done. “I’ll keep a lookout.”
Myla leaps up, curling her fingers around the top of the fence and scrambling over like some sort of pro. A moment later, she whispers that she’s on the ground and Acacia gives me a leg up. It takes a lot of strength for me to pull my body over, and it hurts like hell, but without them, I wouldn’t have been able to do it. As I throw my leg over the side, Myla catches my foot and takes some of my weight off so I can slide down.
Hitting the grass on the other side, I lean forward and exhale slowly.
Everything hurts.
“You okay?” Myla whispers.
“Yeah.”
A moment later, Acacia springs over the fence and then we move very slowly towards the shed, keeping low. It doesn’t appear to have a new security system on it yet, so Acacia begins what I can only call expert lock picking. The girl has clearly been raised in a life of crime. She is quick and effective, working with only the light of Myla’s phone as she pokes tools into the lock. Less than ten minutes later, the door to the shed swings open.
My word.
She did it.
“I’m not going to even ask who taught you that,” Myla murmurs, “but girl, you’re bad ass.”
“I agree,” I say, following them in when they go inside.
We don’t turn on any lights, but I lead them straight to the large toolbox. I’m not certain why I haven’t thought to look in here sooner. I figured he was hiding something, but it never clicked to me that he would be hiding the video. My mind probably automatically shut it off – considering it could be a matter of life or death for me. I was on my own, I had nobody to help. Now ... it’s different. These girls make me feel as though I might just have a chance.
It takes a great deal of effort to move the toolbox—it’s large and full—but, eventually, between the three of us, we manage to drag it out of the way. He has it well hidden, nobody would think to move the toolbox, as it looks like a wall behind it, but Ethan is clever and the safe slides into an opening he had built into the wall. The safe appears and thankfully, it doesn’t look to be bolted down which means we might actually be able to get it out of here. It’s bigger than I thought, though, and that means it’s going to be heavy.
Biting my lip, I help Acacia pull it out.
I am right, it’s heavier than I was anticipating. I’m not entirely sure we can actually lift it. “I don’t know,” I say, my voice quiet, “this is heavy.”
“We won’t be able to get that over the fence without causing a scene,” Myla murmurs.
“Let’s just see if we can lift it,” Acacia goes on.
We grunt and pull and manage to get the safe off the bench and out into the middle of the floor. Between the three of us, we can lift it, but it’s getting it over the fence that’s the problem. “I think if the three of us lift it and push it over the fence, it can just smash onto the ground on the other side. We’re not worried if it breaks,” Acacia throws out.