“Okay…” she said slowly. “So not weed.”
“Not even close. Trybricks.”
Her mouth formed a perfect “O” before she burst out laughing. “Wow. My girl is awhole muleout here. Look at you—fast and furious with a side of felony. You couldn’t ease into crime? You just jumped straight to level ten.”
I gave her the driest look in the world. “This isn’t funny.”
“I mean… it’s alittlefunny,” she teased, handing me the glass.
“I’m serious, Lainey. I don’t even suppose to be telling you this.”
She hastily hopped up. “Then why are you?!”
“Just in case something goes left, I need somebody alive to tell my secret. I’m not going out like a mystery.”
Lainey threw her hands up. “And that person had to be me?!”
“Yeah. If I disappear, you gotta be like, ‘Yeah, she told me something was off.’”
“Oh, no! You’re not about to turn me into evidence!”
“Too late! I’ve already appointed you as my elected storyteller.”
“I don’t want that job! Matter of fact, when did I apply?!”
I chuckled. “Well, you got it! And you became qualified when you became my best friend.”
Lainey’s eyes grew wider in size. “Qualified?! Girl, this not no job; this a liability!”
She pointed at me.
“And for the record, if you disappear, I’m not saying nothing but, ‘I don’t know her like that.’ I’m protecting me first!”
I reared my head back in astonishment. “Oh, so now you don’t know me. After everything I’ve done for you.”
Lainey pressed her lips together, trying not to laugh. “Okay, okay! Don’t start! You know I’m just playing.”
She retook her seat and nudged my knee.
“You could never get rid of me that easy. I’d be the first one knocking on doors, asking questions, probably getting on somebody’s nerves.”
Lainey dropped the playful tone.
“But let’s not make that a real scenario, alright? I don’t like how this conversation sounding. On a serious note, are you okay?”
I nodded slowly. “I think so. I panicked for a second, but I need this money, Lainey. Kyrin needs this surgery. I can’t quit now.”
“You sure this is safe? These people—whoever they are—they sound dangerous.”
“They are.”
“Well, friend, all I can tell you is, don’t get curious, don’t get comfortable, and don’t start acting like you’re in a movie. You are not the police, CSI, or Scooby-Doo. And this is not your main character moment; this is your ‘stay alive and go home’ era.””
“You’re telling me that like it’s a plan, but it sounds more like a prayer,” I said.
“Because it is a prayer. I’m over here adding your name to my nightly list like, ‘Lord, cover my best friend… and whatever she got in that trunk.’”
I laughed, but it faded just as quickly.
Lainey lifted her wine glass. “Let’s toast to getting in and getting out. No extra drama, no headlines, no documentaries.”
I gave a small smile.
“For real, Jo… don’t let this job swallow you. You’re doing what you gotta do, boo, and I respect that, but I need you to come out the other side in one piece.”
“I will,” I promised, then clinked her glass.
But in the back of my mind, I couldn’t help but wonder how much longer I could keep playing dumb before shit got real.