Chapter 17 #4
Eventually, somebody who had once loved her, worked with her, lived near her, or simply noticed she had vanished would start asking questions.
People always claimed they minded their business until someone disappeared.
Then suddenly, everybody remembered the last outfit they saw her wearing, the last place her car was parked, and whether her curtains had moved in three days.
And I couldn’t take the chance of somebody recognizing Talia’s car sitting outside Zonnique’s house and connecting it back to me.
I had already buried Talia beneath her own identity. I couldn’t let her car dig her back up.
So, I drove across town toward one of the casinos near the interstate.
The casino was the perfect hiding spot. Cars sat there overnight all the time, and nobody questioned abandoned vehicles there—at least not immediately.
Some people gambled for hours, got drunk, hooked up, and disappeared for a day or five.
I parked near the far back section beneath a flickering light pole. Thankfully, the rain had finally let up by then.
I grabbed my purse, then tossed one of Talia’s jackets carelessly across the passenger seat. I also left a half-empty drink in the cupholder and her phone charger dangling from the console… small traces of an ordinary day interrupted.
Missing people looked more believable when it seemed like they expected to come back.
After opening the door, I discreetly peeled off the gloves and shoved them into my purse before stepping out into the cool, damp air.
It wasn’t extremely cold, but there was enough of a chill to make me tug my hoodie tighter around myself.
I had just nudged the door shut with my hip when my phone suddenly rang.
Zonnique.
My entire body tensed instantly.
Shit.
For half a second, I considered declining the call.
Don’t ignore it, a voice warned quickly.
That looks suspicious.
I drew in a quick breath, pasted on a smile she couldn’t see, and answered with enough cheerfulness to make it seem like my day had been completely uneventful.
“Hey, girl!”
“Hey…” Zonnique replied slowly. “I just got home and noticed you weren’t here. Talia, I don’t mind you stepping out, but you know you’re supposed to let me know when you leave.”
Let you know? Bitch, I’m grown! I don’t have to submit a departure form every time I step outside! What you want next, a shared calendar? A tracking device? A little bell around my neck so you could hear me moving from room to room?
Talia left the kitchen at 4:03 p.m. Talia entered the hallway at 4:04. Talia blinked suspiciously near the front door.
I understood Zonnique’s concern… I did. She worried about me, probably more so the baby, and I appreciated that.
But she needed to understand that nobody cared more about my baby than I did.
was more protective of this pregnancy than me.
I watched what I ate, how long I stood, even how fast I walked.
I barely bent over without supporting my stomach first. I read labels like they contained hidden threats, avoided anything that smelled too strong, and treated every cramp like my body was sending out an emergency alert.
Hell, I even side-eyed stairs. I was overly protective of the pregnancy like it was the most important thing I had ever been trusted with… because it was.
So, while Zonnique’s concern was sweet, it was also a little insulting. I didn’t need supervision to carry my own child correctly.
I quickly adjusted my hood while walking farther through the parking lot.
“Sorry,” I said, forcing genuine sincerity into my voice.
“I didn’t think I’d be gone this long. But one of my friends had an emergency.
She found out her boyfriend was cheating, and she was so hysterical that I just grabbed my purse, hopped in the car, and left without even thinking to tell you.
I was just trying to get to her before she did something stupid,” I fibbed smoothly.
“I swear, these niggas really ain’t worth a damn nowadays,” Zonnique grumbled.
“Mm-hmm,” I hummed in fake agreement.
“But understandable. Are you still with her?”
“Yeah. Oh, I also had some car trouble today.”
Another lie.
“Oh no. What happened?” she asked, genuinely concerned.
“I really don’t know. It was driving fine, then it started making this ugly noise right before I pulled up.
When I tried to start it again, it wouldn’t turn over.
” I released a long, wounded sigh like the car had died in my arms. “No worries, though. My friend’s uncle is a mechanic.
I explained everything to him over the phone, and he thinks it might be either the starter or the alternator, but he won’t know for sure until he comes to check it out tomorrow. So, I’ma just leave it here tonight.”
Zonnique was nosy as hell, so I already knew she was going to question me half to death about that car the following day. Luckily, I had the next part of my lie prepared.
I’d simply tell her the mechanic said it needed a whole new motor. Then, instead of claiming I planned to get it fixed and creating more questions later, I’d sigh dramatically and announce that it was probably time for a new car anyway.
Problem solved… well, postponed. Which is basically the same thing when you’re lying under pressure.
“Dang. Okay. Well, how do you plan on getting home?” she asked.
I paused for half a second, quickly piecing together another lie.
“My friend said she’ll bring me.”
“Are you sure? With everything she’s going through, I really don’t mind coming to pick you up.”
“No!” I blurted, the reply coming out sharper than I intended.
I softened my voice immediately.
“I mean, no, it’s okay. She actually needs to grab a few things from Walmart, and so do I. Besides, I think a little outing might help clear her head. She’s been sitting in here crying and threatening to slash tires for the last hour.”
Zonnique laughed softly. “Girl, men will make you do that. One minute you’re crying, and the next you’re outside cutting three tires and leaving the fourth one untouched just to be petty.” She sighed. “But okay. You have enough money to get everything you need, right?”
“I should, but if I get in there and my eyes start shopping like they got their own income, I won’t hesitate to request an emergency Cash App deposit from Bank of Zonnique.
” I giggled. “Y’all offer top-tier customer service, same-day funding, and approval regardless of credit history.
Honestly, more people should bank with you. ”
She burst out laughing.
“I’m serious. At this point, you’re my personal ATM with clear skin, a big booty, and excellent fraud protection.”
That was meant to be a joke, but it wasn’t far from the truth.
Instead of me receiving a large lump sum of money, Jace decided he’d give Zonnique twenty thousand dollars a month until the baby was born.
That money was supposed to cover food, necessities, and the extra household expenses that came with me staying there.
Medical expenses were separate, though. Jace made it clear he’d handle those personally.
I’ll admit… at first, I was a little salty.
Okay, I was damn near sodium and one argument away from high blood pressure.
Because, why was Zonnique receiving all the money when I was the one doing the actual work? My body was building an entire human being from scratch, yet somehow, she had been promoted to chief financial officer of my pregnancy.
I also felt like twenty thousand dollars was a bit much to be giving his side hoe, anyway.
Food, gas, toiletries, and household bills were rising these days, sure, but I could bet Zonnique’s ass was shaving a lot more than a little off the top for herself.
Probably buying the most expensive candles, getting her nails done, restocking that little wine refrigerator I couldn’t touch, and calling a spa day “stress management for the household.”
The whole situation was ridiculous to me.
I considered myself extremely responsible with money.
Sure, nobody had ever trusted me with twenty thousand dollars before, but that didn’t mean I would’ve handled it poorly.
The way I looked at it, a person can’t judge financial discipline without first providing the finances.
Honestly, I just needed somebody willing to fund the experiment.
Be that as it may, as long as I was able to keep my new appearance up, my cravings were fed, and I didn’t have to stress about surviving while pregnant, that amount could stretch comfortably a month, especially since I had no intention of living regular forever.
“I should be there in about an hour… or less,” I let her know.
“Okay. I’ll be in my room. Just let me know when you make it.”
“I will.”
The second the call ended, I released a shaky breath.
Whew. That was way too close.
See? You’re getting good at this, one voice praised.
She believed every word, another added smugly.
The third voice giggled.
Poor Zonnique. She trusts you so much.
That she does.
Instead of my ‘made-up friend’ dropping me off, I was getting an Uber home.
But even if Zonnique stayed up being nosy, peeking through blinds like somebody’s suspicious auntie monitoring the neighborhood, she wouldn’t know whether the driver was actually my ‘friend’ or not.
All she’d know was that I got dropped off.
I pulled my hood tighter around my face and headed toward a convenience store across the street, trying not to walk too fast or look guilty… even though guilt practically had its own heartbeat inside me now.