Chapter 32
Chat left after three in the morning. Leah had run out of questions, and exhaustion had engulfed them all. Plus, there was
only one clear next step.
They had to talk to Teuta.
Chat had tried to approach her the week prior. All summer he’d been trying to get to know her and build a rapport before he
asked for her help. But when he finally told her who he was—when he asked about that night—she shut down. She told him that
was her past life. She told him she didn’t know anything.
“I knew her by that point. I could tell she was holding back. I knew she was scared.”
Augie didn’t know what to think. On top of everything, she realized this had been Chat’s goal all summer: mine people for
information. Had Augie only been a pawn? As she finally climbed into bed that night, she tried not to think about how many
people had lied to her. Thankfully, she was so drained, she fell asleep before she could overthink further.
Chat was supposed to pick them both up to go to Hyla that morning, but as Augie woke to the sound of Leah in the kitchen,
she knew she couldn’t go.
“Lee?” Augie said as Leah turned to her. “I’m not sure if I should go with . . . I might only be a distraction. I think you guys should talk alone.”
Leah nodded. “It’s okay. I understand.” She looked focused and charged with adrenaline. Augie knew she’d be fine without her;
nothing was getting in her way. So when Chat pulled into the driveway at seven o’clock sharp, Augie only hugged Leah tight
and said good luck.
After everything that had happened, it felt strange to be alone. It was hard to hold it all in her mind—from the luau to her
New York confession to everything surfacing about Trey and Lyle. Augie could only focus on simple tasks: emptying the coffee
grounds, taking a shower, trying to eat a piece of toast.
She wished she could distract herself with work, and finally—as if the world knew she needed it—her email pinged.
It was from the job in DC. For the first time all summer, Augie hadn’t been actively worrying about the future, but there
was a response to her application, a message from someone named Heather, an invitation to schedule a phone interview.
Are you free to talk any day this week?
Augie wasted no time in replying, her mother’s words suddenly chiming in her head.
Karma isn’t so black and white.