Mom stares at me from the other side of the table, unconvinced. Her hair is up, effortless in its precision and her makeup, non existent.

"I'm not sure about this, Helena."

"Mom, please! We'll set off at six AM and be back in time for dinner. Promise."

Still, her stance remains unmoved.

"Think of it as a reward for me getting into Penn."

She laughs. "I'd much rather celebrate by taking you out for dinner. Not by letting you and Elliot drive ten hours to Ohio and back in one day."

"It's for the investigation," I argue, hoping that'll sway her.

She sits back in the chair and chews her lip, contemplating.

"I don't see why you can't just call Lucy up? Is this conversation really worth having if you have to drive ten plus hours to have it?"

"Yes. She's invited us over to talk in person." LIE! "So, it must be important. And besides, that's not the only reason I want to go."

I fidget with my fingers, suddenly fighting off my body's need to blush.

"What's the other reason?"

"Elliot," I admit. "He's never left Oak Valley. And he probably won't for at least another four years."

"So?"

"So, I want him to have this. It'll be like a vacation for him."

She relents. "Fine."

Oh my God!

"But you text me with hourly updates."

"Consider it done," I reply.

"And I want to speak to Lucy's mother beforehand."

Fuck!

"I'll get her to call you," I offer, unsure as to how I'll manage that.

Neither Lucy, nor her mother can know about our planned visit. If she blocked me on Instagram, she's hardly going to invite me into her home willingly.

"I'm trusting you to be responsible," she says, voice stern. "You split the drive with Elliot and take a break every two hours."

"I promise."

I instantly text Elliot the good news.

Helena:
Mom said yes!
We're going to
Ohio, baby!

Elliot:
Amazing! I also
got permission from
Aunt Sarah.

Helena:
Really?

Elliot:
Pfft. No. She won't
even know I'm gone.

My heart breaks for him. For the fact that he doesn't currently have a parent worrying for him. Lecturing him on the safeties of long distance driving.

Just once, would it kill Sarah to express concern?

After all, he is her nephew.

****

****

I sit at the library table; Elliot at one end with his beaten up laptop and Celia at the other. We're all silent as we wait for the call to connect; hearts thumping, foreheads sweating.

Please work, please work, please work!

Celia sudden straightens, cutting her eyes across to her brother. "Hi, is that Perrie?" Pause. "Hi, Perrie. It's Sandra, Lucy's Mom."

I'm impressed. The way Celia manipulates her voice to have a slightly maturer edge is genius. She doesn't sound like a fourteen-year-old girl anymore. No, She sounds like a Mom. Lucy's Mom.

"I know," she continues. "I said the exact same thing. You'd think with the amount they're on their phones they could just FaceTime but if I'm being honest, I think Lucy misses her old friends. It might be nice for them to see each other again."

I have no idea how he does it, but Elliot alters the caller ID, resetting Celia's number so that it shows up as an Ohio area code. It's fucking brilliant and I have to admit I'm blown away by his intelligence. And to think, he calls me the smart one.

"Exactly!" laughs Celia. "And don't worry, I'll send them back with a packed lunch."

Elliot smiles and I just about manage to hold back my laugher, only feeling slightly guilty for tricking Mom. She'd never let us go otherwise and I have a feeling this conversation with Lucy is integral to the case. Hell, she might even know who the killer is.

"Okay. Tell Helena I'll see her tomorrow. Bye."

Celia hangs up and places her cell face down, heaving a small sigh afterwards. "She bought it."

"Holy shit! That was amazing!"

Elliot chuckles. "Okay, but let's not celebrate right away. We still need to get Lucy's address from Michelle."

"How are you going to do that?" asks Celia, looking to me.

I have a plan and the successful execution of said plan relies entirely on whether Michelle is gullible or not.

"You're about to find out," says Elliot, gesturing towards the library's entrance.

Michelle walks in carrying a pile of books, searching for an empty table. I jump at the opportunity and fly to her side, offering to relieve her of her heavy load. She smiles her appreciation and chooses an area beside the windows.

"I was hoping to catch you today," I say, casually dumping her books on the table. "My Mom wants to send Lucy's Mom a care package but she's misplaced her new address. I don't suppose you have it?"

"Sure," she replies. "It's at home. Can I text you it later?"

"That would be great," I delight.

Oh, how I love it when a plan comes together!

She smiles. "I read your tweet about getting into Penn, by the way. Congratulations. That's amazing."

"Thanks." My stomach flutters. "It's a relief to know I'm in."

Her grin broadens.

"Anyway, I'll leave you to study," I say. "Thanks for the address." I turn around, preparing to leave. "Oh–and don't mention anything to Lucy. Mom wants it to be a surprise."

Michelle smiles, far too trusting. "Okay. See ya later."

I saunter back towards Elliot and Celia; smug smirk intact.

"You look happy with yourself," he accuses.

I simply grin.

"Did you get it?" asks Celia.

"Of course."

She smiles and turns to Elliot. "Your girlfriend is badass."

Elliot and I both laugh, amused by her blatant hint, despite knowing we're not an item. I suspect she's secretly working to rectify that but for now, I have other things to think about.

Like, interviewing Lucy Gilmore.

Finding the killer.

Saving lives.

****

"You're what?" asks Jasmine, jaw agape.

Telling her about mine and Elliot's plan to drive to Ohio and back in one day is clearly a shock.

"And Perrie agreed to this?"

"With some slight manipulation, yes."

She laughs. "I take it Shaun doesn't know."

"No."

The slamming of a locker brings our attention further down the hall, towards a loitering Elliot. He's obviously waiting for me but with Jasmine around, chooses to hang back.

"Does he know I know about you two?" she asks, gesturing towards his awkward stance.

I shrug. "No."

"Elliot!" she hollers, waving him over.

His surprise is evident as he approaches; eyebrows raised, smile nervous.

"I hope you know what you're doing," she says, directly to Elliot. "Ten hours in a car with this one is torture. She listens to eighties rock."

I flick her on the forehead. "At least I don't have The Beatles on repeat. We get it, Jas. you're British!"

Elliot laughs. "I'm in charge of music. Lena's responsible for snacks."

She looks to me, smirk unstoppable. "Lena, Huh?"

I warn her with a glare.

"Well, you two have fun," she states. "Drive carefully."

"Thanks."

I turn to Elliot once she vanishes, finding him smiling at me.

"What?"

"We're going to Ohio!"

I grin. "You excited?"

"Yes!" He grabs hold of my hands and squeezes. "I feel like a kid going to Disney World."

I rest my forehead against his chest, desperate to hug him. This precious man. Comparing Disney World to Ohio is bizarre. Ludicrous. But his need to do so acts as a reminder of the things he's missed out on as a child. Family vacations. Weekend breaks. Road trips. Things that, although inessential, everyone should have the chance to experience.

His heartbeat presses into my ear, fast from excitement. From the adrenaline. His arms wrap around my back, fingers snaking around my ribs as I inhale his scent and squeeze him a little tighter.

His own parents and Aunt might not give a shit about him but I do.

I care.

And I'm determined to make this road trip unforgettable.

Nothing and no one is going to stop me.

****

Get in, bitches...

We're going road trippin'
;)