Free Lurlene McDaniel by Hit & Run

get it, but she doesn't need to hear that. “He's a dictator.”
    “I know it seems that way.” Mom goes to the Christmas tree, repositions an ornament.
    It burns me that she reverts to defensive mode toward him. I already know how he takes control and ruins people's lives. “What would you call him?”
    “Spence is a powerful man.” She adjusts another ornament. “And powerful men are used to getting their way. He isn't petty, just focused. I was attracted to that once. The power. Now”—she heads for the kitchen—”not so much.”
    I'm left alone. The tree lights blink. Needles have already begun to fall on the carpet and the perfectly wrapped presents, most still unopenedbeneath the tree. What I think is that the SUV is gone. The one possible physical link between me and a hit-and-run accident.
    And I also wonder if dumping the Caddy was just my father's way of taking out insurance because he doesn't trust me. And hasn't since I was fourteen.

D ECEMBER 31—J ANUARY 2
    “I'm telling you, Judie, it was freaky. Here I am standing in Quin's house looking right at Analise's boyfriend. I didn't expect that!”
    Judie has just returned from visiting her grandparents in Florida and we're in my room on New Year's Eve, watching TV, waiting for the ball to drop in Times Square. Mom's gone to bed and this is our first chance to talk.
    Judie rolls her eyes. “I hope you didn't get that deer-caught-in-the-headlights expression on your face.”
    “It
rattled
me,” I say.
    “Because you feel guilty. But you can't let guilt ruin your show.”
    “Don't psychoanalyze me. I was the one in the car with Quin. Now I know we hit that girl.”
    “ ‘We’?” She looks puzzled. “Quin was driving. Where's the ‘we’ in that? What are you thinking?”
    She just doesn't get it. “All I'm telling you is I got a case of the nerves when I saw Jeremy at Quin's house. That's all.”
    The holidays have been a big boring disappointment for me. Mostly because Mom's been working, Judie's been gone and my dad didn't come like he'd promised. At the last minute, an assignment came up and his editor pressured him to take it, so he did. Mom blew off his no-show, but I really missed seeing him. “I'll come over spring break,” he said. “Promise.”
    Judie asks, “So when does your hotshot boyfriend get back from his family ski trip?”
    “Tomorrow.”
    “And school's on again in two days. So tell me how bad you feel once you start walking down the halls by Quin's side. Once you're the girl of the moment. The one he can't drop. And once baseball season starts, let me know how freaky it is being Quin Palmer's girlfriend then.”
    I screw up my courage and ask, “Why are you doing this? Why are you helping me get Quin Palmer? We've been friends a long time, but this is hard to understand, Judy. Why?”
    “Because I can.” Her flip answer doesn't match the look in her eyes, which is solemn.
    “Okay. I must ask you. Tell me what do
you
get from this? What do
you
want?”
    “I want to be tall, thin, blond and pretty like you. I've always wanted that. I think that's not news to you.” The old smart-aleck Judie returns.
    I smile. “What else? Be serious.”
    “I don't like that crowd you want to run with, Laurie. Actually, I'm not blaming you. They think they're so cool. So perfect. I'll never get in— especially because of my looks. But you can. I like knowing that between us we can make them jump through our hoops.”
    “So you see it as being a puppet master?”
    “Something like that. Think of it as a real-life Xbox game.” She grins. “I like pushing buttons. Not yours, of course. Quin and his type will never notice me or care about me, but I have the satistaction of knowing I can make his life miserable. I get secret pleasure out of that. It's a fun sensation even if it is our secret. Don't call me crazy either.”
    When Quin and I walk into the commons on January second, every head turns in our direction. Some of the kids