Free Follow Her Home by Steph Cha Page B

twenty-two, twenty-three. Very friendly.”
    â€œIs that your way of saying she’s loose?”
    He played with the ring on his finger, rotating it with his thumb. “I wouldn’t know. But she is very friendly in a touchy way.”
    I almost smiled. Diego would never call a woman’s virtue into question. “I hear she tried to jump you the other week.”
    â€œYou should know better than to take Luke’s gossip at face value.”
    â€œWhat happened?”
    â€œShe got a little tipsy at a happy hour and she just started talking to me, but she was handsier about it than necessary. I guess it was kind of inappropriate, but I don’t think she meant anything by it.”
    â€œInappropriate?”
    â€œEnough to make me uncomfortable. Anyway, one of the other first-years told her I was married and she hasn’t done anything like that since. Why? What’s this all about?”
    I took a deep breath and let it out with puffed cheeks. “Before I say anything, I need you to sign onto a couple things.”
    â€œSuch as?”
    â€œThis stays between you and me. No Jackie, no one. You, me, and Luke. That’s the loop.”
    â€œOkay, sure.”
    â€œAnd you have to promise that you won’t tell me what to do.”
    He nodded, hesitant, and gave me a worried look. “I’ll try.”
    I pounded a knuckle on my forehead. “Don’t freak out, Diego, but there’s a dead body in my car and I need your advice.”
    He stood up like the seat of his pants had caught fire. “What?”
    I explained what had happened, from my jaunt on Citrus to my run-in with the villain. He listened with balled fists and wide eyes.
    â€œOh my God. You’re not joking.” His mocha complexion soured into lemon-curd yellow. “You must be scared to death.”
    â€œI am.”
    â€œDo you need a hug?”
    â€œI do.”
    We sat quietly for a minute on the couch, side by side, my back resting on his arm. I almost started to cry, then remembered I didn’t have the time. I rotated out of his arm and faced him. “Should I go to the cops?”
    He thought for a second. “I know it would make me feel better. Why haven’t you called them already?”
    â€œI didn’t want to call them from home because he’d know. He threatened my family.”
    â€œI know, but what makes you think he could hurt them? You can’t just walk around committing crimes. You get caught. Your family’s in Texas. We could notify police there.”
    â€œI know. It’s just, I don’t know anything about the guy. My guess is that he’s a little unhinged but not necessarily a criminal mastermind. Putting the body in my trunk was a scare tactic and a really dumb move. Then he showed himself when I had no way of identifying him before. I don’t think he’s in control.”
    â€œIs that a good thing?”
    â€œI don’t think so. At least if I knew he was some kind of professional criminal, I could credit him with logic and strategy. I could take for granted that he wouldn’t do anything suicidal. Can’t do that with a pure lunatic.”
    â€œBut if he’s just some crazy guy, he probably couldn’t reach your family without getting caught.”
    â€œThere’s something more to it, though. One, he alluded to an employer, which might be bullshit. But if it’s true, he could have someone else track down my family.” I hesitated.
    â€œAnd two?”
    â€œHe knew about Iris. He mocked pity for our poor mom, with two daughters getting into trouble.”
    His mouth fell open. It had been a long time since I’d referred to my sister in a meaningful way. “Oh no.”
    â€œI think he was trying to piss me off, but he was also trying to scare me. I can’t shake the feeling that he knows about everything that happened to her, and a lot of that is not public information. If he knows