Free Crushing (The Southern California Wine Country Series) by J Gordon Smith Page B

good at stealing cars. She even wiped down the pedals that her bare feet touched so we don’t even have a toe print – not that our database might have such a thing but useful for evidence later.”
     
     

Chapter 6
     
    “Shit!” Amanda wrenched Kyle’s car to the side of the road and stomped on the brakes.
    Sardis slid off the seat and thumped against the back of the front seats and into the foot well.
    Kyle asked, “What?”
    “I borrowed a car to get to the party. It’s still there.”
    Sardis moaned awake, holding his side where the drive shaft tunnel traveled, “It’s likely towed.”
    Kyle asked, “Where did you park it?”
    “We got there after the party was really going, so we were way down the road.”
    “I’m sure the car is fine.”
    “Julie and a friend were in the back bedrooms. We have to go back.”
    Sardis sat up holding his head as the world titled around him, “Haley said everyone left from the house.” He blinked and sat back in the seat, his arms flopping to his sides.
    Amanda dug out her phone. She sent a text message to Julie’s phone. Amanda’s arms draped over the top of the steering wheel holding the phone in her hands waiting. The slow idle of the loping engine vibrated the dash with a buzz that shook the steering wheel. Amanda’s phone rang. “Hi Julie. Thank God you are ok.”
    Julie said, “That was crazy, right? I’m glad you are ok too. When I saw the house explode I knew your car should not get left there.”
    “Yeah. I’m wondering about going back for it.”
    Julie said, “When I saw you forgot to lock the car door, I had Markus hot-wire it for me. He took his car and I drove yours. I waited until I saw you drive away with Kyle. I’ll get it back to you tomorrow.”
    “So, things with Markus didn’t work out?”
    “Oh, it was a bit … awkward. I’ll tell you about it later.” She pushed the topic away. “Whooo! I feel like such a criminal driving a hot-wired car.”
    Amanda thought not the criminal that she felt – a ruddy dirty grime crawled along her skin thinking of the dead girl by the pool. An accomplice as a get-away driver and one who did not even try to help the dead girl. “Thanks, Julie.” Amanda tossed her phone onto the seat between her legs. She put the car in gear and drove back along the road. They exited the dirt road onto the larger paved roads. Amanda remained silent the whole drive, but her mind skidded with conflicting thoughts ranging through scenes from the party, hints she picked up from Kyle and certainly his sketchy brother Sardis. She drove until she saw the lights of the house where she stayed. She eased the car to the shoulder.
    Amanda turned and looked at Kyle, “This is where I get out. You can drive now?”
    Kyle nodded.
    The breeze blew from Kyle’s window toward her. Under the stink of the party, her nose found his musky fragrance. The smell thrust images of his touch and his kisses. His shoulders and torso that shown bare by the flickering flames of the bonfire. Her body wanted him, wanted to follow that smell on the breeze like a cartoon character floating after a freshly baked apple-cinnamon pie. “I can’t believe we ran. We ran from a crime scene. We’re going to hell.”
    Sardis said, “You want to be in jail? You would not be an innocent bystander. You’d get dragged along with anyone else left at the party.”
    Amanda gripped the steering wheel, “Or dragged along in the rest of your crazy life. A life more risky than I imagined.”
    Kyle said, “Hey, forgetting the party, we’re just getting started. It’s a struggle with the band but we have talent. We just need a bit of luck.”
    Amanda said, “Sardis, you should turn yourself in, you’re the one that killed that girl.”
    Kyle asked, “Why didn't you do anything, Amanda? You knew being detained would be bad. You ran too.”
    “I freaked out! We should go and tell the police what happened. Maybe they will think it was all an accident.”
    Sardis