CHAPTER 36 – Detour Part 1
Lia cracked her window as she drove, letting cold air slap her cheeks until they stung. The sun was busy showing off, painting Arroyo Mesa in molten pinks and dusty golds. She’d picked up pan de sal for her mom, as if a bread run could fix everything cracked inside her ribcage. Spoiler alert: it couldn’t. Her phone buzzed twice in the cupholder. She ignored it. Her shoulders were knotted so tight they felt like they might snap off. Then she saw it. At the red light near the Shell station. A black SUV. Tinted windows. One lane over. She tried to pretend it didn’t make her stomach twist. The light flipped green. She hit the gas. The SUV rolled forward, matching her speed perfectly. Okay. Cool. Totally normal. She blinked. Swallowed. Forced her grip to loosen on the wheel. Then she
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