Chapter 15 · The Crash Comes Early

The cop's flashlight hits my face and I can't see anything else. My wrist's still bleeding from where I cut it on the safe door. Lin's behind me somewhere in the dark. The beam swings to him.

"Stella Su. Lin Yuhan. You're both under arrest for conspiracy to commit fraud and obstruction of justice."

I don't move. The words bounce off me like I'm made of glass. Behind the cop I can see Ivy's silhouette in the doorway. She's already turning to leave.

"Wait." My voice comes out steady. Too steady. "My mother. Where is she."

The cop looks at his partner. They exchange some kind of signal I can't read.

"Ma'am, you need to come with us."

"My mother signed a witness protection agreement. That paper said Pacific Capital. Where. Is. She."

Ivy stops in the doorway. Doesn't turn around. "Your mother made her choice eight months ago, Stella. She chose to betray people who trusted her. Now she's paying for it."

"You're lying."

"Am I?" Now she turns. The hallway light's behind her so I still can't see her face. "Your father sold you to pay his debts. Your mother ran to the feds to save herself.