Fingers trembling, I whipped out my iPhone and snapped a picture of the open box with the B

necklace inside, sitting right where it was. Then I covered my hand with the end of my sleeve to

keep from leaving more fingerprints, closed the box, and snapped another picture. Finally, I took a

step back and got the wider scene--the open drawer with the box inside and some of Ivy's things in

the background, so that the police would have no question as to where I was.

I placed the sweaters back in the drawer and closed it carefully. My heart was racing with

unbridled excitement. Ivy was going down. It was almost over. I almost couldn't believe it.

I was about to grab the doorknob and hightail it out of there, when I heard determined footsteps

coming down the hall.

"So stupid," someone said to herself.

My heart stopped. It wasn't just someone. It was Ivy. She was about two seconds away from

opening her door and finding me standing in the middle of her room with my iPhone out.

I wheeled around. The door to Jillian's closet was open. I flung

176

myself inside, tripping on her shoes and banging into a dozen hangers, and yanked the door

closed.

Ivy shoved the door to the room open and stormed inside. I was breathing so hard she was sure to

hear me. I grasped the sleeve of one of Jillian's sweaters and held it over my mouth, forcing myself

to breathe in and out slowly, quietly. Through the tiny space between door and wall, I could see

Ivy moving about.

"Where the hell did I put it?" she said to herself, shoving some papers aside on her desk.

She groaned and opened a drawer, then slammed it. Shuffled a few more things around. The

whole time I had to clutch myself to keep from trembling and losing my balance atop the sea of

pumps and boots and sneakers. If I moved, my ankle might turn and I might tumble right out onto

the floor.

That would be very not good.

"Ah! Thank God," Ivy said finally.

She shoved whatever she was looking for into her bag and strode past me toward the door. She

got so close to the closet I could see the fur lining on her coat and smell her musky perfume. It was

all I could do to keep from gagging. Then she walked out and slammed the door behind her.

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