The Art of Being a Con: A Guide by the Lion and the Fox | COMPLETE

Chapter Twenty: Tell Me Where They Live. /Okay.

"How did she find out?" Riley yelled.

"We were just talking and suddenly she was there!" Nate yelled back.

"What am I supposed to do now?" Evie asked, her voice raised as well.

The three had gone back to the room Evie and Nate had been discussing in, talking over what had just happened with Libby.

"She knows I'm her dad now," Nate said. "You can let me explain and be a part of her life now."

"Not. A. Chance," Evie growled. "First thing in the morning, I'm taking her and we're leaving. And I'm turning you in."

"What? No!" Nate started to panic. "You said–"

"I said she can't find out until I'm ready. I wasn't ready!"

"That's bullshit!" Riley exclaimed. "Just because she found out that he's her father, you're turning us in? You're insane!"

"That's what I keep saying!" Nate said, then faked a gasp. Then he spoke quickly and in a mocking tone. "It's almost as though you're insane and we're right, Elvira. Libby needed to know so curiosity wouldn't get the BEST OF HER."

"Fuck you, Nathaniel Cooper!" Evie shouted.

Nate opened his mouth to reply but both women shut him up:

"Not the time, Nate."

"Right, sorry," the man replied.

Evie took a few breaths to calm herself then finally said, "Elizabeth and I are leaving in the morning. We're going back to Jameson. We're telling him the truth."

She turned on her heel and walked out of the room.

Once she was gone, Riley spoke.

"She's a fucking bitch."

Nate snorted. "Tell me about it."

***

The front door slammed shut behind Evie and Libby. The girl had been reluctant to leave, wanting to stay with her father and get to know him more, but her mother forced her to leave.

The mother and daughter made their way to the curb and Evie tried to get an Uber for them.

"Ev," Nate called out to her from the doorway. "Just let me drive you."

"No," Evie refused. "No. We're fine."

"Come on, Evie."

"Nate, I said no."

"You're overreacting."

She turned around suddenly. "I'm overreacting? I– am over reacting?"

"You are."

"You kinda are, Mommy," Libby said, wincing slightly.

"We're fine. You don't need to give us a ride," Evie said to Nate, ignoring Libby's response.

The Uber pulled up.

***

"She's gonna turn us in," Vinícius was fretting. "She's gonna turn us in and we'll get arrested and I might get deported or killed. Abraham will definitely get killed. Mason... I don't know what'll happen to him. It's impossible to tell these days. No puedo ser arrestado. ¡Ninguno de nosotros puede ser arrestado! ¿Qué va a pasar si nos arrestan?"

"Vinícius!" Nate yelled at him. "Cállate, hombre. Cálmate antes de darte un ataque al corazón."

"Since when do you speak Spanish?" Mason asked as Vinícius tried to calm himself down.

Nate shrugged. "I may be dumb but that doesn't mean I'm not smart."

"What are we going to do?" Abraham asked. "She tell on us, we in trouble."

"We go on the run again?" Nate suggested.

"Nate..." Riley said. "You were the one who didn't want to go on the run."

"But we don't have a choice now!" he said. "We'll have to."

"When do we leave?" Vinícius asked.

Riley stayed silent for a moment, then she sighed. "Pack your things. We'll leave in one hour."

***

Evie got the bag out of the back of the Uber and thanked the driver. Libby was still upset.

When they reached the room, Jameson was relieved to see them but confused at Libby's anger.

"What happened?" he asked Evie while Libby was in the bathroom.

"She found out who her dad is," the woman replied.

"How?"

Evie was silent for a moment. Then she replied quietly, "She overheard us talking..."

"You were talking with Nathaniel Cooper?" Jameson shouted. "Why?"

"He's who we were staying with! I was talking with his girlfriend the other day and she said he's changed! I trusted her and I shouldn't. They're both terrible people."

"I don't want Elizabeth anywhere near either of them, Evie. Ever."

"I don't either! But she likes him."

"I don't care! He's a criminal!"

"I'm aware of that! I hate him just as much as you, but I have a better reason."

"What do we do about Elizabeth?"

"I don't know."

"Do you know where Nate and his team live?"

Evie nodded slowly, then faster. "Yeah. I do, I do."

"Tell me, Evie."

"I-"

"Please. To protect Elizabeth, and everyone they may con again."

Evie stayed silent, staring at the floor.

Jameson cautiously took her arms and made her look at him. "Please."

She took in a shaky breath and replied. "Okay."