"He needs to be buried on his family's land," she said.
"What?!" His jaw dropped.
"That's what Keenan's mother said."
They turned onto a road where a cluster of houses was under construction. In the shadows, earthmovers sat motionless behind stacks of concrete blocks.
Jack swallowed hard. "So, we go to the cops and admit what we did? Tell them where we left the body?!"
"No. Me and you. We go get his body and bury him with his people."
"Have you lost your damn mind?!" He was incredulous. "That's insane!"
"It may be the only way."
"Just like that. Go get his body."
She shrugged.
Up ahead, a single streetlight suddenly went dark, like a birthday candle blown out.
She couldn't clearly see his face but his tone indicated that he wasn't onboard. She'd pitched her idea and he wasn't receptive. She was at an impasse.
They drove in blackness when BANG! An unseen object hit the front of Jack's car. She screamed. The car bounced as they ran over something in the road. When he slammed on the brakes, the car screeched to a stop on the deserted stretch of pavement.
"What was that?!" she gasped.
"You okay?" He surveyed the windshield. There were no cracks. "I'm gonna have a look. Stay in the car."
"Wait. Hold up."
"What?"
"Kinda feels like maybe we've been set up."
"I'll be right back."
He glanced out the back window, then exited the car. Her stomach knotted. She could make out his silhouette walking around the front of the car, inspecting the grill and hood.
"See anything?" she called.
"Not yet."
He hiked back down the road, looking for something laying in the street.
Inside the car, she jumped when her ringtone blared. Her phone displayed: UNKNOWN CALLER.
There was no chance she'd answer the call. She stared at her screen expecting a message to appear. Then she heard movement beside the car directly outside her passenger door. Something was definitely out there.
She choked out, "Jack."
BANG! A bloody hand struck the passenger window.
Lyla shrieked, "Jack!" The hand dropped from the window onto the door handle. Someone tried to open Lyla's door. "Jack!" she screamed.
He jumped into the driver's seat. "What is--"
She shouted frantically, "GO! GO!"
He mashed the accelerator to the floor and the car rocketed down the road.