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downstairs.
    â€œHow’d you do that?” Matt whispered.
    â€œNever mind. I had to learn it. Now, c’mon.”
    I led him to the kids’ section. “Grab five big books.”
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œ Never mind. Just do it.” I was getting really tired of Matt.
    We took all the books to the desk. I balanced them there in a stack.
    The lady there was no bigger than me. Her name tag said Daphne . “We need to come back to get cards, ma’am, but Jo-Anne upstairs said you could hold these for us.”
    â€œAbsolutely,” Daphne said. She looked at us over those half-glasses. I told her our names and address and she wrote it all down on a slip of paper. She was quick, like a bird, which was not good. I decided to go for it anyway. Before she could touch the stack of books, I said, “Oh, and we have to pay for a photocopy.” Matt was still holding the sheet of paper. I passed Daphne the ten. As she opened the cash drawer to make change, I tipped over the books. They hit the floor on her side of the counter. “Oh, sorry!”
    She went for the books. I leaned over the counter like I was trying to help. Instead, I slipped the first bill I could reach out of the drawer and scooped it behind my back to Matt. Then I ran around to help for real. As I did, the tall girl from upstairs came to the desk. I was pretty sure she hadn’t seen what I’d done. I kept my back to her. She didn’t say a word.
    We got the books gathered up again. Daphne gave me change from my ten for the photocopy. It had cost a quarter.
    When we got outside, Matt was bug-eyed. I said, “How much did we get?”
    â€œFive dollars.” His voice was shaky. He started to reach into his pocket.
    â€œNot here! Get your bike.”
    He pulled his bike out of the rack, and we crossed the street into a park. I pulled the books I’d boosted out of my pockets. Matt’s eyes got even bigger. “Okay,” I said, “so we made five plus nine seventy-five…Wait.” I put the books down on a picnic table under a tree. I fished the money out of my pocket and dumped it on the table. The Canadian five was blue, and there were a couple of those weird two-dollar coins. The ten had been purple. I pushed it all toward him.
    â€œWhat’re you doing?” Matt said.
    â€œYou helped,” I said. “You did great. So we’re partners. You won’t tell, right? ’Cause if you do, we’re screwed. Can I trust you?”
    â€œY-yeah. Sure,” Matt stammered.
    â€œAnd to show I trust you, I’m going to let you hold it for us. You got a secret place at home where you keep your money safe?”
    He nodded.
    â€œHow much you got?”
    â€œTwenty-eight bucks.”
    â€œGood. Plus this. Put it all there. But you got to show me where it is, so I’ll know you haven’t skimmed it. Okay?”
    â€œOkay.” He stuffed the cash in his pocket. His hands were trembling.
    â€œCool. I guess we got money for drinks, huh? See why I like going to the library? And believe me, your mom will like it that we went there too.” I picked up the books. I was feeling good. Thanks to Matt, who’d be too scared to talk, I now had a hiding place for cash, ID on the way and books. Matt didn’t know it yet, but he’d just donated his twenty-eight bucks to my escape fund too.
    As we went to the variety store, there was only one thing niggling at me. The tall girl in the library: as we were leaving, I’d seen her name tag. I could’ve sworn it read Gilly .

TEN
    Roy went back to work the next day. Shan took the kids to dentist appointments that afternoon. She was all worried about leaving me alone. I was dying for them to go.
    â€œAre you sure, hon? We won’t be long. They’re booking a checkup for you for next week. I tried for today, but they’re full up.”
    â€œI just wanna read.” I waved a library book.
    â€œWell,