They took me directly home. Now I understood what the driver meant when he said they had more important things to do than chase after a spoiled brat. Daddy had used his political influence to arrange all this. I saw the SUV parked in front, but no sign of Tomkins. It was only then that I remembered the manila envelope containing all the money had been between the driver’s and passenger’s front seats. I wondered if it was still there. If it was, I might be able to get it back in his safe and have my father believe I had done nothing wrong, but only taken the car without his permission again. Carson opened the front door for us as we stepped up to it. “My father wanted me to thank you for him,” he told the policemen without looking at me. It was almost as if I wasn’t there. “No problem,” the driver said. He glanced at me, and then the two of them returned to their car. “Just go to Dad’s office,” Carson ordered. He stood back for me to enter. “Where’s Mommy?” I asked.
