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“Oh, I’m sure. I was off last month, though. We work in rotation around here,” she continued.
Damn. That was probably the exact time I was looking for.
“Oh, really? Who else works here, if you don’t mind me asking?”
“Oh, you can ask, but I don’t know who was on. I could check, I suppose,” she said faintly, glancing back at the open door to the office behind her. She put the visitor log down before me and turned that way. “Wait here, I’ll go and see.”
“Thank you so much!” I called after her departing back. I pulled the visitor log to me and scribbled in the corner with the ballpoint pen attached to the book, until ink came out.
I headed down the list, about to put my name, when I saw it.
Of course. The visitor’s log.Damn, I wasn’t very good at this research spy stuff.
The archive really didn’t get many visitors, and that’s why the name stood out so clearly.
Last month’s date was printed in small capitals, very neat and clearly, as was the name beside it.
Josh Samuels.
Josh? Josh had been here, just before the article had been leaked on the student community boards.Of course.If I had to make a list of the people at HHH who had it out for Cayden, except myself, Josh had to be right at the top of the list.
I suddenly remembered seeing him outside the cafeteria with his bruised nose and Ellen on his arm. Ellen, the former resident of Midnight Falls, the one who had tried to warn me about Cayden. The one who knew all about his past and could have pointed Josh in the right direction.
It was so obvious, it was a slap on the face, and yet it hadn’t occurred to me until this moment.
The receptionist was just on her way back as I took a picture of the visitor’s log and backed toward the door. I didn’t know what to do with this information. Should I tell Cayden? What would he do to Josh? I didn’t want to be responsible for actual murder. On the other hand, if I didn’t tell Cayden, he’d keep thinking it was me.
“Thanks so much for your help! I have everything I need,” I called to the kind receptionist.
She raised an eyebrow as I stepped out of the door and waved quickly. Now that I had the information, I wanted to get the hell out of Midnight Falls as fast as I could.
I walked back to Main Street just as a shiny black car pulled up at the curb. A girl got out, and I recognized her immediately.
Ellen. The girl who had warned me about Cayden in the first place. The one who used to live here.
Dread pooled in my gut as the driver got out the other side and rounded the front of the car, immediately moving toward me.
“Bug? What are you doing in Midnight Falls?” Josh wondered, looking around. His eyes narrowed as he took in the small side street I’d just come from. Realization dawned in his eyes.
“I was just visiting a friend,” I hedged and made to go around them. I jumped when Ellen’s hand landed on my arm.
“You went to the archive, didn’t you? It’s okay. I know you have to hate Cayden just as much as us. Everything he put you through this month alone is enough to hate him, even without knowing what else he’s capable of.”
“I…” I trailed off, not knowing what the hell to say.
“Come for coffee with us, and let’s talk about it. We should stick together. We’re all victims of his. It might make you feel better to know more about what he’s capable of,” Ellen said.
Josh watched me with an unreadable expression. He didn’t seem as sold on the fact that I’d be happy to expose more about Cayden than had already come out.
“More? What more is there?” I wondered.
Ellen nodded. “A whole lot more. We’re just getting started. Are you coming?” She gave me a hopeful smile. “Come on, Josh, let’s take her to the nice place with the cold-brew stuff.” Ellen launched into a spiel about different coffees as she headed back to the car.
Josh stared at me, and I met his gaze unflinchingly. They were planning on exposing more about Cayden? I had to stay and find out what.
“Are you with us, Lily?” Josh asked quietly.
“Looks like it, doesn’t it?” I asked, avoiding answering. I was a terrible liar. It was best not to risk it.
