She waits a beat. “What do you think this is about?”
Her eyes widen. Once. Twice.
I just hitch a shoulder. “I’m in the dark too, Wynter.” It’s not a lie.
I have no way of knowing if this is retaliation for us exposing Dyers's sins to the world.
“My mom’s going to kill me.” She covers her face. “They only let me grab my coin and text someone to come and look after Sommer before they forced me outside. Sommer’s going to be scarred for life!”
“I’m so relieved I brought the coins with me. I almost didn’t.” I pat her hand. “I barely had a chance to call out to Maxim. He was in the shower. God, I hope he heard me or he and my family will go crazy, and when that happens, people tend to die.”
While Maxim can track me, I let those last four words loose, my tone calm as can be.
If theyarelistening, then they’d better figure out who they’re up against.
Wynter squints through the rain-pecked glass. “I think they’re taking us to the lodge.”
“Makes sense. It begins where it ends.” A thought occurs to me. “Have you had contact with any suspected Veronians since that meal?”
“I don’t…” Her gaze drops to her knees. “Yeah.”
“What happened?” I demand. “Why didn’t you say anything?”
“It was two weeks ago. Just before finals. I had to go home?—”
“I remember. There was a party?”
“Yeah. Another Old Lady is pregnant.”
“Lily, right?”
“Yup. So, I was there for the baby shower and I had to head into town for some more Champagne. Lily’s bougie as hell, even if she isn’t allowed to drink. When I walked into the liquor store, this man was there. I thought he was an employee at first. But...”
“What did he want?”
She bypasses that by muttering, “I realized I remembered him from the first night. He vouched for one of the guys that went through the initiation with us.”
“Okay, but what did he want?”
“He asked if I was frightened yet.”
“That’s it?”
Her attention shifts from her knees to me. “Said there was a way out. I just had to tell the cops about what I’d seen that night.”
My eyes widen and I point to myself.
“I think so. Either that or what happened at that party, but it’s more likely to be the initiation, right?”
I can feel the orange-sized lump taking root in my throat. “What did you say?”
“I told him that just because he was used to assholes like Derek Dyers dropping the ball right, left, and center, didn’t mean he could tar everyone with the same brush.
“I also said that he was in the room with me and that if anyone came forward to try to pin the blame on you when they were the reason behind what happened, that each of them was to blame too…Andthat I’d have no problem telling my family who betrayed my close friend and fellow sister.”
I blink at her declaration. At herthreats. “You really said all that?”
“Damn straight. We’re in this together.”
