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“I’ll do it now. The library is open twenty-four hours for late-night studiers.”
“Excellent,” he said. “Have you received another letter?”
I checked the mailbox to be sure. “No, nothing yet. I’ll call you when the next one comes. I have a terrible feeling about what it’ll say.”
“You won’t be forced to hurt anyone, Rainey. If your stalker is working with someone in the police, there is a way we can do this that doesn’t get the local force involved. You just have to trust me, and don’t try to do this alone.”
“Trust me,” I said, thinking of Bella. “I’m done underestimating him.”
“I’m standing by for your fax. Goodbye.”
“Bye.”
Stuffing my phone away, I grabbed the knob to go inside. Movement flickered out of the corner of my eye.
I stopped, peering at the Sigma Kappa house across the street. Their house neighbored a copse of trees and bushes that provided cover for the many parties they threw and the illegal activity going down during them.
I thought I saw...
...someone duck into the trees.
Why would a frat boy do that at one in the morning?
I backed inside, closing and sliding in all the new locks.
I called Gold back.
“Hey. I’ll fax you the contract in the morning.”
I LEFT EARLY THE NEXT day to head to the library. That left me plenty of time to grab breakfast, find a quiet spot in the student union, and stick in my headphones.
Dante poured in my ears.
“—all heard the news Jonah transferred out of Bedlam U. Should we take this as an admission of guilt or an innocent man fleeing rumors and suspicion? No one likes the question game, so here’s your answer: NDAs and hush money couldn’t put this secret back in the box, like it did the first time.
“My sources confirm Jonah assaulted that girl, then used Daddy’s money to pressure her and her family into settling out of court. It’s a good thing he fucked off on his own. He was leaving our town one way or another.”
I slurped on my mango banana smoothie, listening with half an ear. Dante didn’t need to confirm for me that the Crows were bad news.
Nelson rounded the corner and claimed a seat at a study table three down from mine. I waved but he didn’t see.
“—Paris Keller.”
I promptly forgot about Nelson.
“Witnesses say six guys in ski masks rolled up on her and Rainey de Souza. It wasn’t a fair fight in any way,” he said. “It just so happens the Crows added two new guys to their crew recently. But that’s just a coincidence, right?
“Jeremy Ellis said it is the other day on the deck. He asked if those witnesses saw crow tattoos. Ellis even floated the accusation that they were framed by a certain group of guys that would do anything to run them out and stop the town from splitting. Rainey is the Bedlam Boys’ girl and Paris is Cairo’s sister. Maybe the ladies agreed to take a beating for the cause.”
My jaw dropped. Jeremy said what? That two-faced lying dickhead can beat me and Paris in the street, but he can’t face up to it in the open.
“I put a poll on my website asking you guys to chime in on those responsible.”
Website? Since when did Dante have a website?
“It’s open for three more days on Dante’s Den dot com.”
I immediately pulled out my laptop and typed it in.
“After voting closes,” he continued, “I’ll release the poll asking what punishment you feel this attack on our own deserves. Write-ins allowed.”
Clicking the top result for the search, black flooded my screen. I squinted at a small spec of white in the middle. I stared at it and it stared at me—the spot growing bigger and its skull eyes finding me through the laptop.
I hit enter scrawled across its face, and the curtains drew back, revealing a simple website with a tab for past shows and one to contact him. The home page had nothing to say for itself except for a single question in bold white letters and the poll beneath.
Who attacked Rainey de Souza and Paris Keller?
The Crows: 71%
The Bedlam Boys: 20%
Neither: 9%
Incredible that anyone would believe Cairo would beat and strip his sister. As incredible as the idea she’d volunteer for the privilege to cast doubt on the Crows. It gave me hope that the majority swung one way.
Jeremy had more work to do. Bedlamites weren’t fooled.
I shut the laptop and lit on Nelson and his new tablemate. Their back was to me, so I didn’t make out anything but the cool mint green of their hoodie. The guy stood up and I caught a flash of something red disappearing inside Nelson’s backpack as he stood up to leave too.
“—dear Bedlamites, I report on justice, I don’t deliver,” Dante said. “As satisfying as it would be to carry out the punishment you vote for, it’s not up to me to see the Crows or Bedlam Boys pay for this. But that doesn’t mean you should sit by and do nothing, Paris. Rainey.”
