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Regardless, if something else has happened, I need to know about it fast before word spreads. My mission in The Society might be to protect the students, but Riley is a student, too, and something tells me she needs protection more than any of us.
The flashing lights are the first thing I see and panic takes over until I’m full-on running toward the gathered crowd.
My dad comes walking briskly toward me, clad in his typical suit and tie.
Hands in the air, I ask, “What the hell happened?”
“Zeke Martin committed suicide. He jumped from a second-story window with a shard of glass in his throat.”
“Fuck!” I run my fingers through my hair before lifting my eyes to my dad’s. “Zeke’s dead?” I quirk a brow, not buying this suicide story. “Glass doesn’t just end up in someone’s throat. What really happened, Dad?”
“That’s what we’re going to find out. It was Riley Cross and Scarlett Sunder’s window he came out of. I told you that girl was up to no good. Outside law enforcement has deemed his fall intentional, but I know better. The Elders know better. And they’re not going to—”
“No. Hell no,” I cut him off. “Riley didn’t do this. She’s not who you think she is, Dad. She’s a good girl. She’s a Guardian, for Christ’s sake.”
Dad reaches into his pocket and pulls out a plastic Ziploc baggie holding what appears to be a phone.
I tip my head at it. “What’s that?”
“Riley Cross’s phone. Our officer on the inside handed it over to me. It was found on the victim.”
“Fuuuuck.” My head drops back and I blow out a heavy gust of air. “You’re kidding me?”
I snatch the phone from his hand, pacing the sidewalk in front of the dormitory, sorting through all the possible scenarios in my head. Zeke jumped Ridge last night. He was pissed off about some bullshit that happened in class and he beat the fuck out of him.
Could Ridge have…
No.Don’t go there, Maddox. Not only would Ridge go to the ends of the earth to protect Riley, Ridge isn’t a killer—just like Riley isn’t. This is too coincidental. Even if they’ve both taken a life in the past, it doesn’t mean either of them are truly capable of murder. Ridge was defending his mom when he killed that rat bastard years ago. And Riley, she was protecting herself and her friends from a dirty politician. We don’t live normal lives like those outside of The Society, but it doesn’t mean we're all crooked.
“So what the hell do you want me to do? Ask her if it was her? Give her the phone back?”
“No!” He huffs. “I don’t want you to take your eyes off that girl. Watch her and look through that damn phone.” He takes the phone from my hand and sticks it right into the pocket of my jeans, patting it for safe keep. “This is part of your training, son. This is what you need to do to be a successful Guardian.”
“None of this makes sense, Dad. You’ve gotta believe me when I say I'm positive someone is framing Riley.”
“You could be right. But we can’t take any chances.” He gives the area a lazy sweep before stepping closer and lowering his voice. “I came here with a couple other Elders who are adamant on getting to the bottom of this. I don’t know what the fuck you’ve got going on with that girl, but if you believe her, you better prove her innocence fast before a Sleuth is brought in because once they start digging, no one can protect her from what comes next.”
He means abolishment from The Society. Life as she knows it will be over. For her and her family.
“Okay,” I tell him, “keep this under wraps a little longer and I’ll do what I can from the inside. I’ve got a foot in the door with Riley. She trusts me.”
Dad pats me on the shoulder proudly and I feel a sense of approval from him. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, I’m on a high for weeks. All I ever wanted was to make my dad proud. To be as good at what I do as he is.
The downfall? It’s another secret I’m forced to keep from Ridge and Lev. I don’t believe Riley is guilty of murdering these guys, but I have to look at things from every angle. Sometimes believing someone and trusting them are completely different ideas.
CHAPTER19
RILEY
Scarand I are walking so fast, our feet can barely keep up. In fact, everyone who overheard us outside the coffee shop is hauling ass to the Willamette House.
I rest my hand over my heart, willing it to slow down, but I know it won’t until I know what’s going on. “Where did they find him?”
“Beneath a busted-out window. Our fucking window, Riley!”
“How is that possible? I was just in our room.”
It’s possible she didn’t get her facts straight. There are many windows on that side of the house. There are also three stories so he could’ve fallen from the floor above us.
