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Cory nods and turns toward the motorcycle. He pulls open a compartment, takes out a backpack, and tosses it in her direction.
Dinah catches it with one hand and gives Cory an annoyed look. “You could’ve just handed it to me.”
“Where’s the fun in that?”
“Jackass,” Dinah mutters. She then spins on her heels and leads us back into the cottage. “No one is going to think to look for us here. It belonged to our aunt on our dad’s side, and she passed away years ago.”
I take Evie’s hand in mine and duck through the doorway. In the semi-darkness, I follow Dinah’s vague silhouette until we find ourselves in an empty room with cracked walls and two large windows overlooking the street. Somewhere up ahead, I hear a match strike, and two candles come to life. Dinah sets them down on an old wooden table that has seen better days and beckons us forward.
Cory moves around the room and pauses at the window. He snaps the curtains shut, extinguishing the moonlight, and turns to face us. “Let’s make this quick. Being gone for too long is going to arouse suspicion.”
“I’ve gone through a lot of trouble to get these things, so the least you can do is make some time for me.”
Cory rolls his eyes and crosses his arms over his chest. “Oh, I’m sorry, Your Highness. I wasn’t aware that you had better things to do than take down your corrupt grandfather. You’re not the only one who’s risked a lot here.”
“Both of you knock it off,” Evie interrupts with a shake of her head. “We have more important things to do than bicker with each other.”
Cory presses his mouth into a thin white line.
Dinah reaches into the backpack and pulls out a laptop. She opens it, and her fingers fly across the keyboard. Then, she reaches back into the backpack, pulls out a flash drive, and inserts it into a port.
As one, Evie and I step forward and bend down to scan the screen. Window after window pops up while white light illuminates Dinah’s features.
She looks angry.
After a few moments, Cory joins us, taking up a spot on Dinah’s other side. She glances over at him, and a quick look passes between the two of them before she glances back at the screen.
Silence stretches between us.
Finally, Dinah rolls her shoulders and presses two fingers to her temples. “Okay, I don’t know how you managed to find this out, but it’s good.”
“Is it going to be enough for the FBI to launch an investigation?” Evie asks.
Dinah turns her head to look at Evie and frowns. “I’m sorry, E. I know it’s not what you want to hear, but I honestly don’t know. I’ve managed to dig up a few things though. Along with this, it should, at least, be enough to put him on the FBI’s radar.”
Evie releases a deep breath. “I don’t likeshould. We only get one shot at this.”
“It’s a good start,” Dinah offers, pausing to place a hand on Evie’s shoulder. “I know you want to take him down for good. I do too. I’ve been doing some digging, and the things he’s done to people…” Dinah trails off and shudders.
Evie releases my hand and inches closer to her. “I’m sorry, Di. I know you didn’t want to believe it either. Have you spoken to Mom?”
Dinah runs a hand over her face. “I’ve been trying to feel her out, but either she really doesn’t know or she just doesn’t care.”
“She needs to know the truth.”
Dinah clears her throat. “I know, but it’s not going to be easy for her to hear it. If I’m going to tell her that her dad is involved in a lot of shady and fucked up businesses just to increase his power and his money, we’d better have an airtight case.”
Evie swallows. “Yeah, I know what you mean.”
“TJ and Sienna are worried about you,” Dinah adds after a lengthy silence. “You should call them more often.”
“I already talk to them,” Evie replies, tucking her hair behind her ears. “I hate lying to them though. I can’t let them get too close until this is over. Do you think they suspect anything?”
Dinah pauses then shakes her head slowly. “No, I don’t think so, but they’re smart, and one of them is bound to stumble on something sooner or later. TJ was already getting his mom to look into Isaiah, and you know how stubborn Sienna can be.”
Evie grimaces. “We’ll cross that bridge if we get there. For now, we need to deal with one problem at a time.”
Dinah straightens her back, shadows dancing across her face. “I agree. Who outside of this room knows the truth?”
