“I’m not going back to Lancaster. I’m not going anywhere I’ve ever been before.”
“You’re not?”
“I can’t. I’ve been thinking about where to go next, and…” I worked the next words over in my head. Could I trust Bradley? I thought he was my oldest friend. “I contacted the advocacy agency my mom worked with.”
“Why?”
“I’ve agreed to publish anonymous articles detailing what I know.”
“Freya, don’t. They’ll know it’s you. Then you’ll really be targeted.”
“The advocacy group said it’s the only way to ensure my safety. Be open and honest, they want me to use my real name but I’m scared to really paint the target on my back.”
Bradley narrowed his eyes. “I don’t think that’s a great idea.”
I shrugged. “I don’t know what else to do. I’m already a target, Tav made me one.”
My oldest friend sighed, worried eyes on mine. “Geez, here I thought I was coming up here to save you from Tav, but it looks like I need to save you from yourself.”
“Think about it, if I just go back to that house in Lancaster and hide out and wait for that knock to come to my door...I’m living in fear. I’m letting them control me…”
“But who aretheyexactly?”
I shook my head, leveling with him. “I have no idea, but I have to act like they’re everywhere.”
“Ugh, this is intense.”
“Every moment of my life has been under a microscope since I met Tav, and I had no idea. Not until now. And now...he’s gone so I don’t know who to trust beyond myself.”
“You can trust me, always.” Bradley squeezed my hands.
“Tav taught me to trust no one.”
Bradley frowned. “That’s dark.”
“Welcome to life, the weather is weird and the people are weirder.” I pulled a file of printouts from my bag. “I’ve been digging.”
“Great.”
“Turns out Tav was sent to boarding school after some behavior issues. I couldn't find much—”
“That’s probably for the best,” Bradley commented.
“So I called the boarding schools around Lancaster.”
“You did?”
I nodded. “He was threatening other students—other female students—and he was diagnosed with a suspected personality disorder at that point.Lack of impulse control,the intake report specifically said.”
“How did you get his intake report?”
“You’d be surprised how cheap it is to get information on a senator’s son. It’s like people are desperate to share what they know and knock the golden son off of his pedestal.”
Bradley cocked his chin my way, then broke into an awkward chuckle. “So just to be clear, you’re not coming home to Lancaster with me, and you’re being hunted by you-have-no-idea who?”
“Pretty much...” I frowned. “It’s complicated.”
Bradley shook his head. “I’ll say. I want to help you, Freya. I’m here for you however you need me.”
