Walker huffs out a laugh. “Big words for a little girl.”
“You’ve never had a sister. She’ll tell us everything, even things we don’t need to know.”
That would be great. Do you know when they’ll be able to return to school?
The chat stays empty for almost an hour, Walker pacing, charcoal-coated fingers leaving streaks down his jeans as he rubs his palms along them.
I spend the same wait building more of my case against Trips’ brother. It’s going to have to be airtight, and even then, there’s a good chance he’ll slip free.
He’s that kind of vermin.
Finally, another message pops up.
No idea. My father’s furious. So’s Archie. I’ve heard him scream a few times. Clara’s silent, though.
I’m not allowed to see either of them.
I’m trying to figure out how to reply when another message comes through.
He made Clara kill one of the guards. He made Archie and me watch.Trevor laughed.
It freaked me out.
Are you sure your girlfriend isn’t secretly an assassin or something?
There’s a pause as I try to take in the rapid-fire texts.Shit. Clara had to kill someone?I look at Walker, and the shared weight of our targetless anger hangs between us. Then he sheds his true emotions, pretending he doesn’t feel as deeply as we all know he does.
I let him.
If his mask keeps him moving forward, I’m not going to strip it from him.
Another text comes in.
Who am I talking to?
“This girl,” Walker gripes with mock annoyance.
I play along. “She’s fifteen. Give her some slack. How much caution did you have at that age?”
“Zero.”
“Exactly.”
This is RJ
There’s nothing for a while, and I assume she’s back home and under lock and key. I shoo Walker out and force myself to get a snack, but when I get back, there’s another message waiting for me.
Sorry. Boyfriend showed up.
Do you guys have a plan? Clara seems to think there’s one, but from where I’m standing, she’sjust taking beating after imprisonment after semi-forced murder. So…plan?
Panic flashes in my chest at her casual mention of her boyfriend. I can’t have some random guy that none of us knows or trusts in the middle of this mess. Especially if we’re to the ‘killing people’ line on our list of contingencies.
Did you tell him about this? The boyfriend?
Westerhouse business stays in the family. Clara's Archie's family, and she's yours, so you're okay.
Good. Please keep this a secret.
