Kit flipped through the red and gold binder. He was alone for once, kind of. James was upstairs, working from his home office. Kit sprawled on the plush living room carpet, flat on his belly, feet kicking. The sleeves of his sweatshirt—the black one with the neon blue bats—were pushed up his forearms.
Most of his time recently had been spent with James, Darius, and Holden. Kit wasn’t used to being surrounded by people yet, but being alone was complicated. Too much space to breathe and think.
His phone sat next to the binder, the screen lighting up with occasional texts from Bishop.
Talking to Bishop was easier now that Bishop had rejected him. Again. There was an understanding between them, and Kit kind of liked having someone outside this messy web of relationships. Someone who still understood, who knew almost everything.
Kit:when are we taking a new case??? you can’t make me sort paperwork forever
Bishop:Who says I can’t?
Kit:you’re so mean :(
Probably an unfair question, since Kit was the reason Bishop’s last case ended so spectacularly weirdly.
Not that being abducted was Kit’s fault. Sure, getting kidnapped once seemed unfortunate, and more than twice seemed like a habit. But Kit’s unwise fondness for Holden was the reason Bishop couldn’t solve things any of the normal ways. Like legal justice or murder.
Murder was on Kit’s mind today, because Holden’s red and gold binder was full of it. The binder was very organized. Printed articles and scans of newsprint, glued to paper and carefully placed inside sleeve protectors. Normal people would have a spreadsheet, or a folder on their computer.
But physical copies might be more secure. Sometimes Kit forgot that not everyone’s phone was specially protected by their genius billionaire boyfriend.
There was something to be said about the physical record. Every time Kit turned a page, he imagined Holden turning that page before him. Like they were touching across time.
The glimpse into Holden’s mind was fascinating. He hadn’t written any of his own words, but Kit felt closer to Holden just by analyzing the choice of records. The neatness of the construction. Each article was firmly glued in place, without any sticky spots messing up the sleeve protectors.
But Holden hadn’t gotten out a ruler or anything when laying the pages out. Some were a little crooked. Some were a lot crooked. Some were just right.
The content varied. Court dates and arrest announcements and pleas for witness information. Kit skimmed most of the articles, wondering why Holden wanted him to look at this binder.
Then he noticed the date stamps. Combined with the locations. And a chill coursed through Kit’s veins.
His phone screen lit with another text from Bishop. Kit kept reading.
Every article in this binder concerned crimes in the greater San Corvo area. That included Vilton, of course. Technically a separate city, but nobody outside the county had heard of it. Most Vilton residents just said they were from outside San Corvo.
Arranged by case, then by date, beginning six years ago. Midway through the binder, the articles approached the date of Dad’s conviction.
Kit closed the binder, heart pounding. He didn’t want to look. He really didn’t.
But he needed to.
James was still upstairs, but he could come down at any time. Kit didn’t want to have a panic attack in front of him. So, he fled to one of the downstairs bathrooms. Perching on the squeaky-clean toilet lid, he cracked the binder open again.
Four pages later, Kit found what Holden wanted him to find. Kit counted his breaths, just like Bishop made him do on the kitchen floor. But it wasn’t necessary. Panic fell away, replaced with confusion when Kit flipped to the next page and found another, unrelated crime writeup.
Kit scrambled to make a call.
Holden picked up on the first ring. “What a pleasure to hear from you, darling.”
“Where’s the rest?” Kit said, tense. “That can’t be everything.”
Three short articles weren’t enough to encompass the worst year of Kit’s life.
Kit held the phone so tightly his hand hurt.
Holden’s breath echoed, too distant. “Was that him?”
Kit set the binder on the marble counter so he could hug himself. Stupid to give Holden so many details. The world was full of monsters, but how many fit the precise details Kit had given? The timing, the location, the victim profile.
