“I hate that I did,” I admit. That admission sits heavy on my chest.
“She thought I was overreacting about the cameras,” I add. “But something didn’t sit right after he said he had eyes on her. I just… had a feeling I needed to do more.”
“Trust that feeling,” Kade says.
I shift the truck into gear and pull out of the lot.
“I need to call her and tell her to come straight to the house after class.”
I don’t wait. I end the call and dial her number immediately. It rings twice before she answers.
“Hey,” she says. Her voice is cheerful, it’s so normal that it makes me forget what I wanted to say.
There’s traffic in the background, and I can hear her blinker ticking.
“You driving?” I ask.
“Yeah, just leaving campus,” she says. “What’s up? How was practice?”
I should ease into this. I should ask her calmly, but instead I go straight for it.
“Did your father ever talk to you about—” I stop. “Have you met his brother or anyone connected to that side of their family?”
“What?” She laughs softly. “That’s random.”
“Just answer me. Please.”
“No,” she says confused. “Why are you—” She cuts herself off. “Dammit.”
“What?”
“I think I’m getting pulled over.”
I sit up straighter, my hand tightening around the wheel. “What do you mean you think?”
“There are lights behind me,” she says, still too calm. “Hold on a minute.”
“Brinley, where are you?”
“Cooper, hold on a second.” I hear the click of her turn signal and the slight crunch of gravel beneath her tires.
She doesn’t hang up.
“Afternoon, ma’am.”
The voice comes through the speaker. It’s kind of distorted, but it’s enough to make out what’s being said.
“Hi,” she says.
“License and registration.”
I sit there gripping my phone so hard my knuckles ache.
“Brinley,” I shout, hoping she can hear me. “Tell me where you are.”
No answer. I don’t know if she can hear me or if she’s just focused on him.
“Do you know why I pulled you over?” the officer asks.
