Rad watched Willa’s eyes fly toward Ace and then Margo.
Then he noticed something that made his own brow furrow.
Ace’s gaze flicked, just for a split second, toward Mina.
Rad turned slowly and looked at his grandmother.
She gave the smallest smile.
And something gripped his gut.
Had he been left out of the loop?
Mina’s words from a few minutes before came back to him.
I’ve known about that for quite some time.
Another conversation flashed through his mind. One from shortly after he had arrived in Sandpiper Shores. She had still been in Miami then, making plans to come for the summer and to serve as one of the heritage family representatives for the ten-year memorial of that awful day.
You know, you should invite your father for the summer. I know he’s on an important case right now, but it’ll be wrapped up soon. He needs a break. You can talk him into taking some time off and spending part of the summer with you and Tyler.
At the time, it had seemed harmless.
Sweet, even.
Now, sitting here while his father and June quietly dismantled their scheme, Rad was suddenly not so sure.
“Well, Willa?” June’s voice cut cleanly across the room and pulled him back from his thoughts. “We’re waiting.”
Mina sighed, and just as Willa opened her mouth, she stopped her.
What are you up to, Grandmother?Rad thought as he watched her calmly turn toward her son and the woman she’d manipulated him, Ace, Willa, and Margo, into pushing together, while not telling them the entire truth about his father’s andJune’s past relationship. His grandmother had deliberately left out that they had been married for four years. Instead, his grandmother had just skirted right over that big chunk of information. They were all told that his father and June had been friends when they were younger. Rad got it now. His grandmother should’ve been an attorney. She really missed her calling there. She could spin something in the most spectacular ways and come out a winner even when you caught her out because she made sure you tripped up in technicalities.
His eyes moved to his father and June. How hadn’t any of them even thought to ask more about their relationship? Especially when his grandmother advised them to be completely indifferent and pretend to have no knowledge that his father and June even knew each other.
Rad shook his head, and his eyes narrowed as he watched his grandmother as she readied herself to take center stage and disclose what she knew.
He should’ve seen it right away that he and Willa had been manipulated by the master of manipulation herself—his grandmother, Mina Dillinger. All lined up and in position to bring about her master plan. But Rad had been a little overwhelmed by the move, settling in, and ensuring his son was happy. He’d barely arrived in Sandpiper Shores before he was pulled into the investigation surrounding what really happened ten years ago.
Then, before he knew it, he was on a YouTube show he already knew well, a show he’d watched years ago in New York and whose creator he had even met a few times back when Gilbert Fry still lived there, and the channel was new. Then the threats started. Strange incidents. Then June had an accident, and Willa encouraged her mother to come to town for the summer. Thenhis father got shot, and suddenly Rad had the perfect excuse to persuade his father to recover in Sandpiper Shores. His head turned toward Willa again.
June’s words from the other night about Willa’s age and that odd little conversation about Willa’s father came back to him. He still needed to look into that because the timing of things didn't sit comfortably in his mind. Before he could ponder on it, his grandmother spoke.
“No, dear. Let me answer.” Mina smiled encouragingly at Willa.
“Mother?” Holt’s brows drew together. “Please tell me you’re not involved with the Hidden Truths as well.”
“Not directly,” Mina said, then corrected herself. “Well, that’s not exactly true either.” She gave a small shake of her head. “I was the one who introduced Judy to Lacey, and I was the one who suggested Margo and Willa take over the Hidden Truths channel with Judy. Which, of course, meant Lacey wanted in as well.”
“Mother.” Holt’s eyes flashed. “Why would you do something like that?”
“Because I thought it would help heal some of the wounds Margo, Willa, and Judy were carrying,” Mina said. “And because, just like the five of them, Margo, Willa, Judy, Lacey, and Ace, I never believed Gilbert had done what they said he had.”
“You know you put their lives in danger?” Holt’s voice deepened.
“Oh, come now,” Mina replied. “They were exposing cases that had already been solved, or hunting down missing treasures that were never recovered, and pointing out cheats and liars.”
“And we never exposed ourselves,” Willa added quickly. “We were avatars.”
