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Merciless

Page 114

by Helen Hardt

It wasn’t meant for me, or I would have received the additional five hundred dollars.

I should have turned it in to Audrey. But she would have found a way to blame me for it.

My stomach tightens so quickly I press one hand against it.

Is the phone still there?

Seemingly of their own accord, my feet begin walking toward that old hallway.

I stop in front of the bust of Arthur Vexley.

I glance over my shoulder.

No one.

I reach behind Arthur Vexley’s marble head and pull out the phone.

Dead screen.

My mouth goes dry.

For a moment, I only stare at it. The safe thing would be to put it back. Walk away. Forget I ever saw it.

But the safe thing and the right thing aren’t always the same.

I press the power button. The battery icon appears. Ten percent. I suppose I’m lucky it’s not completely dead.

The phone vibrates.

Once.

The screen lights.

I almost drop it.

The screen fills with text notifications.

Buzz.

Buzz.

Buzz.

Each one jolts through my hand.

I stare at the screen.

Same unknown sender.

Report.

The next.

You were told to confirm.

Then—

Do not go silent.