Chapter 56
CHAPTER 56
MADDIE
“I t’s so late,” Vera said, yawning on Jo?o’s couch. “Blaise!”
I ran a hand over my face and stared down at a tablet that Kai—the tech wiz of Poison—must’ve programmed for Jo?o because I didn’t think that Jo?o was smart enough to code anything like this.
For the twentieth time tonight, I rewatched the security camera footage that Kai had sent over to Jo?o earlier.
The cops had pulled Oliver over blocks from the school, but instead of any police officer exiting the car, Spencer did with a gun. When Oliver realized what was happening, he tried to get away, but Spencer shot out one of his tires and pulled him out of the car, tied him up with the help of … someone I couldn’t quite make out, and threw him into the back of his Jeep.
“Blaise?” Vera called again from the couch, yawning. After a moment, she hopped off it and padded into the kitchen. “We should get going.”
“I need to find Oliver,” I said desperately.
“It’s almost three in the morning,” Vera said. “We’ve been up for almost twenty-four hours, Maddie. We’re not going to find him tonight, especially not when we’re almost falling asleep. Let Poison do the hard work for you. That’s what you’re paying them for.”
“Yeah, get the fuck out of my house,” Jo?o said, half-asleep while leaning against the wall near the kitchen table. He crossed his arms and yawned. “Ana is going to be up in two hours, wanting breakfast.”
“Blaise!” Vera called again, glancing around the room. “Where did he go?”
“They left.” Jo?o said.
“What?” she asked, furrowing her brow. “When?”
Ana padded from the back room, clutching her teddy and crying. “Jo?o! I want Imani!”
“About four hours ago.”
“Where did they go?” I asked, glancing out the window to see Alec’s car was gone.
I furrowed my brow because Alec would never hang out with Blaise just to bullshit. They had to be doing something together, right? But to stay out this late and not tell me at all? Not even a text?
“Don’t know, but listen, I can’t help you right now,” Jo?o said, heading toward the hallway, where a wailing Ana stood. “You gotta figure out where your little boys went off to yourselves. Now, get out of my house.”
After running a hand over my face—because I was stressed the fuck out—I tugged Vera out of the house and down the front steps toward Blaise’s car, which was the only one left on the road. “Do you happen to have his keys?”
“No,” Vera said, shielding herself from the light rain.
“I’ll call an Uber,” I said, whipping out my phone to catch a ride.
While we waited for our ride, Vera bounced on her toes. “So, did Mrs. Wolfe really …”
“Sleep with my stupid brother?” I asked between gritted teeth. “Yes.”
She scrunched her nose. “Why? She’s married.”
I balled my hands into fists and glared at Blaise’s car, wondering the same damn thing.
“Maybe his parents have an open relationship?” Vera suggested.
“Still, if they have an open relationship, they shouldn’t be so open about it in front of Alec. They didn’t tell him anything, and he walked in on his dad fucking Jamal and Carter the other night.”
“Ew, Carter?” Vera asked. “He’s gross.”
“I know,” I said. “Like, come on, Mr. Wolfe. There are hotter guys in Redwood.”
Vera snickered, and I let out a small laugh, too, for the first time tonight.
She clutched her stomach and slumped against my shoulder, giggling like a maniac. “Literally anyone else in Redwood is hotter than Carter.”
“ Carter and hot don’t even belong in the same sentence.”
We laughed so hard in the rain until we were wheezing and no noise was coming out. I wiped the tears from my cheeks as headlights blazed through the darkness. I looped my arm around Vera’s, still smiling.
“Is that our Uber?” she asked, cheeks rounded.
“Let me check the license plate,” I said, pulling out my phone to double-check.
But all I saw was a text from Piper.
Piper: I’m sorry.
Piper: Current location.
“Is it him?” Vera asked, glancing over my shoulder at our group chat on my phone.
I ignored the car that pulled up to the curb, seeing Imani in the driver’s seat, and tapped on Piper’s current location.
Why the hell did she apologize? What is she up to tonight? Last I had heard, she had been doing something for her dad.
“Hey, guys!” Imani said, exiting her car and waving. “What’re you doing here?”
“Hey, Imani,” Vera said with a smile.
While I wanted to respond, I could barely lift my gaze off the phone trembling in my hand. “Oh my God,” I whispered, eyes widening.
“What is it?” Imani said, hopping on to the curb.
“Piper?” Vera furrowed her brow. “Where is she?”
My mouth dried. “Spencer’s new place.”