SIX
It’slate morning by the time we get our asses in gear and head for the station. I peer into the rearview, watching Royal idly flick his tongue over the split in his lip put there by Davis this morning. Royal had definitely won in the end, so it’s unfortunate he’s got this reminder of his former best friend’s asshole antics until the skin heals.
That whole shit show this morning in the yard, well… I feel for Royal. More now than ever. Hearing that his foster family abandoned the idea of adopting him at the same time they left him to handle the trial and subsequent imprisonment on his own? It’d made my heart ache for the boy who’d obviously fucked up but had also been punished rather harshly for it. He’d had no one on his side.
Until us.
I’m sure as fuck not going to let him down—or anyone else I care about, for that matter. I will set aside my own issues and take care of these people or fucking die trying.
Another round of questioning is not what we need to be dealing with right now, though. There’s already been crazy shit happening over at TZE that the police department is watching. We’ve stopped giving them any more info about anything Echo-related, but now that there’s a link from TZE to SIN, it makes everything we do and say trickier. Whoever the asshat is that’s been threatening us—because I do assume it’s all linked now—specifically told us not to speak to the cops. Which is fuckin’ fine by me for obvious reasons, but here we are, trapped into doing so by the circumstance of finding Freya and Zane last night.
Not our fault. And it’s not like we can ignore a direct request, so—rock, meet fucking hard place.
Better to focus on all that, though, than the way staring death in the face again had made me feel. My stomach gurgles uncomfortably. It’s too fucking quiet in this truck. “Someone say something before my head explodes.”
Beckham side-eyes me from the passenger seat, shrugging. “My head detonated sometime last night, so I don’t know how much help I’m going to be to you.”
“You experienced my morning already,” Royal grunts out. “Sorry, I’ll just be a sec. Texting Theo to see if he’s available later for a run.”
I catch his eye in the mirror’s reflection and nod. “That’d probably do you some good. Maybe he’ll have some advice on how to deal with”—frustrated, I lift a hand, then slam my palm down on the wheel—“well, any of this bullshit we’re dealing with.”
Beckham glances into the back seat. “Does he know anything about what’s happened…? Was the night you drank yourself silly at his bar the last time you talked to him?”
Distracted, Royal mumbles, “Yeah. Just haven’t had a minute to even think.” He shoves his phone into his pocket. “I was a little fucked up over it.”
I turn my head for a second and spot his hand reaching for Echo’s, gently squeezing, before I return my focus to the road.
Her heavy sigh is audible, as is her whispered, “I’m sorry.”
“I told you once today already. You’re not to blame for everything. Your parents threatened you. And if I ever find out who the fuck was interfering with our relationship, I will put them six feet under.”
“Royal,” Echo scoffs, but he cuts her off.
“What? I fuckin’ will. Watch me. Whoever it was took from me and from you and from Chase. And if anyone thinks I won’t seek vengeance for that, they’d be fuckin’ wrong.”
Beckham moans. “So says the man as we pull onto the street where the police station is located.” He turns around. “Just kidding, man. I’ll fucking hold them down while you take care of business.”
“Jesus,” I groan out, eyeing the approaching precinct.
There’s a beat of silence, before Echo blurts, “Wait. The Theo you were talking about—is this the Theo I know? Volunteer cross-country coach Theo?”
“Yeah. You know we always got along… he stayed in the area and ended up opening a bar right here in town. Ever since I ran into him when I got to KU, he’s been sorta like… I dunno. At first he was someone who knew me well enough that I could open up to him, but he wasn’t so close to the situation or the people involved in the accident that he judged me. And he didn’t look down on me, knowing where I’d spent the last several years. Anyway, I desperately needed an ear when I went to his bar that night after I first saw?—”
“Chase. Because you were fucked-up over it.”
“Mm-hmm.”
“Shit. I should have found my lady balls and showed up at that prison and demanded they let me see you.” She huffs out a watery-sounding breath before continuing. “Well, maybe sometime I could say hi to Theo. I haven’t seen him since way before I got pregnant, but I also wouldn’t want to interfere with your bromance or whatever.”
Did she really just say that? I stifle an amused groan as my eyes flick to look at her and Royal in the rearview mirror. His brow arches as he gives her a look that I read as Really, Echo? A rosy flush creeps from Echo’s chest all the way up to her cheeks, her lips forming a quick O. She hurriedly waves her hands. “Not like that. You know what I meant.”
Beside me, Beckham covers his mouth, trying desperately not to laugh.
She smacks at his shoulder from the back seat. “Oh, come on,” she chokes out right before the giggles erupt from her.
I chuckle. “We all needed that. Okay. What else have you got? We’ve technically got another five minutes before we need to go into the station.”
Echo sits forward, holding onto the back of Beckham’s seat. “I mean, I have thoughts if you’re interested in hearing them. My brain wouldn’t shut off last night for anything, and I don’t think it had anything to do with the coffee I consumed.”
Beckham turns, grinning at her, his bright-blue eyes locked on hers. “Out with it, then. What’s been roaring through that gorgeous head of yours?”
She takes a deep breath. “Okay, so there’s one thing that gives me hope that this whole thing last night had nothing to do with us.”
I turn, cocking my eyebrow at Echo for the briefest second. It’s obvious by the semi-excited look on her face—if a person can be excited while discussing a fuckin’ murder—that she’s thought a lot about whatever reasoning she has. “There was no note of any sort, no nasty text…”
I clear my throat. “Well, we know Beckham didn’t leave a note on his bathroom mirror, but that doesn’t rule out there having been something in there.”
“Fuck,” Echo says quietly, “I didn’t think about that.”
Royal speaks up. “Doubtful, I think. I’m more of the opinion that we’d better keep our fuckin’ fingers crossed that whoever did that didn’t take photos that they’re going to start sending to us.”
“Ugh. No, no, no,” Echo groans as I pull into a parking space in front of the police department. I glance into the back seat, taking in her beautiful but anxious face. “Why the fuck is this happening?”
I sigh, turning in my seat before eyeing each of them. “I don’t want any of us receiving any more fucking photos, thank you very much. And I’ll be honest, I don’t know what we do if that happens. We showed some to these yahoos.” I jerk my thumb toward the building in front of us. “We kept some from them.”
Echo quietly murmurs, “All I know is I can’t stop thinking about how whoever killed Freya and Zane was right there at the party with us. What if the bitch twins hadn’t dumped my drink? What if it hadn’t gotten all over Zane’s pants? What if Freya hadn’t taken him upstairs to help him change—by the way, what did she think he was changing into upstairs?”
“Nothing.” Royal shrugs. “It was obviously code for ‘We can ignore the situation with your red-stained pants if we take them off and fuck.’”
“Oh. Right. Which explains why they were naked. And vulnerable, too. Oh my god. What if we had gone to Beckham’s room first?” The questions flying from Echo are dizzying, but she’s got every right to be concerned.
Royal exhales rather loudly, which I’ve come to recognize as I’ve had enough, and unhooks her seat belt then scoops her onto his lap, crossways. “That’s a lot of what-ifs, princess.” His voice is husky and low. “Maybe we shouldn’t be getting you all worked up before we go in there.”
Fuck. It’s horrible how we can go from laughing one minute to wrecked the next. I suspect it’ll be like that for some time to come.
“Oh, shit. Is that Cassie coming this way?” Echo points, and sure enough, the brunette with glasses hurriedly makes her way to the truck.
“I’m not digging the nervous look on her face. I didn’t realize they were going to ask other people to come in today. Hold tight for a sec.” I push open the door, and slip from the truck, then take a few steps toward Cassie, meeting her at the front end of the vehicle.
“Um, hey, Wilder.” She grits her teeth, glancing through the windshield, where I’m certain she can see Beckham, Echo, and Royal inside. “I was hoping to talk to Echo for a second.”
I reach up, running my hand through my hair, narrowing my eyes on her. She’s never given us any problems before. And I think Echo actually likes her. But… I let out a heavy breath. “You see, she’s had a bad run of shitty things happening to her, so you’re going to have to pardon me when I ask you what exactly you want to talk about.” I arch a brow and wait, knowing from the rapid blinking and the way she’s inconspicuously attempting to wipe her sweaty palms on her jean shorts that I’ve unnerved her by playing gatekeeper.
“I get it. And I know some of the crazy. But I really, really think she needs to know about this.” She glances furtively over her shoulder. “And it’s best if this is a quick relay of information, no digital trace.”
“Did they tell you not to talk about something?” She’s got my curiosity piqued now, that’s for fucking sure.
“Um. Not really. But—” She clenches her teeth as if she’s slightly concerned she’s about to do something wrong. But there’s also a glint in her eye that tells me she’s probably going to go ahead with it, anyway.
“Okay.” I lift my arm, beckoning to the others that they should join us.
Two doors open and close. Beckham joins me from the right, but when I look to my left, I find Royal has kept Echo partially behind him. She’s frowning hard at him over it, too, tugging him down so she can whisper in his ear. Pretty sure we all hear her say, “For fuck’s sake, it’s just Cassie.”
I suppress a laugh and wave them forward. “I think we’re okay. But two points for extra protectiveness, man.”
“Shut the fuck up.”
I almost laugh at his grumbling. That’s a classic Wilder move, if I ever saw one. Maybe I’m rubbing off on Royal in more ways than one. He finally brings Echo forward, tucked safely under his arm.
“So sorry about this, they’re being extra cautious since—” Echo shakes her head. “Never mind. What’s going on, Cassie?”
“I was telling Wilder… I don’t know if I’m supposed to tell you this, but they didn’t tell me not to either, so…” She sucks in an exaggerated breath. “Last night while they were searching Freya’s room, I kinda overheard one thing, but another they specifically asked me about.”
Echo’s eyes meet mine, and it’s clear she’s getting more nervous by the second. I nod my head slightly in an attempt to let her know everything will be okay. She chews on her lower lip for only a split second more before her gaze swings back to Cassie. “Um, I’m already all worked up over everything, so if there’s something I should know, I’d appreciate it if you’d just tell me.”
“Yep. I get that. But please.” Cassie looks over her shoulder again, her every movement betraying how nervous she is to be talking to us right now. Not good. The protective monster inside me rears his ugly head to listen as she whispers, “Just don’t tell them you got this info from me.”
“Done,” Royal grunts. “Spit it out. Please.” He gives her a wicked grin that has her sputtering for a moment.
Pushing her glasses up on her nose, she finally spills. “The detective I spoke to asked me if I could stay in case they needed something while they were looking at Freya’s room, so I did.” Her eyes light as she draws herself up to say more. “First—they found a burner phone. That part I kinda overheard, so keep that on the down low. Then, when they finally came to talk to me, I thought they were going to tell me I could take off, but instead, they asked if there was a reason why Freya would have had access to your room. They found a key. I guess they must have tried all the locks until they figured out what it opened.”
I blink, trying to digest that information. The phone, I don’t know what to think about yet, but a goddamn key and unfettered access to our girl? “How the fuck would she have gotten a key to Echo’s room?”
“That’s what I wanna know.” Beckham frowns, but I also would bet a sizable sum of money he’s thinking how much easier his own nocturnal visits would have been if he’d had a key at his disposal. Crazy loon.
Cassie’s face turns bright red. “So, um. At the end of each school year, we collect keys from the girls. It’s sort of a formality to do so as most simply stay in the same room each year until they graduate… but technically they aren’t assured they’ll be in the same one. They’re reissued in the fall.”
Royal stiffens beside me. “What are you trying to say?”
“As the next president, all the individual room keys, plus the master key, were in my possession at the end of last year.” She grimaces uncomfortably. “What I’m guessing happened is that once Freya knew Echo was coming to TZE, she somehow snuck into the house, snooped around until she found all the keys, and made herself a convenient copy.”
Beckham’s brow furrows. “Is it possible that she simply wanted a copy of her soon-to-be little sister’s room so she could leave treats and whatnot? Don’t sorority girls do that?”
Echo snorts, giving a solid roll of her eyes. “She’s never left me anything that I know of.” Meeting Beckham’s gaze, she murmurs, “Most of what has been left in my room has been unwanted. Most of it.”
“I don’t like the sound of any of this,” I grumble, searching out Echo’s irate gaze. “Did she know you already?”
“We messaged back and forth over the summer.”
“Right,” Cassie affirms. “When we found out we were getting a legacy, she begged to be your big sister. It probably sounds bad to admit at this point, but I’m still annoyed by the way she ignored you unless it was to make herself look good.” Her teeth sink into her lip as her gaze bounces to each of us. “I should really go.”
“Thank you for slipping us that info.” Echo steps away from Royal to give Cassie a hug. “I appreciate it more than you know.”
“Sure thing. If I hear anything else, I’ll let you know.” She waves, then walks away, heading in the direction of a black car I’ve seen parked out front at TZE.
“I don’t know what to think,” Echo finally whispers, breaking our silence, “but I guess we’d better go in there, as much as it makes my stomach cramp up to think about it.”
Beckham throws an arm around her shoulders. “I don’t know about you all, but anything they ask me that I don’t like, I’m gonna tell them to get fucked.”
A laugh ripples from Echo, and she shakes her head. “That’ll go over great, I’m sure.”
“Calamity Jane, we aren’t here to take crap from anyone. Remember that. We had nothing to do with what happened.”
Royal and I follow a few paces behind them, and as we walk, I steal a peek at him from the corner of my eye. His thoughts about going inside the police station are written all over his face. He turns his head in my direction and gives me a fake smile that makes me want to wrap an arm around him and tell him it’ll be okay. We’ll get through this together. But I don’t know how he’d feel about that sort of PDA, so I settle for clapping a hand on his shoulder and squeezing. “Come on. Let’s get this the fuck over with.”