Page 56 of Wicked Games

“Fuck, man. That’s a terrible idea.”

“I threatened her to leave, but she hasn’t. So she’s here for something.” I hate not knowing.

“Okay, so what did the note say?”

“It was actually kind of morbid.” I frown. “The Bryans’ kid was essentially apologizing for being a fuck up, said she hopedthat when they took down the photo and eventually found it, that she had earned their forgiveness by then.”

Liam whistles.

“Obviously it doesn’t prove anything either way. Just a bit of weird foreshadowing.”

We sit with that.

And then there’s the fact that I took it with me, which…

“What about Margo?” Liam asks.

“Her mom might try to reach out,” I allow. “But after what Margo did… I don’t think that’s why she wants to suddenly reconnect with Keith. I gave her cash, and shestilldidn’t go.”

“And you don’t know where she is.”

I grind my teeth. I haven’t even had time to look for her again—and not only that, but my mother is on the job, too. My mother and Margo’s… Uncle David knows Amber is here. The whole family knows, which means my leverage has vanished.

It’s all just a clusterfuck that I need to keep Margo as far away from as possible. Which means sticking as close to her as I can, to steer her in the right direction.

Liam’s driveway is long and winding. We finally get to his house on a hill, and I kill the engine.

“You’ll find her,” he says. “If you need to.”

“Not without asking.” And I’m definitely not asking anyone who’ll know. With the way Amelie is behaving, any gossip she overhears is out. Same with Ian fucking Fletcher.

He climbs out of the car. “Wanna chill?”

I shrug and get out, following him into the house. It’s old. Their security system is the front door hinges that squeal, and little else. Liam’s family used to be made of money like the rest of us, but that changed a few years ago. He’s still at Emery-Rose because Coach helped him get a scholarship, and he’s one of only a few students who received it.

It’s hush-hush, though.

He casts a single glance down the hill to his neighbor’s house, which stands still and silent, before entering his.

“That you, Liam?”

“Yeah, Mom,” he calls. We kick off our shoes. “Caleb brought me home.”

His mom rounds a corner and grins. She has flour on her cheek, and she wastes zero time pulling Liam in for a hug and kissing his cheek. She does the same to me, as if I were one of her boys. Liam swipes at the flour on her face, and she laughs.

“I was just making bread,” she explains. “Are you staying for dinner, Caleb?”

With Eli’s family out of town, I’ve been on my own. It hasn’t been half bad, actually. But someone offering to cook for me…

“I’d love to,” I say.

Mrs. Morrison is always quick with the smiles—something I find truly impressive after such a devastating financial loss. But their family was able to stay intact, so… maybe that’s all that matters.

Or maybe it’s all that mattersnow.

“Wonderful. Colby will be home soon.”

Colby is Liam’s younger brother. He goes to the public school, and the bus will deliver him.

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