Page 59 of Christmas in the Shadows

“Hey, Patrick. I’m sorry to interrupt you. But I had a question that couldn’t wait.”

“What’s going on?”

“It appears that several of us who were in foster care together here in Holly Ridge have been getting some extortion threats. I can’t help but wonder if you have been also.”

Patrick didn’t say anything a moment.

Then he said, “You’re being extorted?”

“That’s right. Someone is using the secrets from our past to get us to do dirty work for them. I’m not comfortable sharing all the details. But I don’t think we’re alone in this. Is there anything you want to tell me, Patrick?”

Again, silence stretched. Finally, he said, “As a matter of fact, I’ve been getting some threats also. I’ve been slipping several students some performance-enhancing drugs. I was told if I didn’t that they’d tell everyone that . . .”

“Tell everyone what?” Tex asked.

“They would tell everyone that I used to overprescribe opioids.” He paused. “Before you lecture me, I know I shouldn’t have done it. But some of my patients paid me on the side. I needed the money. I’m drowning in student loans.”

“Patrick . . .” Tex didn’t even have any words for him. The man was clearly in over his head and making poor choices as a result.

“Please, don’t tell anybody,” Patrick finished. “I’m nearly willing to do anything to make this go away.”

“Someone is banking on the fact that all of us are willing to do anything.” Tension stretched across his chest. “And they’re going to keep on doing this until one of us breaks.”

“So what are you going to do?”

“I need to figure out who’s behind this.”

“Gilbert is the only one who makes any sense.”

Tex couldn’t argue with that assessment. “I agree. But we still need proof.”

“Let me know what I can do.”

Tex ended the call, his thoughts still racing. How could they prove who this was? If Aiden went to drop off money again, they could do a stakeout to see who picked it up. But that would take time, and time was something they didn’t have.

Realizing how much time had passed, he reached for the toilet and flushed it. Then he ran the water in the sink, trying to make his cover story believable.

As he turned off the water, he noticed the toilet was still running.

Great.

He took the lid off the back.

When he reached into the basin, he noticed a bag there.

He carefully pulled it out and shook the water off.

A cell phone was inside. When he hit the screen, a generic background with just a few apps filled it. There was no screen lock.

Out of curiosity, he took his own phone and texted back the person who’d threatened him.

Who’s this?

The cell phone in the bag buzzed. When he looked at the screen, he saw the message he’d just sent appear.

Chelsea glanced at her smart watch as it buzzed. A text message came through.

Feign an excuse to leave.

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