Page 86 of My Brother's Best Friend

We glanced over our shoulders to see Vera running onto the field from Blaise’s sports car parked on the side of the road. He slammed the door closed behind her and walked toward Oliver’s car, which the police hadn’t actually moved.

Vera dropped to her knees in front of me and wrapped me up into a hug. I collapsed into her lap, sobbing uncontrollably and grasping on to her.

“They’re all in on it, V. Spencer took him, and I don’t think I’ll ever see him again.”

“Shh. Shh. Shh,” she cooed, rocking us back and forth. “We’ll figure this out.”

“D-did you call Piper?” I asked. “Can you see if her father?—”

“Already done,” Vera said. “She’s checking with her dad to see if he can look at the security cameras around here. If Spencer was here, we should be able to prove that it was him. And then … you can press charges.”

“But I can’t,” I said, feeling so hopeless. “Redwood Police aren’t going to do shit for me.”

“Then, we can?—”

More tears poured from my eyes. “They’re working with him.”

Vera pulled me closer. “Even if they’re working with him, we’ll find Oliver. Spencer isn’t that smart. He’s not working alone. We just have to find out who he is working with. The police, sure. But who else? Why would the police want your brother dead?”

“If it were me …” Blaise said, tossing Vera the keys to Oliver’s car, which he had moved out of the road. He sat down beside us and looked over at Alec. “I would grow a fucking pair and take care of Spencer myself.”

“No,” I said. “Alec can’t.”

“Why not?” Blaise said. “I’d do it if some psycho maniac was?—”

“Stop it,” Vera scolded. “Alec has recruiters watching him.”

“He’s right,” Alec said.

I grabbed his chin and shook my head. “No.”

“Maddie, it’s?—”

“No,” I growled, my voice final. “I’m not going to lose both of you.”

My chest tightened at the thought of watching Spencer torture and kill both my brother and my boyfriend, all at once. I squeezed my stinging eyes closed and shook my head, another cry escaping my lips.

“You can’t,” I said. “So, get that out of your head.”

“Then, the only thing left to do is call Poison,” Blaise said.

“We’re not getting involved with them,” Alec said.

But I was already on my feet. “It’s the only way.”

CHAPTER54

ALEC

After we knocked on his door, João opened it, peered out at us, then almost immediately slammed it shut. Before he could close it all the way, Vera placed her foot between the door and the frame and shoved her shoulder against it.

“We need your help.”

“No,” João said.

“Please, João,” Vera said, pushing the door open.

“Vera, is that you?” a little girl said from the couch, dressed in princess pajamas with her eyes half-opened. She staggered out from the small living room to the door, standing next to João, and reached her small arms up for Vera. “Why are you here so late?”

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