Page 78 of Emperor of Lust

I flick open my knife.

“Okay, okay!” he whimpers. “I got a text from him when I was still under.”

“Saying?”

“Nothing really,” Prescott bleats. “Just that he wanted me to call him asap.” He shrinks again under my glare. “You can check my phone.”

I do. Sure enough, there’s a text from Edward, two nights ago:

Edward Radcliff

Call me, man. SOS! I’m fucking scared, dude.

I frown at it before my eyes slide back to Prescott. “What was he scared of?”

“Dunno.”

“But you called him.”

“Yeah. But he didn’t answer.”

I exhale sharply. “Well, whatwould hebe scared of?”

Prescott makes a face. “Take your pick.”

I frown. “Meaning?”

“Ed’s into some bad shit, man. He’s…” he winces. “He’s trying to get help, but he’s got some issues.”

“Like?”

“Gambling and cocaine, mainly,” Prescott mumbles. “It’s fucking up his life. His wife left him last year after the senator fired him.”

My brow furrows. “Senator?”

Prescott swallows heavily. “He worked for Josh’s father, Senator Donahue. They tried to get him to clean up, but eventually, they had to let him go because of the drug issues.”

I scowl. “Who else knew about what happened that night?”

Prescott hesitates.

“Answer me,” I snarl coldly, making him cower.

“Josh’s parents,” he blurts, his face stricken. “After what happened… I mean, we all had suspicions.”

“About the car crash?”

Prescott’s eyes dart side to side nervously.

“Something you’d like to mention?” I growl.

“Well,” he says nervously. “Itwassuspicious.”

“How so.”

He looks at me. “Josh was the most popular guy I’ve ever known. I mean, he was magnetic. The dudealwayshad a flock of people around him, girls hanging off him.”

“How the fuck does that make his death suspicious?”

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