Page 190 of The Forbidden Note

Finn walks into the room and Sol follows. I’m grateful my best friend doesn’t offer any smart-aleck responses as he takes the seat Grey occupied.

“How are you feeling?” Sol asks.

“Like someone bashed the back of my head in with a cement block,” I mutter. “You?”

“Like I got jumped by three thugs.”

“Where’s Miss Jamieson?” Finn asks, glancing over his shoulder.

“Did she finally see the light and leave your crazy butt?” Dutch mumbles, sitting on the edge of my bed.

I kick him off.

He goes flying and whirls around to glare at me with glowering amber eyes.

I know if I keep looking at him, I’ll break my other wrist trying to win a fight one-armed.

“Where did you put those extra boxes?” I grunt.

“They’re at home,” Finn says.

“Are you sure that’s the safest place? Martina might clean up and see them.”

Finn’s expression remains blank. “In my room, they’re safe.”

I don’t ask what he means by that. I just believe him. Finn might have a whole damn cellar in there and I wouldn’t be surprised.

“Freaking hell,” Dutch whispers.

We all glance up.

“Check your phones.”

“What’s going on?” I ask nervously.

My twin passes his phone to me. “We got a problem.”

Dutch has the school app open and there’s a bright red banner at the top of the screen.

Masquerade Ball Burglars Wanted

Beneath it is a write-up of our misdeeds last night—everything from the fireworks to the sprinklers to the way we blazed the basement. I feel a stab of fear when I see a smeary picture of me and Sol running in the hallway.

Finn looks up from his phone, a muscle in his jaw clenched. It’s the tiniest of nods to his true feelings. “They’re offering a reward.”

“Money?” I snort. “Harris thinks anyone at Redwood needs—”

“He’s offering bonus points.”

I shut up.

“Andmoney.” Finn thumbs his fingers over the screen. “It’s a double deal. Skin in the game for everyone. People are going to be all over this.”

I squeeze the phone tightly in my hands, nearly crushing it to bits.

Dutch slips it away from me. “Cadey sent it. She’s worried.”

“This picture is too grainy. Plus we’re wearing masks. There’s no way he can tell it’s us,” I point out.

---