Page 221 of The Forbidden Note

Dad tilts his head to the side, saying nothing.

“Even worse, if people find out, your entire campaign would go up in smoke.”

His gaze swings away from me and then ricochets back, stabbing me like a knife.

“You wanted me out here. You wanted me away from her.” I think about those boxes. The fact that all the files on The Grateful Project led nowhere and yet we conveniently found out that Harris was stealing from the school. Perfect evidence. A freaking bomb dropped in our laps and wrapped in a pretty bow.

The truth jolts me to the edge of my seat. “You wanted her to do this interview. You want her to be the one who blows the whistle on Harris.”

“And why would I do that?” Dad goads.

My mind races.

I dig my fingers into the chairs. “Because…” It hits me. “Because if she’s the one who takes Harris down, he won’t blame you for his downfall. You take him off the chessboard without any harm to yourself. Or the people behind the Grateful Project.” A dark hole opens up in the bottom of my stomach and it sucks the air out of my lungs. “You know something about The Grateful Project.”

My nostrils flare when dad smiles.

It’s like he’s taunting me, daring me to figure out the rest on my own. To admire the full breadth of his schemes. Inviting me to see the bigger picture, the way he played us all along.

“Who are the people involved in that project, dad?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” He leans forward, his teeth flashing like a wolf’s. “But if I did, I’d say they were dangerous and they’d be really,reallyupset with anyone who stirs the pot.”

The rest of his words go unsaid, but I hear them like a gunshot.

Those involved in The Grateful Project would be angry enough to silence anyone who threatens to tear their masks off.

Sweat rolls down my back and it gets hard to swallow.

Grey.

No!

At that moment, I hear the most terrifying words.

“Principal Harris was just a cog in the machine that took my best friend’s life. But there are others. Guilty perpetrators who were involved in The Grateful Project. Whoever you are, and whatever you’ve done, I will drag your sins to the light.”

I look down at my trembling hand and find Grey on the livestream, eyes fierce and lips pursed in determination.

“Mm.” Dad makes a sound deep in his throat. “That’s not good.”

Frantic, I whirl around and snap the door handle. At that moment, the child locks engaged.

I hear the snap of the door closing.

The handle won’t budge.

“Open the door.”

Dad just laughs.

I throw my elbow against dad’s neck and drive him against the window. He slams into it with athunk.

“Open the damn door!”

Teeth flashing white, dad stares me down. “You behave yourself, Zane. Behave yourself and I’ll make sure no one touches this family.”

On edge, I grit my teeth. “You won’teverget what you want. I’ll make sure of it.”

---