Page 85 of Kings & Corruption

I followed him out of the vestibule and down the hall, surprised that such a big guy could move so silently. We passed several open doors, then slowed our steps as we came to the lounge.

The sounds coming from the room made it easy to guess what was going on inside: the running water in the sink by the microwave and coffee pot, the bang of trash cans being emptied.

Rock crept closer. My stomach turned with nervousness, but I followed him anyway.

I was in it now.

We used the open door as cover, partially hiding our bodies behind it. I was terrified to look, sure the guy inside would be looking right at me the second I dared, but when I finally peered out from behind Rock’s body, the guy had his back to us.

He stood next to a cleaning cart near the display case and was using a long-handled duster to get the walls and the corners of the ceilings. He had dark hair and broad shoulders under a black T-shirt, his arms flexing as he dusted, and he was tall enough that he didn’t have to stretch to reach the room’s high ceilings.

We ducked back behind the door before he turned to make his way around the room.

I dared to look again and saw that he’d circled back to the cart in front of the display case. He bent to put the duster away and I caught a glimpse of his profile — strong cheekbones and full lips.

Rock lifted his phone to take a picture, and a second later the guy straightened. Except this time he had a smaller duster in his hand — and a set of keys.

I held my breath as he flipped through them and inserted one into the lock on the display case.

It opened.

Rock looked down at me and mouthed one word.

Bingo.

Chapter37

Willa

We spent the rest of the weekend talking about how to get ahold of the keys.

Well, the Kings spent the rest of the weekend talking about how to get ahold of the keys. I was in denial, pretending my role in the game was over, that I wouldn’t have to break into some guy’s house while he was sleeping to steal his keys.

But that’s what it came down to, because the only time we could be sure he wouldn’t need the keys to the admin building was during the day when he wasn’t on the job. That meant breaking in, stealing the keys, hurrying back to Aventine to steal the medals in broad daylight, and returning the keys before the cleaning guy knew they were missing.

We knew who he was now, and where he lived: Daniel Longhat, a townie from Blackwell Falls who had a sister named Samantha.

It took less than twenty-four hours for the Kings to identify Daniel from Rock’s picture. I didn’t bother asking how they’d done it. I remembered the scene at the Orpheum, the weird unspoken language that seemed to exist between the Kings and the townies.

There was obviously a whole lot more going on in Blackwell Falls than the average college town, and whatever it was, it was obvious the Kings were playing some kind of part in it.

By Monday I was glad to get back to classes and the routine of driving to school with the guys, meeting up with Claire and Quinn in the cafeteria, trying not to give Professor Ryan any encouragement when he stared at me in Psych.

But it wasn’t the game and my impending B&E arrest that preoccupied me the most. It was my sleepover at the Queens’ house and Claire’s mention of Emma’s roommate, Nikki. I spent the week stewing over what she’d said, wondering why Nikki would lie to the police, to my mother and me, when Emma’s life was at stake.

By Thursday I couldn’t stand it any longer. I waited until after dinner when Neo was in the gym, Rock and Oscar were in their rooms, and the other guys were piled into the downstairs living room playing video games.

Then I snuck into the garage and scanned the key fobs that hung on the pegboard. I passed over the Hummer, the Audi, and the Porsche. It was weird that they’d become old news, but I’d ridden in them all enough to be ready for something new.

My gaze landed on an upside-down M that looked liked Poseidon’s trident.

That would work.

I plucked it off the board and headed for the sleek metallic candy-apple-red Maserati parked next to the Porsche. I’d admired the car in passing every day for the past two weeks, but sliding into the driver’s seat was a whole different experience.

It smelled like leather and men’s cologne.

Like sex and money.

---