Page 68 of Reign By Wrath

“Secrets,” I repeated. “That’s the best leverage. Better than threats or money. We couldn’t dig up any on Everleigh, but you’ve known her your whole lives. There’s got to be something you know about her that she’ll do anything to protect.”

Katie shook her head. “We’re talking about her going to prison for the rest of her life.”

Actually, we’re talking about her death.

“We know a few embarrassing secrets, but nothing that she’d choose prison to protect. I mean, it’s obvious she was smart enough to hide any secrets like that. We didn’t know anything about the Book Lady.”

“You know the truth about her parents and how they treat her,” I offered. “You knew about Everton. She told you about meeting him when he was in hiding. Maybe we could use all of that somehow.”

Saylor worried her lip, making me stiffen. We shared the same nervous habit.

“She wouldn’t care about us ruining her parents’ image,” Saylor said slowly. “Everyone has always known they were a bunch of toxic assholes from the constant cheating, backstabbing, and naming her Everleigh out of spite. But if she’s doing all of this out of love for Everton, then that’s her weak spot.” She nodded to herself. “We shouldn’t be trying to find out everything about Everleigh. We need to find out everything about her bio father.”

“I told you everything Alistair told me, little Everleigh told you everything about her hero father, and the court transcripts told everything about his crimes,” I said.

“Not everything,” Katie said. “We know the crime that got him caught. We don’t know the rest. As it is, Everton Starling is just a footnote in Regalia history. What he did—leaking the lawyer’s strategy—that was bad, but of course, everyone blames the evil, abusive piece of shit that beat poor Davey Brennan to death.

“We need something that we can tie directly to Everton. Something so awful that it’d still be a scandal years after his death.”

I picked up her trail. “Something so bad that associating with anyone named Starling would ruin a Royal’s reputation. They’ll cut ties with Everleigh all on their own.”

“That’s good,” Saylor said. “That could work. But it only takes care of those traitorous bastards that tricked themselves into believing I can’t still hurt them. It doesn’t stop the T.O.D. Club.”

“Ugh! I could stop the T.O.D. Club if I could figure out what she uses to log in,” I cried. “Have you ever seen her with another laptop? Not a rose-gold one. Another one. Or could she be using the computer at her folks’ place?”

“Nah,” Katie said. “Definitely not at her folks’ place. Her room is a museum. Everything there is just for show. How about this? I’ll invite her, Gabby, and Piper over for the weekend. They’ll bring their laptops because no one can go that long without one. I’ll scope it out. See what I can find. If anything, I can get on Piper’s or Gabriella’s account and continue what you started,” she said. “Sabotage from the inside out.”

“That could work. Keep me updated,” I said. “As for learning more about Everton, I need to talk to William Burkhardt.”

Saylor cocked a brow. “Excuse me? Why would you need to talk to my grandfather? He had nothing to do with him.”

“Alistair said he and Everton were best friends. They owned the town and acted like it. That means every time the cops picked the two of them up, William got the call to slide some bribe money their way and let them off the hook. Katie said we need to know the crimes they didn’t charge him of, and William is the best person to tell us.”

“Maybe,” Saylor said grudgingly. “But he was a teenager. I assume he didn’t start his life of crime with aiding and abetting child murder. Grandfather could only tell you about petty crimes.”

“That’s why I also want to ask him what he knows about the Rogues.”

The expressions froze on their face.

“Alistair also told me that his father spent a fortune trying to hunt down the Rogues and end the organization for good. It didn’t work, but I don’t believe all his money, influence, and connections turned up nothing. If it didn’t, it wouldn’t be an open secret that Leon Dumont is on the Burkhardt payroll.”

“You have no proof of that,” Saylor snapped. “My father and grandfather would never get involved with a known criminal.”

“Saylor, relax.” I started eating my rapidly cooling food. “I’m not trying to catch anyone out. What I’m thinking is that Everton made a name for himself by selling his clients' information to the highest bidder—some of them Rogues. After my father punished him for it, he tried to have him killed—also by Rogues. One of them tried to kill us days after I was born.

“Whatever evidence your grandfather collected back then about known Rogues could help us now.”

“Why even go to William?” Katie asked. “Sounds like Alistair’s got all the info we need. Just ask him.”

“I... I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“He’s gone,” Saylor dropped. “Blew out the door as quickly as he blew in.”

“It’s for the best,” I said firmly. “Killing him is at the top of Everleigh’s list. The last place he should be is in Regalia. Besides, I did ask him all this stuff and he refused to answer. He doesn’t want me any deeper in Rogue business, and he definitely doesn’t want to go to war with a nineteen-year-old girl.

“William is my best bet. Saylor, put me back on the list, so I can speak with him.”

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