Page 84 of For Dear Life

“Sounds excruciating either way. I’m perfectly content as an only child and the world should be too.” I pull my phone from a pocket to check the time. “Can we leave?”

She tips her chin. “You are coming to the dance, Miss Blackwood, otherwise no more assistance with your investigation.”

“Quite the little blackmailer, aren’t you? Do you think that’s wise behavior?” I ask and smile to myself as worry lines her face again.

I may be surrounded by mice in a maze, but remaining in one spot makes me a sitting duck, despite the wide plant pot filled with invasive Yucca plants beside my head. The Darwin House guys I’ve avoided since Kai’s party are resting against a metal barrier opposite. One that would prevent them from accidentally falling from the balcony if a particularly dark-hearted person felt tempted to shove them. The pair sip soda drinks through straws as they watch us.

Naturally, I return their scrutiny. Like me and Holly, the guys aren’t in uniform, blending further into the townsfolk around. Holly’s continued chatter about clothing doesn’t reach my ears, as I have my hearing trained on their conversation. I meet Logan’s eyes and he pulls himself from the railings, drops his cup into the nearby trash, and walks over. Notably, he remains at arm’s length.

“If you’ve unfinished business and are looking for Grayson, he isn’t with me today,” I say.

“The guy might’ve confessed to murder, but someone’s lying,” Logan says gruffly.

“Grayson?” I ask in disbelief.

“No. The shifter dude,” puts in Raul.

I sigh. “Would you know the name of the specific ‘shifter dude’?”

“One of Viggo’s crew. The one who collapsed at the bowling alley in front of you.” Logan’s lip curls. “Yeah. We heard all about that.”

“Oz? Confessed? To what?” We remain at a wary distance from each other—wary on his part.

“Killing Wes and Rory.” He sneers. “Allegedly.”

“Oz confessed to killing Wesley and Rory?”

Logan nudges his friend. “And she says we’re the dumb ones. Yes, he did,” he says to me slowly, as if speaking to an imbecile.

“Where is Oz?” I ask.

He scoffs. “Where do people usually go when they confess to crimes?”

The station. “No.” I rub my forehead. “That makes no sense.”

“Why? Because the Blackwood bitch did it?” says Raul.

Oh, for goodness sake. “Raul. I’m confused why you’d speak to me in such a manner, considering my response to your unwanted touch at the party.” I pull myself closer to his height. “Luckily, Grayson came between you and my teeth. I’m unsure Holly could manage the same.” I turn to Holly. “I need to leave.”

Raul finds the common sense to shut up. Logan does not. “Oh, and another thing before you go,” he says with a hint of smugness, and I turn a weary gaze his way. “They arrested Leif too. Apparently, the guy was Oz’s accomplice.”

In a single second, Logan smashes through my carefully constructed reality, where everything slotted into place, and my friends remained safe. I have no words, only an image of Leif clinging to his pendant earlier.

“No,” says Holly in hushed shock. “That can’t be right. Leif didn’t do anything.”

“How can you know that?” asks Raul.

“When did this happen?” I demand. “I was with him an hour ago. News evidently travels at the speed of light in this town.”

Logan shrugs. “Poor guy—taken advantage of and screwed over by you.”

I’m reeling, this development beyond anything I expected. The human authorities wouldn’t have any evidence. Would they? And Oz. Why would the witches put him in a position where supe authorities could look into his empty head?

“Is there new evidence against Leif since the last time cops interviewed him?” asks Holly, as if reading my mind, and clutches the bag closer to her chest. “Leif isn’t friendly with shifters. Why would he help Oz? And why would Oz kill one of his own friends?”

“Do I look like a cop?” retorts Logan. “All I know is the pair killed Wes and Rory.”

Raul crosses his arms over his puffed out chest. “Now there’s proof the animals can’t be controlled, any shifter that walks into town’s looking for trouble.”

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