Page 11 of Wicked Promises

“I can’t leave Margo.” I grab Josh Black’s wrist. “I just found her.”

“Mr. Asher,” Detective Masters calls.

He’s got a gleam in his eye like he’s about to enjoy this next part. I wish I knew what I did in our ten-minute interview tomake such an impression. I’ve never met the man before—andMastersas a family name doesn’t sound remotely familiar.

“You need to come down to the station with me,” he says.

What will be the first thing Margo sees when she wakes up? Someone who doesn’t give a fuck about her? Her social worker, or worse, the detective himself?No. She needs to know it was me who found her?—

“I need to be here for Margo,” I say.

“Now, Caleb, I doubt Margo would want to hear that you refused to help on her case.” He sighs. “Just imagine how hurt she might be by that information.”

“Come on, son,” Josh Black whispers.

I feel the detective’s sharp eyes on me, waiting for some hint of my guilt. It’s no different to how my uncle looks at me—although I’m not so sure Masters would take a swing at me just for the sake of it.

Maybe only if no one was watching.

It’s clear I’m not going to win this fight. The sooner I answer his questions, the faster I can return to Margo’s side.

“Fine,” I grit out.

The detective grips my upper arm. His hold is strong, his fingers digging into my muscles, and he forcibly guides me out of the hospital. At the curb beyond the ambulance bay, his unmarked police car flashes blue-and-red lights.

Lenora, Margo’s foster mom, nearly crashes into us on our way out. She grabs my shoulders, stopping my forward movement.

“Caleb! D-Detective Masters!” Her attention bounces back and forth, and her brows furrow when she realizes he’s still holding my arm. “What on earth are you doing?”

“Just have a few questions for Mr. Asher here,” the detective says.

I would very much like to punch him in the face.

Break his nose maybe.

“But—”

“We’ve got to get going.” He sounds apologetic. “I’ll be back to the hospital once Margo is awake.”

She nods, scanning my face, then steps to the side. Mr. Black pauses beside her, and I crane around when she says something to him. I can’t make out their words.

Masters hauls me along faster, and his grip gets tighter. “Like that little show, did you, boy? You have a grim look on your pretty face. Heh. Not used to getting caught, more like.”

I say nothing, even if he couldn’t be farther from the truth.

He puts me in his car, his hand heavy on the back of my head.

He hasn’t arrested me, but it sure feels like he’s about to cart me off and lock me away. My mind jumps ahead to the implications, and what my uncle would do when he finds out, then circles back to Margo.

Uncle David will get me out if Josh Black fails to negotiate with the detective. Even if he has to pave my exit in gold.

It wouldn’t be the first thing the Asher family has covered up.

Chapter 4

Margo

Past