Page 18 of Wicked Promises (Fallen Royals 3)

“She told the detective it wasn’t you.”

I didn’t expect anything different. It wasn’t me.

“Is she still in the hospital?”

His grip flexes on the steering wheel. “I think they were discharging her this morning.”

“Now?”

“She could be home already.”

I scroll through the missed calls and texts. Falling off the radar doesn’t go unnoticed in Rose Hill. But I’m only scanning for one name in particular.

Riley: It’s Margo. I’m home.

An invitation if I’ve ever heard one.

“Robert is still in the hospital,” Eli’s dad offers unexpectedly. “They moved him out of ICU, but I hear Lenora is trying to be in two places at once.”

I glance over at him. “Margo shouldn’t be alone. Not with a kidnapper on the loose.”

And Unknown still harassing us.

They knew I was going to get arrested. Knew I’d find the barn… but how?

He nods. “I figured you would say that. I checked with her case worker and made some calls. Riley and her mother are going to stay with Margo while Lenora stays at the hospital.”

Not good enough, I almost say.

I swallow. “Is the detective going to come after me again?”

“Apparently…” He shakes his head. “I shouldn’t even be telling you this. Margo told the detective she saw who took her.”

Something funny happens in my body. Every muscle gets tight. Alarmed. A lump forms in my throat, and it’s hard to breathe.

“Even more reason to stay with her,” I manage. “Who—”

“They were being tight-lipped about it. And,” he glances pointedly at me, “the charges were dropped, but Detective Masters is still considering you a person of interest.”

Mr. Black is a badass defense lawyer. He has sway in the prosecutor’s office and all over the county. Hell, half of New York City knows of Josh Black. I don’t think the district attorney has ever had a worse record in court against one lawyer.

And right now, I’m grateful for it.

I barely slept while in holding. They kept me separated, but it was county jail. All sorts of crazies were brought in. Mr. Black said my uncle called—well, he called the jail, too. Reamed me out and said I was an embarrassment on the family name.

I know it isn’t the charge that rankles—it’s that I got charged at all.

He thinks I did it, but he’s disappointed I got caught.

I don’t respond to Margo, or my uncle, or any of the other messages. I need to see her with my own eyes.

“I should’ve taken off the duct tape.” I don’t realize I’ve said it out loud until Mr. Black has slowed the car and twisted toward me.

“Caleb.” His voice is stern. “You cannot say things like that, especially around the detective. You understand?”

“I found her on the floor.” I meet his gaze. “She was unconscious. I was more worried about getting her to the hospital.”

“All they’ll see is someone who wanted to keep her in check. Under their thumb.”