Page 19 of Wicked Promises (Fallen Royals 3)
I bristle. “That’s not it.”
“I know that’s not it. I know you. But that’s what they’ll say, and that argument is what they’ll build a case on, if Detective Masters decides to charge you.”
“She said it wasn’t me.”
Eli’s dad tsks. “She was drugged. She could’ve been confused.”
“I found her!”
“How? How did you know exactly where to go? Why didn’t you call the police?”
“Fuck!” I’m tempted to jump out of the car.
“Son, I’m just trying to get you to see how the prosecutor would—”
“Yeah, I get it. Can we just…” I wave toward the road. We’re close to Margo’s house. I take a minute to be thankful that I didn’t even have to ask.
He steps on the gas, silent for a moment. Then he says, “I suppose it’s a good thing we’re going to see her now. Saves you a midnight trip.”
Ah, shit. “You know?”
“Just because you think you’re quiet doesn’t mean I don’t know everything that happens in that house.” He smiles, acting okay with it. Yeah, right. It’s just because I’m me. If it was Eli sneaking out… I see how he gets along with criminals. Gets on their side, earning trust.
“Your runs don’t usually end with you coming home in a reasonable time. And sometimes they involve your car.”
I chuckle. “Yeah, that may be true.”
We pull into Margo’s driveway, and he stops me from getting out with a hand on my shoulder.
“Seriously. We had the sex talk when you were fourteen. I don’t need to tell you to be safe, right? You’re smart enough to already—”
“Yeah, we’re good.”
He drops his hand, and I get out. Lenora’s car is in the driveway. Robert’s is probably at the junk yard… or in police custody. I didn’t see it, but I have enough mental imagery to last a lifetime.
Margo’s case worker arrives as we head up the walkway. Eli’s dad stops to talk to her, and I go to the door.
Lenora yanks it open before I have a chance to knock. “Caleb.”
She’s decidedly unfriendly.
I narrow my eyes. “Mrs. Jenkins.”
“Angela told me…” Her attention slides past me, to where Angela and Mr. Black are conversing on the sidewalk. “The charges were dropped?”
“I didn’t do it.” I stare at her, willing her eyes to come back to me. “I would never.”
She scoffs. “You seem to be the cause of a lot of heartache.”
“I can’t really do much about that unless you let me in to fix it,” I say quietly.
She only steps aside once Mr. Black and Angela are behind me.
The living room is empty. I glance into the kitchen, find that empty, and head up the stairs. My imagination runs wild. I walk down the hall to her room, and it stretches out in front of me.
Her door is cracked open, and it doesn’t make a noise when I nudge it open farther.
She’s… cleaning.