“Or he could not,” I pointed out.
But he shook his head, leading the way through the crowd. “Somehow I don’t think we’re lucky enough that all of this isn’t connected, Emory.”
Connected…
I slowed, thinking about Martin, Evans Crist, Aydin...
Who put Will in Blackchurch? We still didn’t know. Who had something to gain?
Aydin and Taylor had been in town two days. Why wait so long to make their presence known? What were they doing?
Like Micah and Rory, Aydin, Taylor, and their families would be useful allies to someone.
Evans knew Will had escaped, and now…
My chest caved. Evans put Will in Blackchurch.
Evans was connected to Martin.
It had been two days.
Two days.
I tipped my eyes up, looking around us, my face drifting from mask to mask to mask inside the haunted park.
Plenty of time to plan…
Shit.
“Wait,” I called out, and then turned my head and raised my voice as everyone continued to drift ahead. “Wait!”
Everyone spun around and stared at me, and I rushed for them as Will rushed back to me.
“They’ve been here for two days,” I said, everyone crowding around us. “Two days. What have they been doing? Taking in the sights?”
“They’ve been getting ready,” Michael guessed.
“No,” I told him, glancing around again for danger. “They’re not alone.”
Everyone gaped at me.
“They didn’t come here without help,” I clarified in a louder voice.
Blackchurch’s caretakers would’ve sent them home or to another facility. They escaped and got here fast with someone’s help.
A still figure caught my eye, and I did a double take, seeing him standing in the crowd and staring right at me as people bustled around him in a blur.
My whole body turned hot.
He wore a mask—a devil painted black—and I watched him as he watched me, my heart echoing in my ears.
Coldfield continued to rage like a party around us, people running, screaming, and laughing as “Highly Suspicious” played over the sound system.
“Their parents?” Rory threw the idea out there, and Micah shaking his head, not knowing.
But I answered for him. “No.”
“What are you saying?” Alex asked, stepping in.