“They’re going after Diana,” Jake says as Chad nods and heads out of the room.
“Not until nightfall.”
My eyes flick back to the screen where Logan is. I turn up the volume, though he’s almost too far away from the camera for me to hear.
“The coroner died two years ago, so that’s a bust,” Donny is telling him.
“We need to visit the hospital where the kids went,” Logan says, and my stomach sinks.
“Fuck,” Jake hisses. “He shouldn’t be focusing on you. He should be focusing on the corruption.”
“If he goes there and pieces things together the way Hadley did, then we’re screwed,” I say quietly.
“It was fate that Kennedy was dying the same night you needed to survive,” Jake says quietly. “And Kennedy Carlyle? The same girl who was the daughter of the drunk drivers who wrecked into your mom? There’s no way that was all for nothing. There’s no way that wasn’t a sign. We’re meant to do this. Not meant to get caught mid-way.”
“We need someone
to speak up and talk about my father,” I murmur absently, watching Logan as he tears off his red tie, frustrated.
Jake stands and goes to the edge of the room, pulling out his wonderful creation of time releasing paint. They’re all labeled differently, each one having a different timeframe for when the paint will appear.
“Then let’s give them some incentive to talk,” Jake says before tugging on his hood and walking toward the door. “Call me if you see anyone slip up on me. I’m going to the school. I’ll disable the school cameras when I get there.”
“Got you covered,” I tell him.
The monitors surrounding us cover the entire town. It’s like staring at hell all day.
“Lana needs to go back home.” Logan’s announcement has me shifting my gaze to his screen.
“Good luck telling Hadley that,” Donny says with a grin.
“This isn’t amusing. She could be in real danger. I knew better than to bring her.”
He looks as though he’s agonizing over this.
“No offense, but you’re just too emotionally invested in her safety to see she’s actually safe. Not one woman has been targeted. Only men. If anything, she’s safer than you are.”
“I don’t trust the sheriff or Johnson right now. This has nothing to do with the Scarlet Slayer.”
Donny’s eyes widen, and so do mine.
“I sound so fucked up. I’m more concerned over two law officials than I am a fucking serial killer. This town is pure toxic,” Logan says on a sigh.
“Johnson is twisted, but he’s not an idiot. He knows he can’t lay a hand on you and get away with it. We need to find some solid evidence to give to Collins so he can give it to the subcommittee.”
“There’s someone obvious we haven’t spoken to since we acquired new evidence,” Logan says thoughtfully. “He only lives about an hour from here.”
“Christopher Denver,” Donny says on an exhale. “Of course.”
Jake’s father. My father’s lawyer. My father’s only friend in a town of traitors.
We knew they’d get around to talking to him sometime.
My eyes pop over to the school screen, seeing Jake with his hood on as he takes quick strokes, hurrying the paintjob. Everyone is inside the school, and the windows are above his head, making it impossible to look out and see him.
I can’t believe he’s doing it in daylight right out front though. Fortunately, the streets are mostly quiet, and when he hears a car, he ducks behind the holly bushes.
Finally, I see Jake jogging around the side, heading into the woods that will spit him out right back here. My attention returns to Logan, and I focus solely on him.