‘Hell yeah, man. He got caught on the security camera, clear as day. Any lip reader would know he asked for you. I’m just giving you heads up that the campus cops are going to try to find you. Are you . . .’ Kyle hesitated. ‘Are you in trouble, Shane?’
‘No! I . . . I have no idea who he was or what he wants. I’ve never had the cops after me. Ever. I study and work and go to class. My social life is playing D&D with you. Jesus.’
But he had had the cops after him once. Not him exactly. He’d been a person of interest because his friend back then had been a wanted man. He’d lied for Jason then and he’d do it again. Even though Jason Coltrain had changed his name to Andy Gold and hadn’t returned any of his texts, emails, or calls in over a year.
So much for solidarity, he thought sadly. He understood why Andy had cut him off. He hadn’t agreed with Andy, but he’d understood. Of the three of them, Shane had the best opportunity for the life they’d all dreamed of while they survived foster care. Andy didn’t want his own past hurting Shane, which had sounded ridiculous then.
Now? If someone dark and scary was looking for Shane . . . Andy, what have you done?
‘Shane?’ Kyle prompted. ‘You still there?’
‘Yeah,’ Shane croaked. ‘Give me a sec. Gotta check something.’ He opened a browser and typed in Cincinnati. He hadn’t gotten to the double-n before a number of hits popped up. Shooting in Cincinnati. Bomb attack prevented in Cincinnati.
Oh God. Andy. What the fuck have you done? Heart beating like a cannon, he clicked on the first link – an article in the Cincinnati Ledger.
The photo of a shot-out window made his thudding heart stutter. The photo of the victim’s face made his knees go weak. He slid down the wall, barely registering the feeling of cold concrete on his ass. ‘Oh no,’ he moaned quietly. ‘Oh God.’
‘Shane?’ Kyle demanded. ‘What is it?’
‘There was a shooting today. In Cincinnati.’
‘I know,’ Kyle said slowly. ‘I thought you’d have seen it by now. It’s been all over the news all day.’
‘I was studying all day. Turned my phone off. What . . . What happened?’
‘Why?’
‘Just tell me, okay?’
‘Okay, okay. Chill. Well, the way I heard it, some dude walked into a restaurant and pulled a gun on some lady. She’s some psychologist or something. Works with kids. She was packing too, and pulled her gun. She’d gotten him to drop his gun, but then somebody shot the guy from outside in the street. Blew his head off.’
Shane’s breathing was choppy and he started to see little black dots swimming in his vision. He tried to talk but he couldn’t form the words.
‘Shane?’ Kyle asked, even more slowly. ‘Did you know that guy or something?’
‘Yeah. Yeah.’ It was all Shane could get out. He could only stare at the photo that looked like a still pulled from a video. Unidentified victim, the caption read. But Shane knew him. It was Andy. ‘What . . . What else did the news say?’ Because he couldn’t see the words anymore. They were all a blur.
‘Um, okay. Let me look it up.’ A few seconds of silence was followed by Kyle clearing his throat. ‘Okay. This says that witnesses say the victim didn’t want to be there. That he said something like “He’ll kill her.”’
Bile burned in Shane’s throat and he rolled to his knees, throwing up. He could hear Kyle’s panicked voice. ‘Shane? Shane?’
Shane huffed hard, trying to get his brain to work. He spat, then rolled back to sit, closing his eyes. ‘I need to get to Cincinnati. Now.’
‘But . . . midterms.’
Like that mattered anymore? ‘I . . . I have to get to Cincinnati. Now.’
‘Okay, dude. Just . . . settle down, okay? Let me think a minute.’
Shane tried to stand, but his rubbery legs said no way and he slid back down to the concrete. ‘I need a car.’
‘I know. I said give me a minute.’ There were a series of quick dings in the background. ‘All right. This is what I need you to do. Go into the library, go to the john, and wash your face. Stay out of sight for thirty minutes. Then come back out and I’ll be waiting for you at the curb.’
‘But . . .’ Shane was overwhelmed. ‘You have midterms too.’
‘Not till Tuesday. I can drive you down tonight and be back in plenty of time.’
‘Your car is a piece of crap, Kyle. We’d never make it out of Illinois. I appreciate you offering, but . . .’
‘I’m borrowing Tiff’s car. I was texting her. She says if you puke in her car that I can never borrow it again, so make sure you’re done with the puking, okay?’
Shane chuffed a stunned laugh, able to see Kyle’s girlfriend saying exactly that. He shook his head, putting the logistics of travel aside to focus on what was more important. ‘If that guy’s looking for me and he knows we’re friends? That puts you in danger too.’
‘All the more reason for me to leave town for a few days,’ Kyle said seriously. ‘Now get your ass out of sight for thirty minutes. Tiff is meeting me at Burger King and we’re doing the car switch there.’
‘Thank you, Kyle. I mean it.’
‘Thirty, dude. Be ready.’
Shane ended the call and forced his body to rise, locking his knees so that he remained upright. And then he did exactly what Kyle had told him to do.
Cincinnati, Ohio,
Saturday 19 December, 9.20 P.M.
Adam had to park across the street and several driveways down from Meredith’s house when he arrived because there were already five vehicles parked in her driveway and on her curb. His and Trip’s vehicles made seven. He got out of his Jeep, scanning the street, immediately seeing the two unmarked cars providing surveillance.
‘Meredith got a party goin’ on or something?’ Trip asked.
Adam shrugged. ‘It was pretty inevitable that the crowd would gather here.’ Meredith Fallon inspired loyalty in everyone who knew her. Including me.
Trip eyed the cars in the driveway as they approached, a slight smile tipping his lips up. ‘Kendra’s here. That’s her Toyota.’
‘And Diesel’s truck and Bailey’s minivan,’ Adam added, glad Meredith’s cousin had come to support her too. And then he had to smile. ‘And Delores’s car.’ It was a hunk of junk, but Delores insisted she could get a few more miles out of it. All of Delores’s money went into her animal shelter. ‘That means Angel is here.’ Because the giant hound accompanied Delores everywhere she went.
Trip’s smile became a happy grin. ‘I love that dog. I’ve been thinking of getting one.’
‘Drinking the canine rescue Kool-Aid,’ Adam said, shaking his head, because just about everyone in their circle of friends had adopted a dog or cat from Delores’s shelter. At Trip’s arched eyebrow, Adam chuckled. ‘Me too. But not a puppy. I’ve watched Deacon throw away too many shoes training his.’
Trip stopped at the car parked at the top of the driveway. ‘Whose car is that?’
‘Probably her grandfather. Deacon says he’s okay, so I’m not worried.’
Trip gave him a pointed stare. ‘What’s this with Diesel asking us to come?’
‘I don’t know. He wouldn’t tell me. I called him again on the way out here and he was stubborn. He can be a little paranoid,’ Adam allowed. The guy was his friend, but Adam wasn’t blind to his faults.
‘And a lot rogue,’ Trip added with a frown. ‘He’s hacked something. You know it as well as I do.’
‘Figured it. And?’
‘And it’s illegal for him to do it. It’s illegal for us to know about.’
‘I know. I also know that somebody tried to kill Meredith today.’
‘And you’re willing to break the rules to protect her?’
I’d break every rule in every goddamn book in the world to keep her safe. He returned Trip’s pointed stare. The man didn’t have too many nightmares to live with. Yet. ‘I know there have been times – when things went to hell – that I wished for inside info before walking into a disaster.’
‘So if Diesel has ill-gotten information, you’ll look at it,’ Trip pressed.
Adam let out a breath that temporarily fogged the air between them. ‘And if I say yes? Will you report me?’
Trip hesitated a long moment. ‘No. I just needed to know how things are.’