s courtyard, her eyes rimmed red, evide

her felt distant-like background noise in

ing to disappear into herself Behind her, sh

ing the voice. Megan. Phoebe was beside her, bot

," Phoebe added, her voice shaky.

ut of line. And... we didn't know.

er arms over her chest, her body tense, unreadable.

know. But it's hard... hearing things like that when no one e

as grief. "What do you mean?" Megan ask

turn away. But then she exhaled, long and

like it didn't happen-or like it was forbidden to speak about it. But I know he's hiding something. I

ow someone who might know more. My brother, Louis. He'

really sorry, Merlina.

sion in Merlina's shoulders loosened just a li

pt her arms folded across her chest, her mind racing as campus buildings blur

arply. "Louis, o

s, and that constant look of being mid-th

e unfamiliar girl behind his s

ina," Megan said. "Merl

u," Merlina offe

h a crooked smile. "Am I

eyes. "We need your help," she continued, stepping inside. "Remembe

" Louis interrupted. "She was

e. "You're looking

enc

he floor had just tilted benea

now what happened the night she die

e straightened. "The police never officially

s breath

t. And somehow, the whole case just... disappeared.

d, voice thin. "Why wou

e way or another." Louis's face darkened. "The night she was found... Conor was the last person on your mom's call log. He was also found unconscious near the scene,

t the floor, her

dded. "Dad's a billionaire. That

rembled. "What el

screws up, the world just... forgets. His record's cleaner than it sh

stopped. "

ffened be

h, people stopped asking questions, he didn't just get off clean, he's been living like nothing ever happene

by the name drop and then back at Louis. "Hold

rmed. "Cut from the same clo

wists as pieces click into place. "Y

an, as if waiting for

ted, a delusion of superiority runs through their veins lik

silence

thoughts splintering. "Did you know about

he Lesnar family and never me

id softly. "But Merlina...you need to be c

uis, her jaw set. "Craig

denly felt l

It's a mess. But I'll help you.

controlled, but burning. "I need to know everythin

got

small nod of loyalty. "I told yo

took a

uth never was. But it had started.

t's get

words echoed in her mind. The

s just as

from the s

estion was beginning to form Was Craig