See No Evil (Brotherhood Trilogy #1)(57)

Riley rolls his eyes and looks back at his phone. An online Florida newspaper pops up. We all lean in to read the headline.

Family Claims Police Have The Wrong Killer

I frown and glare at the words. Riley scrolls down the screen and a photo of Chris pops up.

My lips part as I gape at the image and read the words around it.

“What shit is this? They think she did it?”

Riley softens my rage with a quiet murmur. “Doesn’t mean she did, man. The family is just speculating because she was with him the night he died.” He points to the little photo in my hand. “I’m guessing it was a date or something.”

I scowl and shove the image back into my pocket. I don’t need to look at it right now.

Riley keeps talking. “Apparently she just disappeared. The family says she ran away, but the Candellas think that’s proof she’s guilty.”

“She must have seen it happen,” I whisper, my heart twisting into a knot. I can totally imagine what she must have felt. Seeing the gun go off. Watching her friend fall to the ground. I grip my forehead, my chest heaving as I’m taunted by an image of my mother’s skin turning to charcoal.

“No way.” Kade points at some text. “It says here her uncle is charged with the crime.”

My head pops up, the news shocking me for a second.

Riley nods. “Means she must be willing to testify against him.”

Kade’s expression wrinkles with confusion. “Her own uncle?”

“Is that really so hard to believe?” I ask. “When was the last time you even spoke to your parents?”

His jaw works to the side and he glares at the screen.

“That’s why they had to hide her so well,” Riley mutters. “She told me the killer has connections. He’ll be hunting her down and trying to shut her up any way he can.”

Kade scoffs. “You’re making him sound like The Godfather.”

“Well, maybe he is.” Riley starts tapping his screen again. I share a dubious frown with Kade while Riley keeps talking. “This article says the Feds have been trying to catch him for years but they’ve never had anything solid enough to pin on him.”

“Al frickin’ Capone,” I seethe.

“According to this, he’s been arrested twice before, but he gets off every time.” Riley’s voice is dark and bitter for a second. “An eyewitness account of first-degree murder or even manslaughter would be like gold in this case. Chris has the power to bury the guy.”

“Chris,” I mutter and pull the photo back out of my pocket. “You mean Christiana Sorrentino.”

“I’m sorry, man.” He looks up at me with a sad smile. “But you’ve fallen for the wrong girl.”

A hot puff of air snorts out my nose as I glare down at Riley’s phone. “I don’t give a shit who her family is. She’s one of us now, and I’m not standing here and letting something bad happen to her.” I flick Riley’s arm. “Let’s go.”

“Go where?”

“To find her.” I pull on a pair of jeans. Grabbing my wallet, I slide it into my back pocket then take my thick jacket out of the closet.

“Where do we even start looking?” Riley’s skeptical tone is dampened by the fact that he’s already getting changed.

“I don’t know, but we’ll think in the car.”

“What car?”

I pause at the door, then turn back to Kade’s question. I wait until his head has popped through his sweater before answering. “You still know how to hot-wire anything, right?”

Kade’s lips twitch. “Yeah.”

“And if I remember correctly, Headmaster Williams still parks his car in the back lot by East Gate.”

Riley groans. “If the dean already knows what’s happening, the gate guard will be on full alert. There’s no way we can get out of here with a car.”

“Good point.” I sigh and look to the ceiling for inspiration.

Kade dishes it out with his classic calm. “We’ll just have to sneak out through Henry’s dugout. There’s a gas station about half a mile down the road. We can grab a car there and return it later.”

“Yeah, right.” Riley curses and starts muttering about auto theft. Snatching his bag, he shoves in his phone and wallet.

Kade slaps his shoulder. “Chillax, bro. It’s for a good cause.” He gives me a grim look and pulls on his black beanie. His fingers are trembling a little.

“Okay, fine,” Riley grumbles. “It’s not like I’m gonna complain about breaking out of Eton Prison, right?” He tries for a smile but it falls flat.

With a short huff, he heads to Kade’s desk.

“What are you doing?” I snap.

“I’m getting our cash-stash out of Chris’s room.” His eyes are grim with warning. “Face it, man. We don’t know what the hell we’re heading into. We might need it.”

He knows we’re clutching at straws here; he just doesn’t have the heart to say it. I turn away from the truth in his gaze, refusing to accept his last plea for me to stay put and let the police deal with it. Without another word, I go over and help him shift the desk. Then he disappears through the wall and reminds me exactly why I call him brother.