Chapter 21

Chapter Twenty-One

ZANE

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, walk me through that again?" Dutch is still gripping his guitar, but he hasn't played a note since Finn and I got back from the prison and sent an alert to meet in the practice room.

"Someone offed Slavno, but before he croaked he slipped something important to a cleaning lady. Romeo here," Sol points at me, "dug through a dumpster to get it…"

"It was one trash bag."

"It counts," Finn says, glancing up from his book. A book that I know he isn't reading because he hasn't turned the page in three minutes. Ever since he rejected that call from dad, he's been in a weird mood.

Well, weirder than usual.

Finn is quiet, but I'm his brother. I know how to read his ‘quiets'. This silence is really freaking heavy.

Sol keeps summarizing. "Slavno's ‘evidence' is a key to a self-storage unit, but the storage unit they checked out here in the city isn't the one this key belongs to. So now they're back at square one. Slavno's still dead and they still have no evidence."

Dutch narrows his eyes. "No kidding. I got all that," he says flatly. "What I don't understand is who told you that key was evidence? What makes you so sure it was even from Slavno?"

"The cleaning lady said so."

"Exactly. Who's this cleaning lady? Where'd she come from?"

Irritated, I shrug. "I don't know."

"You don't know?" Dutch arches a brow and I want to break his nose so bad, my wrist starts itching. I use a drumstick to scratch at it as I debate why punching my twin in the face would be a bad idea.

Because he's got two working hands and you've got one.

Fair point.

"Don't you see the cross carving?" I drag the drumstick out of my sling and point to the key in Sol's hand.

My best friend peers at it. "Looks like a plus sign."

"That's what I said," Finn mumbles, turning a page.

I glare at him.

"This could be a diversion."

I scoff. Dutch's doom and gloom personality must be rubbing off on Sol. Or maybe he's inhaled too much smoke from all the fires because where the hell is the guy who's down for anything?

"Shouldn't we accept that Slavno is dead and the investigation's over?" Sol tosses the key.

I snatch it out of the air with one hand.

"No, because then he'd have to tell Miss Jamieson she married him for nothing and he'd rather jump off a roof than do that," Finn says.

"Shut your face. I will tell my wife that Slavno is dead. Just… not right now. Not until we have the evidence in hand."

"Evidence that could be in Hawaii for all we know," Dutch points out. He glances up from his phone and catches the giant question mark on my face. "I just looked it up. That company is nationwide. You're looking at a year-long search minimum."

"What matters is we have Slavno's evidence. Even if it takes a lifetime, I'll find it."

"Don't you think you're being a bit impulsive?" Dutch points out.

Sol grins crookedly. "Typical Zane."

I flip him off. And then I flip off Dutch because I believe in equal opportunities for all.

My twin picks a note on the E string which is labeled ‘C' because he has Cadey's name spelled out on his instrument. He plays a soft riff that reminds me of the love song he wrote when he was first thinking of getting married.

Finn turns a page in his book.

Sol unwraps a piece of gum and chews.

They've moved on from the matter so calmly, as if this isn't life and death. I'm used to them dismissing me. After all, being the un-serious one in the group means no one ever really dwells on what I have to say. My words are usually to get a laugh. The point isn't to be that deep.

But somehow, today… it irritates me.

What does Miss Jamieson want?

Finn asked me that in the car and I gave an answer I thought was right, but now I feel like I'm missing something. What more is there than to deliver Sloane's murderer?

The bell chimes.

I climb to my feet.

"Where are you going?" Sol asks.

"I was only waiting around with you bozos because Grey has a class now." I walk toward Finn and kick his feet down so I can pass. But I forgot my brother has the reflexes of a ninja. He bounces the ball of his foot on the ground and uses that momentum to raise his leg high enough to kick me in the back.

I jolt forward. "Prick."

Finn's eyes are still on his book.

I flip him off anyway.

"You should tell her Slavno's dead," Dutch says.

Sol points a finger at him. "Ditto."

"Keeping secrets won't end well for anybody," Finn agrees.

"Says the guy who's in love with a girl who sells them for a living," I snap.

His fingers freeze in the book.

Dutch stops playing.

Sol looks up.

Mouth tightening into a thin line, Finn slaps his book shut, tucks it into his bag and walks out.

"Where are you going?" Dutch calls.

"Like he's going to answer," I grumble, already regretting my actions but not willing to show it.

Dutch gives me a scolding look.

I scowl back at him.

Sol looks amused. "What's with everyone lately? Why do I suddenly feel like I'm the closest to being sane?"

Dutch sets his guitar aside. "I'm going to pick Cadey up from class."

At once, the smile on Sol's lips turns stiff.

"I'll come with you," I say. Glancing back, I nod to Sol. "Coming?"

"Nah. I'll stay here for a bit and catch up on some studying. I have a make-up test for algebra."

"Sounds fun."

Sol ducks his head and pulls a textbook from his bag.

I walk out with Dutch.

Neither of us say a word as we walk to the other end of Redwood. I can tell he wants to lay into me about the Jinx comment, but I still have no freaking clue what I did wrong. Finn's the one who acted all butt-hurt. His moodiness must be because of dad's call. Should I tell Dutch about that?

Thankfully, I don't have to decide because Dutch gets to Cadey's locker. She's standing there with her friend, Serena.

As usual, Serena's dressed in a leather jacket and has on bright, red lipstick. Sometimes, I'd flirt with her. Make a comment about her lips or her jacket. Not because I actually cared but because she always acts so star-struck around us, even though she's basically a family friend.

But I don't say anything today.

Now that I'm a married man, I never will.

"‘Sup, Cadey," I say grumpily when my sister-in-law hands her purse over to my twin and fits herself into his side.

"Hey." She smiles.

Neither of us smile back.

"What's going on?" Cadence asks, glancing between us. "There's a weird vibe."

Dutch just shakes his head.

I keep an eye out for Grey. She should be coming out of a classroom in this wing, but I don't see her anywhere. Did she end her class early or is it going late?

I'm on the move when Cadey stops me. "Hey, Zane. You might want to stay away from Miss Jamieson right now."

"Why? Did she say something?"

Damn. She didn't already find out about Slavno, did she? The warden mentioned they were going to keep his death under wraps.

Cadey shakes her head. Glancing around, she lowers her voice. "People are really mad that she reported Harris. I was one of five people in her Lit class this morning. I heard her other AP class was the same. People are walking out of her lectures. It's a really big deal."

Dutch looks concerned. "Redwood doesn't like whistleblowers."

Idiots .

"I'll make sure I keep things professional in public. Don't worry." I nod. "Is she in class still?"

"I didn't see her. We passed by during break, but her classroom was empty. I don't think anyone showed."

"Where could she be then?" I pull out my phone to text her.

"Um," Serena squeaks, her eyes on my wedding ring, "I heard there's a teacher's meeting scheduled around now."

We all stare at her.

"I overheard the calc teacher complaining about it. Apparently, they're going to discuss this whole Harris thing." Lifting a leather-clad arm, she adds uncertainly, "or so I'm assuming."

"Thanks." I give Serena a friendly shoulder squeeze and she blushes all the way to her hair. I glance at my brother. "Catch you guys later."

It doesn't take me long to get to the teacher's lounge. Which is where I'm assuming they'll have the meeting. I have no idea where the teachers actually gather to have their staff pow-wows. Never really gave a damn about that kind of information before. But even if it's not in the staff room, I know I can find a teacher there who can point me in the right direction.

When I get there, the teachers immediately stop talking. I'm used to it and just head straight to Grey's desk.

There's her coffee cup with the ‘Greek tragedy tears' label. There's her scrunchie with the black polkadots for when she wants to put her thick, black curls up and distract me with her perfect, lickable neck. There's her stack of books, including our AP class's Romeo and Juliet.

But there's no Grey.

I whirl around, my gaze hooking on the teacher across from Grey's desk.

"She-she's with the Vice Principal," the old woman stammers.

I storm back out without another word to anyone.

Whispers blaze the moment I'm out of sight and I come to a standstill.

"That Zane boy frightens me. Why does an eighteen-year-old have so many tattoos?"

"I can't believe he was her step-brother the whole time. "

"I know right!"

"Can you believe all the gossip saying they were sleeping together?"

"This is why you shouldn't believe what the kids say. They only know how to invent scandals."

"And here I was, avoiding her at lunch because I thought she was creeping around with Zane Cross. Should I invite her to the group chat? I think we should all try and be nicer to her now. After all, she's a Cross."

I incline my head toward the half-closed door, listening keenly. Who told the staff we were step-siblings?

Was it Jinx?

I grab my phone and check Jinx's app.

Nothing.

Then I check my texts. Jinx contacts me personally from time to time with exposès that I can pay to keep from hitting the web.

Nada.

So who told?

I wanted to keep our family relations a secret until the end. It'll be hard enough when people find out Grey married a student. But there's another layer of hell if people know I'm her step-brother on top of it all.

"I just hope she doesn't rat on me like she did to Harris, " someone whispers, "now that her step-father is running for governor, anyone named Cross will have more power."

The news about dad's political campaign is already out?

Gasps erupt from the room. I guess I'm not the only one who's surprised.

I step closer to the door to hear better.

" They announced it this morning."

"And people aren't laughing? He's a musician, not a state leader."

"You think the kids care about that? He beat out everyone in his party who was running for that seat. He's Jarod Cross, the biggest rockstar of our time. His fame makes him more popular than anyone on the ballot."

"Doesn't he have to beat the opposition first? The guy he's up against was a cop for thirty years and a teacher for fifteen. Plus, he won the mayoral seat and chaired for the national orchestra certification board. The kids aren't the only ones voting. Cross has to convince the adults too and they don't give a damn about his music."

Laughter breaks out.

"Jarod Cross might have the popular vote, but he won't have the sensible one. Not unless he comes up with something big."

My thoughts are moving faster than a tornado. I knew dad was eager to teach a class at Redwood and snag the chairman of the board title from Miller to win a governor seat.

But it makes more sense that he was trying so hard to convince the old men in his party that he's governor material first. He's got enough fans to carry him straight to political glory, but he'll need his name on the ballot first.

I push away from the door, deep in my thoughts but, as if she's a magnet and I'm steel, I suddenly spot Grey up ahead. She's got her hands fisted at her sides as she charges down the hallway.

Even from this distance, I can tell she's not herself.

It's enough to send me running through the crowd.

Dad can wait.

So can my search for Slavno's evidence.

I need to catch up to Grey before someone's head lands on a spike.

Because I know that face.

My wife has the look of a woman who's about to destroy something.