Chapter l267

Chapter 0267

“You said you would tell him,” I said.

“”

“I was getting around to it.” Julian shrugged. “The right moment just hadn’t come up yet.‘

“You gave her that n*ecklace to help her out specifically in this place,” Nicholas said. “I highly doubt that you couldn’t find a moment to tell me about it.”

“That’s the truth,” Julian said. “Besides, so long as one of us gets the message to help her out, does it matter which one?”

“Then switch it to me,” Nicholas said.

–

an argument they

I gave Nicholas a flat look. He wasn’t helping deescalate this argument shouldn’t even be having in the middle of Terry’s office while searching for secret compartments in his desk.

Nicholas deflated a little, under my look, though he didn’t uncross his arms. The moment his eyes returned to Julian, they hardened again.

“I wanted both,” I said.

“And I will set it to both,” Julian said. “The very next free moment I have.”

“Now, Julian. I imagine it will take you two minutes on your phone,” Nicholas said.

“And you don’t think we’re doing something vastly more important at the moment?”

“No,” Nicholas was firm.

Julian sighed. “Keep searching, Piper.” He retrieved his phone from his pocket.

The current drawer I looked through didn’t have a compartment along the top, but when I traced my hand along the side, I felt a small catch. I pressed down and a lid sprung open,

revealing a letter tucked away underneath.

“What’s this?” I pulled the letter from the secret compartment and unfolded it.

“Find something?” Julian’s eyes were on his phone.

Nicholas rounded the desk to come to my side. I opened the letter then nearly dropped it. Nicholas caught it and me, steadying both.

“Why didn’t he destroy this?” Nicholas asked, more to himself than anyone else. “It even says to burn it?”

“Why does uncle do anything?” Julian put his phone away. He scooched closer to me to peer

at the letter over my shoulder.

1/2

+25 BONUS

“Hubris,” I said.

“Even so… This…” Nicholas was at a loss for words.

Julian whistled. “It’s damn incriminating.”

In my hands, I held a letter addressed to Terry, welcoming him to the underground organization.

The letter was dated back a few years, long enough that he very well could have been the man

to tempt Jane over to the darkness.

Disgust and hatred swirled in my gut.

“Do you recognize that signature?” Nicholas asked.

“I can’t make it out…” I said. I only saw swirls. There was no printed name underneath.

“It’s Hawk,” Julian said. We both looked at him. “The unofficial underground organization’s leader? If you can call him that. Their leadership is more like a council. But Hawk is the one keeping them all in line.”

Julian would know. He’d been investigating into the underground organization for who knew how long.

“Hawk.” I tried the word out in my mouth. I felt bad for the bird that had to share its name with such an undoubtedly vicious person. “Who is he really?”

“No one knows,” Julian said. “I doubt even Terry does, something that probably irks him to

no end.”

“Receiving this letter would be an honor, then,” Nicholas said. “Something Terry would want to remember.”

“He’s probably mad he can’t hang it up,” Julian said with a laugh. “But, lucky for us, he’s vein enough to hold onto it regardless. Tuck it into your pocket, Nicholas, and let’s get the hell out of here. That should be proof enough.”

Nicholas folded the letter and put it into his inside jacket pocket.

It felt like a victory, securing something like that.

But we still had to survive the rest of the night to get it to safety.

“Let’s go,” Nicholas said, and held out his hand for me.

I took it.