Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 84289 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84289 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
“He knows it’ll get my attention,” Niko says. “Scare me more than it would if it was only directed at me. I’ve been trying to pretend I don’t see his manipulation tactics for over a month, but when he does shit to other people, I can’t ignore it.”
Weston walks in from downstairs. “Just talked to a couple of the Daggers guys. They’re going to check the security cam footage from out front. See when Callum did it.”
“Good. Let’s clean this shit up.”
We’re there for over an hour, picking up every little note and putting them into a cardboard box. Weston and Sevan trade a few barbs but then seem to get along, at least for this moment, because both of them know there are bigger problems right now than their issues with each other.
Roman says we should keep each note in case we need evidence, but Niko points out that Callum likely specifically didn’t leave anything dangerous so that the police would be less likely to care.
“We found him,” one of the Daggers guys says, walking into Sevan’s room with a laptop in his hands.
He sets it down on Sevan’s desk and pushes play on a video.
It’s easy to make out.
The video is a little grainy since it was dark out at the time, but it clearly depicts a man in a black mask coming to the front door of Daggers house, using a code to get in the front door lock, and heading inside.
“Wait. Rewind it,” Niko says, frowning at the screen.
I move closer, putting my hand on his back, rubbing a circle there with my palm.
We watch the video again.
“Nothing identifying,” I say.
“That isn’t Callum,” Niko declares.
All of us turn to look at him.
“These notes are clearly from him, to you,” I tell him. “Half of them mention your name, and some even say miss having you around the house. It has to be him.”
“The notes are from him. But this man isn’t Callum. He’s 6’5. You saw him earlier. Does this guy look that tall to you?”
“This guy’s head is only a couple of inches above the outside lantern,” Hunter says. “He’s absolutely not 6’5.”
“Fuck,” Niko whispers. “Callum has other people doing this for him?”
The Daggers guy pulls a little device out of his pocket. “Brought up a spare webcam for you to put here in your room, Sevan. And I just ordered four more advanced cameras to put on every entrance. I doubt you’ll get targeted again tonight, but it’s worth a shot.”
“I hate this. I’m so sorry,” Niko says.
“It’s not your fault. Fuck this guy,” Weston assures him. “We’ll get to the bottom of this.”
Sevan glares at Wes. “Is that right? Sheriff Weston Knox? Why should we trust you to make sure Niko is okay?”
“Shut the fuck up, Sev,” Weston says. “I didn’t mean me. I meant all of us, especially Roman and my brother. Hunter helped us from the attacks earlier this semester. This is his bread and butter.”
Hunter nods. “Callum’s an amateur compared to the family that was after us. I’m on top of it, Niko.”
I hope he’s right.
The family that was after us before was more organized. Callum is scattered, amateurish, and less predictable.
Niko doesn’t seem to know how to respond.
Usually he’d be able to hide that vulnerable expression on his face, but the remaining ecstasy in his system has obviously been making it harder for him to hide anything, tonight.
I watch him nod, looking around at all the guys in here, and something clicks in my mind.
He’s never had this, has he?
I realize it quickly, like a punch to the gut.
I never had friends in high school, but Niko was surrounded by them. I always thought of him as a social king, but…
He’s not used to people actually helping him out like this.
His friends were partiers. Active addicts, always in search of another high. People who admired Niko for the value of his good looks and follower count, but probably never knew him on any deep level.
For a lifetime, Niko’s been used.
Now he’s actually being offered help.
For the next few minutes, he turns his attention to his cousin instead, asking him about a dozen times if he feels safe before going downstairs to the kitchen to grab two knives and bring them up.
“In case you need them,” Niko says, placing the knives on his desk.
Sevan gives him a bleak smile. “Am I going to cut him with a steak knife?”
“Maybe. If it’s necessary.”
“I’ll be fine. Go get some sleep, okay? It’s three in the morning.”
Finally we all file out.
Red Row is silent and dark under the moonlight. Niko holds my hand again for the walk back to Onyx House.
There’s so much I want to say, yet I don’t know how to bring up any of it.
The other guys head inside first, and Niko pulls me back, keeping me on the front steps of the house.