Lies We Tell (Thistle Cove 3)

“Where is it?”

“Where is what?” Ozzy asks.

“The iPod. It’s how I contacted BD.”

I peer around my room. When did I last have it? It’s been weeks, I knew that. Was I at my desk? Did I forget to put it back up?

I rummage around my desk—messy as always—but it’s not there, either.

“Kenley?” Finn says, voice concerned.

“I always kept it in that drawer. Fuck,” I mutter, “did my mom find it? Shit, shit, shit… if she opens that app, I’m screwed.”

“Tell me where to look,” Ozzy says, but I ignore him, dropping in my desk chair.

I quickly open my laptop and search for the SugarBabies page. My fingers fumble as I type in the password. Denied.

I try again, retyping slower. Once again it’s denied.

“What the hell?”

Ozzy steps next to me. “You’re freaking out. Slow down. It’s probably just the wrong password. It happens.”

I move over, letting him take the seat. “Passwords are the bane of my existence. They love to say you’re wrong when you know you’re not wrong. I resubmit and go through the process all over again.”

“It’s saying there’s no account for your Eden name.”

I lean over him and enter in the details for Rose’s Rosemary’s Baby account.

“What the fuck?”

It’s inactive, too.

“It makes no sense.” I look over at Finn. He’s sitting in the chair he’s slept on for the last week. “No one knew about my account. No one, not even you guys, until recently.” I stare at the website and make the quick decision. “Open a new account.”

“Kenley you need to calm down,” Ozzy says. “What’s a new account going to do?”

“I need to see if BD still has an account.”

The boys share a look—one that says they think I’ve gone too far. Maybe I have. Maybe I’m losing my mind.

“Move,” I say, pushing Ozzy out of my way. I enter in the details.

“This feels like it’s out of hand. Let’s just take what we have to McMichael and let him handle it.”

I ignore him and a few minutes later, get the confirmation for my new account. “I just want to see if he’s still on here.”

“Why?” Finn asks.

Why? To make sure I didn’t fabricate all of this. That I’m not losing my mind. But a quick search proves nothing. It’s like he was never on there. Like Rosemary’s Baby never existed and well, same for my Eden account.

“Someone came in my room, stole the iPod, and deleted the accounts. It wasn’t my parents. And it wasn’t you.” I say, feeling the hair on the back of my neck stand on end.

“This doesn’t make sense, Ken,” Ozzy says.

I spin in my chair, carefully looking around my room. Did they take anything else?

The Eden book is still in my bookshelf. I get out my phone and double check that the keycard is still tucked in the case.