“Yes. No. I don’t care.”
“Taryn, it is about Galverson, whether he’s your focus or not. Jace is connected to Galverson, so whatever you find—will have Galverson’s prints on it too. You’ll have both of ‘em gunning for you.”
“Jace knows what happened to Brian.”
“Yeah, probably,” Tray murmured, rubbing his jaw, “but it doesn’t mean he killed him. It doesn’t even mean he found anything out.”
“I told Brian that I wanted to know what arrangements Jace had made for me. I told Brian that and then he told Geezer that he found out. He was coming to tell me. He found something out…and now he’s dead.”
“If it was so dangerous, why’d he leave a trail and tell Geezer that?”
“Grayley’s missing,” I exclaimed. “He went to find Brian when he didn’t call…and now he’s missing. Grayley’s missing and Brian’s dead. I can’t sit back anymore.”
“Even though it might be you in a casket next?” he asked tiredly.
“Tray—”
“I mean it, Taryn, you go after Galverson and chances are fucking high it’ll be your fucking funeral next time. I don’t want to go that fucking ceremony.”
“My best friend is missing. I can’t lose him too,” I pleaded.
“Oh come on!” he cried out, pissed.
“You took him on once before. Help me this time. Help me finish him for good,”” I begged.
“Please,” I asked again.
“Taryn,” he hedged, shaking his head.
“I’m one of the best there is, I can get anywhere, Tray. Anywhere. I went in blind and got into a police station. A fucking police station! I can do that, I can go anywhere with planning. I already have some stuff.” At his quick glance, I told him, “I haven’t looked at it, not since I decided to leave it alone.”
Tray swore.
“Your family’s alive,” I spoke. It was true, but Tray had already lost them. He’d already lost his family. “Brian’s dead.” And I lost something similar. “I can’t lose Grayley too.”
“Fuck…Taryn—”
“Brian’s dead,” I bit out. “I’m going after him whether you’re with me or not.”
“Oh—”
I stopped, pleading with my eyes. “You know how to do this. You know how to take him down. You know so much about their fucking world—things that I could never know. Please, Tray, you did it when you were in the fucking eighth grade. You did it when you were a kid. We’re not kids anymore.”
After a second, I could see his decision flash in his hazel eyes and I grinned. It was time for war.
CHAPTER TWENTY TWO
I was waiting by Props’ locker when he arrived to school and I grinned, seeing him pale slightly. His eyes went to the flash drive that was dangling from my fingers. “Heya, Props!” I said cheerfully.
“Hey—” he said uncertainly.
“How was your date?”
He opened his locker and said stiffly, “Fine. What are you doing here?”
“I took a peek at what’s on here,” I stated, leaning against the next locker. “Guess what? It doesn’t make any sense to me. So, seeing how I don’t read technical code, I should come to the resident expert. That’d be you.”
The guy looked like he was about to pee his pants.