"Francis Middleton's," I murmured.

  Telly winked at me. "Yes. Give the woman a cookie."

  "So he's been doing this a long time, and that teacher was not his first. If he did have something to do with that little girl, he'd killed before, which means it’s likely that he's killed after,” Liv said. “So we have to start looking at disappearances of women, and I guess men too. Murders where he's been in the vicinity and it’s plausible."

  Telly gave Liv an appreciative nod. “I'll write an algorithm. We should be able to narrow it down."

  East took her laptop from her then. "No, I'll write it."

  She rolled her eyes at East. "Fine, if you insist. I suppose I'll let you have some glory."

  He scowled at her. "Do you ever stop talking?"

  She shook her head. "No. That's what makes me so fucking delightful."

  As the two of them bickered on, I couldn't help shivering, scrubbing my hands up and down my arms as I fought the inner cold. "And I'll be okay if we get him,” I muttered.

  Drew's voice was quiet. "We will. You have to believe that.”

  Livy had followed the arguing duo into the kitchen.

  I turned to Drew as their voices became more muffled. "That's the thing. When it's dark and I'm alone, I wonder if we will. I wonder if after all this, after everything we've done, if it'll have been for nothing."

  "Don't give up, Ems. If anyone can survive this it's you. Now we've finally got the missing pieces. As soon as we have the final info from East and Telly, we're going to send it to your detective friend. We're this much closer."

  I nodded. "Yeah. This much closer.”

  Then how come the closer we got, the more terrified I was?

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Emma

  I knew it would be another late night for Bridge, but I couldn’t help pouting when I arrived in his office, hoping he would be coming home with me.

  “Don’t make that face. I'm nowhere near done. Just head home. Don’t wait for me. Get something to eat and go to bed. I will join you there as soon as I’m able.”

  “I don’t want to stay at the mansion on my own. Can't I go home?”

  He frowned. “No. We don’t know where Middleton is. It’s not safe.”

  “But if you don’t know where he is, then he’s probably not even in London. Please, please, please. I just want to be free.”

  “And I hear you. But no.”

  I sighed. “I don’t want to go all the way to the mansion. I feel so stuffed there.”

  “Like I said, I hear you. I do. But first, we have to come up with a permanent solution.”

  I frowned. “You’re really not going to be home for a while?”

  “No, hon, I'm not. Do you want to go to Liv’s?”

  “No, she's also working late.”

  He sighed. “I’m sorry.”

  I pouted. “Yeah, whatever. I’ll find a way to entertain myself. I love you.”

  The way he grinned when he wrapped his arms around my waist was both annoying and comforting at the same time. “Say it again.”

  “I said I love you, you big loon.”

  He grinned. “But have you heard? My wife loves me.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Fine, I’ll see you later.”

  “I promise I will be home soon. And I will wake you up.”

  “You’d better keep that promise.”

  Jacob was waiting for me outside, and he gave me a nod. "Ma'am."

  "You know I hate it when you call me ma'am."

  "Yes, of course, ma'am."

  I sighed. "You're not going to stop, are you?"

  He shook his head. "No."

  "Fine, then. Let's go."

  The ride out was uneventful as usual. The first few times had been exhilarating, but now I was used to the helicopter. The landscape didn't even faze me anymore. By the time I arrived home, I was exhausted, feeling adrift. I was pissed off that I still had to be scared of the boogeyman. Once I had changed into a Cookie Monster T-shirt and leggings, I pulled out one of the meals our housekeeper had left and heated it up. I was ready for another night of mindlessly watching boring television, but then there was a knock at the door.

  With a frown, I got up.

  On the other side of the door was one of the other guards, Trevor. “Ma’am. Mr. Wilcox is here to see you.”

  “Drew?”

  He nodded. “Would you like to let him in?”

  “Of course. It’s more his house than mine.”

  Trevor went back out and let Drew in. He met me with a smile. "I never thought I'd have trouble coming over here. I should have called first. Bridge asked me to come."

  "Of course, come in. I'm sorry, but Bridge isn't here."

  "I know. He wanted me to keep you company."

  I laughed at that. "He shouldn't have."

  "It's not a bother. What are you eating?"

  “Twice-baked lasagna. Want some?”

  He laughed and nodded. “Yeah, sure.”

  I let him back into the first of the three kitchens and then grabbed a plate to cut him some of mine because honestly, it was too much.

  “You alright?”

  I sighed. “Is it written on my face that I’m not happy?”

  He shrugged. "A little.”

  "I'm fine. It’s just frustrating. I need a new job, obviously. I’m feeling the idleness of my hands. There’s only so much work I can pick up at London Lords, and I can’t fill my days with shopping and being a kept woman.”

  Drew barked a laugh. “Oh my God, I do love you, Ems.”

  I grinned, but the look he gave me sent an odd spike down my spine. “Are you okay? Homefront all right?”

  "’Course. Just here for a visit."

  There was something in that tone. "What's going on?" I'm not sure if I was supposed to know, but I didn't know what else to say, so I asked, "Is this about the intervention?"

  He shoved his hands in his pockets. "I figured you knew."

  "I'm sorry. We’re just worried about you."

  "I know. I appreciate it. I'm working on it."

  “I wished you’d talked to us, Drew. Talked to someone.” I licked my lips. "I mean, we noticed."

  He sighed. "Things just got out of hand."

  “I’m sorry. You’ve been such a great friend to me. I would be remiss if I didn’t stop and ask you. I know everyone is busy on Middleton. We’re all on edge. I know Bridge sent you here to keep an eye on me, and I'm really grateful. But look, I can't shake the feeling that something is amiss with you. I see you, Drew. I see that you are not okay. So if you want to talk, I’m here. I will listen.”

  His hazel gaze met mine and held it for a period of time. He nodded his head eventually. “Thank you for saying it, Emma. I must admit I’m not feeling the best. But how I’m feeling is a direct consequence of my choices. So I need to fight it out. Do my best to right the wrongs I personally have made and, you know, carry on.”

  “There’s got to be more to life than that, right?”

  “I hope so. But for now, I’m just trying to make things right for Toby.”

  I sighed. "It's not just you, Drew. I think we all feel like we let Toby down.”

  “Not as much as I did.”

  I lifted my brows. “What do you mean?”

  He glared down at his plate, lasagna largely untouched. “I let you down, Ems. Didn’t matter what I tried, but please know that I've tried everything. I really did, but I can see now that I probably didn’t try hard enough.” He rubbed a hand down his face. “The Elite, the answers to our salvation lie beneath our feet. But I can’t see them all.”

  "I know. We all could have done more. But there's not much we can do now, except make the people responsible atone for Toby's death."

  “You know how we all have choices, and we all make them regardless of if we’re aware we’re making them or not. Usually, our choices are predicated on easy outcomes, but sometimes the outcomes are difficult and there’s a cost to making the choice. And most of us choose wrong.”

  There it was again, that hint of chill and awareness. “What are you trying to say, Drew?”

  “I’m saying I could have done this better. I could’ve been upfront. Gone to anyone. And I didn’t. The Elite and our fucking traditions and secrets buried under this house. Mostly, I was a coward, so I didn’t do all the right things when I should’ve. I keep trying to talk myself in circles around what I could’ve done differently, should’ve done differently. It all leads to me being a coward."

  I swallowed hard. The feeling of unease was starting to gnaw on me, so I pushed to stand. Just then, Drew got a text and glowered at his phone. “I’m sorry. We have to go.”

  “Where?”

  He took my hand. “Can’t say. Sorry.”

  I tried to hide my fear and winced inwardly. “What must I understand? Drew, you’re hurting me right now.”

  He frowned as he looked down at my hand. “I'm sorry. Look, we should go somewhere away from here, okay? We need to go.”

  I tugged on my hand. “What do you mean away from here?”

  “I have a sinking suspicion it’s not safe, and I need to get you out of here.”

  "With all the guards I have outside? What do you mean, it's not safe?”

  He shook his head. "You have to trust me on this, Ems. This is like the library all over again. Why don't you believe me?”

  “Because you’re not telling me anything.” And then it occurred to me that Bridge had not sent Drew here. “Did Bridge even call you to come here?”

  He swallowed hard. “No, he did not. I just came. I knew if I called him first, he would send Ben, East, Nyla, or Amelia, anyone who is a hundred times more capable than me.”

  My gut churned along with niggling sensation in the pit of my stomach. “What’s happening, Drew? I'm confused right now.”

  “Ems,” he held my hand so tight he was crushing my fingers. “I would never hurt you. You know that.”

  Afraid, I tried to pull my hand back again.

  He shook his head. “Don’t run from me. Stay put, Ems. You have security. Let them know if you have any problems, okay?”

  Before I knew what was happening he was dragging the door open and rushing out.

  And then he left. Leaving me to wonder what the fuck just happened.

  Chapter Forty

  Emma

  I stared at the phone for a moment too long. What must I say? What must I do? I couldn’t call Bridge and say, 'Hey, Drew said something really creepy. Come home.' That wasn’t me.

  I should call Telly. She would know what to do. But Telly would assume that Drew was drunk. But what if he wasn’t?

  And then I made the next logical call. The guards were already outside, so I was safe and sound. Drew was gone. The phone rang and rang and rang, and finally Livy picked up. “Hey. Where are you? Are you in the hotel? We could have dinner.”

  “Liv, sorry. Bridge sent me home, and something just happened.”

  I could almost hear the direct alertness in Liv’s voice. “What do you mean, something just happened?”

  “Drew came by. Said he wanted to check on me.”

  There was a pause. “Drew did?”

  “Yeah, and then he started acting weird. Talking about things he’d done, his mistakes, it was very bizarre. At first, I thought that maybe he was drunk. He wouldn’t let go of my hand. And then he said, 'He should’ve just come clean.' Do you know what he was talking about?”

  “No, do you?” Liv asked, obviously as confused as I was.

  "Nope. Not a single idea. I'm just freaked out. I couldn’t smell anything on him though, Liv. He was sober. Of that, I'm certain." Then I remembered something he'd said. "The library. He mentioned the library. I think he was trying to tell me something. He knows something about Middleton which somehow relates to the library. I think he’s the note sender.”

  Livy laughed for a long moment. “There is no way. Why not just tell us? He’s been helping us take those crazies down this whole time. There’s no way he’s the note sender.”

  Was I wrong? “I know it seems irrational, Liv, but that’s what happened. I don’t know what to make of it.”

  “Honey, you know what to do. Call Bridge.”

  “No, Bridge is busy."

  “Bridge will always believe you, and he's never that busy. Call him! Or better yet, go to him. Go where Bridge is. Tell him what happened. Go, now!"

  I chewed my bottom lip. I was hesitant to go because I was pretty sure Bridge would be really busy, and I would just be a nuisance. "I guess I can take one of the cars and drive over there. But there’s no way Tyler and Ryan would let me do that. Besides, Bridge said this is the safest place I can be right now. I just... I'm not sure I should go, Liv.”

  “Call him then. Honey, it won't hurt anyone if you just simply call your husband.”

  I chewed my bottom lip. “All right, fine. I’ll call him. I’m really okay now. Don’t worry.”

  Liv sighed. “Do you want me to drive out there? It’ll take me about an hour through traffic, but I can come stay with you until Bridge returns with the helicopter, then I’ll take it back home.”

  “No, that's not necessary, Liv. Thanks. But I have security. I just… I feel like I'm losing my mind. I feel shocked even. I don't know what to make of this situation."

  “Honey, we’ve been living in a heightened state of fear and unease for so long it's driving us all nuts. And to make matters worse, Middleton did a runner. Of course, you'd be feeling stressed and out of it. And that's why you need to have someone there with you now, or at least talk to somebody you know would make you feel grounded. Like your husband. Don’t you agree?”

  “Yes, but—"

  "Nope. No buts. Tell me you're calling Bridge right now."

  "I will after you stop babbling so I can actually call my husband."

  "Good girl. Now, get on with it. Update me, okay? Let me know if you need some help."

  After the call with Liv, I paused, still unable to process what was happening. I ran my hands through my hair. I was fine. None of this was real. I had security. I was just reacting to being lonely and stuck in this house. And there was no way Drew would ever hurt me. I’d known him since I was a kid. He was one of Toby’s best mates. He was family.

  I headed into the kitchen to grab a hot cocoa. What was Drew going on about? What was he saying? That he’d done it to protect me? Us? The traditions that had to be upheld, that had to be an Elite thing. But what traditions? What had to be upheld?

  If only you had access to a room full of secrets about the most powerful men in London. The world, even.

  I swiveled on the stool at the kitchen counter and stared in the direction of a secret door, the door that might lead to answers we needed. The question was, just how much trouble would I get into if I went looking for answers that were none of my business?

  I firmed my resolve. I was going to get them. The answers. One way or the other.

  Chapter Forty-One

  Emma

  There were so many good reasons not to do what I had planned. So many, a whole slew. I was about to do the thing that I would have to ask forgiveness for.

  So what else is new?

  Yes, I knew I had no business going into the dungeon. I was well aware. But Drew had said something about the Elite. He’d said I was looking in all the wrong places for answers. So maybe I should start looking in all the right places.

  I marched toward the hidden door in the foyer.

  When I pushed it open, I wasn’t sure if it was a rush of dread or a thrill that met me. Either way, I was going through with this.

  It was one thing to go down there looking for Bridge. It was another thing to go by myself. The way I figured it, they owed me. And I could snoop if I wanted to.

  Oh yeah. That’s the dumbest shit ever.

  Stepping into the lift, a chill rushed over my arms. If someone tried to murder me down there, no one would hear me even if I screamed.

  Excellent.

  But I was already there. Might as well get started on what I meant to do. Maybe I could look in the archives, the files on Middleton’s parents, something.

  I headed first for the room where they took their oaths. The doors were all open, probably because nobody in their right mind would dare sneak in to a place that clearly said, ‘hands off.’ And this was also supposed to be the residence of the Director Prime. Why would anyone lock anything? The mansion was heavily guarded. Always had been.

  When I passed the stone seat Bridge had bent me over the other day, I shivered. Had it only been a couple of weeks ago? If we stayed here much longer, I’d have to coax him back.

  I found the book I was looking for easily enough. The bylaws. I picked it up, the weight surprising me. It was shockingly heavy.

  And then my fingertips traced over the leather binding, and I realized this thing was ancient. Hundreds and hundreds of men had come through these walls, all pledging their lives to the Elite. To the Brotherhood. Which was such bullshit.

  Of course, ye old patriarchy. No women allowed. Not one. It didn’t matter that my father was also Elite or that my brother would’ve been Elite; women like me were not welcome.

  I opened the book, scanning quickly inside. It just looked like an outline of rules and laws. The Elite must always present themselves as gentlemen, blah, blah, blah. Brotherhood above all, blah, blah. Secrets. Lots of things on secrets. Not what I was looking for. This wasn’t informative; this was the playbook. So where would the secrets—

  I heard footsteps in the hall, and I froze. The fuck? My instincts wanted to call out for Bridge.

  No, that is not a good idea.

  Because everything in my body told me Bridge would’ve texted the minute he left for home. So what the fuck was going on?

  I tiptoed and approached the door, standing just to the side of the wall so I’d be covered and protected if anyone just happened to look inside.

  The footsteps drew nearer, and my blood hummed through my veins. Oh shit, I had no weapon. I looked down at my hands, and all I had was the leather tome. In a pinch, it could work as a weapon. I’d seen John Wick. I could make that happen. Granted I was smaller than Keanu Reeves, so using the book to plant on somebody who was over six feet and then proceed to hit them would be difficult. But I could make it happen. Ooh, maybe against their junk.