"Did your father tell you we have an eyewitness who says you killed Landon and has evidence to prove it?" Matt asked.
"Yes. And that's a ridiculous story. I wasn't even at the frat party that night. I was at a friend's house. Who is this alleged eyewitness, and if you have evidence against me, why haven't you arrested me?" Trent asked. "Why have Haley set up the meet?"
"Because I didn't believe you'd talk to me without a lawyer."
"And I won't. I'll call my uncle or my cousin right now. They'll be down here in a second."
"I don't think Henry is the one you want to call," she said, giving him a pointed look.
Trent flinched. "Are you saying Henry is the witness? That's impossible. He wouldn't…we're cousins. We're family. And I'm innocent. I liked Landon. I sure as hell didn't kill him."
"But you know that your cousin and your friends wanted Landon's research notes," she said. "Henry orchestrated my brother's entire relationship with Brooke, who stole Landon's notebooks. Now your friends are getting nervous because the FBI is looking into Landon's death, and they're not going to go away at anyone's request. Which means the real killer needs someone to take the fall. That's you, Trent. But I don't think you are the killer. I believe someone else killed Landon and that you might have some idea as to who that is."
He stared back at her, his gaze conflicted. "I'm not part of any of this. I have deliberately put space between myself and all of them, including my own sister."
"That space isn't going to be enough," Matt told Trent. "Don't you get it? It doesn't matter what you do now. You know enough about them to be dangerous. That's why they're setting you up."
"I don't know anything."
"Sure you do," Matt said. "You can't be neutral, Trent. You have to pick a side."
"I can't do that," Trent said stubbornly. "You're asking me to turn against my family."
"It's you or them," Matt said. "If you don't help us, you'll be the one charged with the murder of Landon Kenton and Sabrina Lin and the attacks on Brooke Mercer and Professor Harrington."
"Professor Harrington? What the hell happened to him?"
"He was shot," Matt said. "Yesterday. This whole thing is blowing up. And you are in the worst possible position."
"You don't have anything."
"Come on, Trent. You know that evidence can be manufactured. People can be paid to talk. That's how things run in your world. Anything and anyone can be bought."
Trent's gaze filled with dark shadows as Matt's words sank in. She could see his guard slipping, his fear setting in.
"What are they doing, Trent?" she asked. "What are they doing with Landon's research?"
"I only know that they got hold of an algorithm that Landon created, that has something to do with investments. Jill told me that it's completely legal, just advanced analytics."
"But you know that's not the whole story," she said.
"I don't want to know the whole story," he said candidly. "I can't imagine whatever they're doing is good. I tried to talk to Jill, but since she started dating Drew, she doesn't listen to me at all. She's brainwashed. She keeps talking about the greater good, about needing good people in power."
"They want to mess with the election, don't they?" Matt said. "Who's in charge? Drew? Henry? Kyle? Or is it the fathers? Graham Adler, your dad, or Kent Sanderson? What about Viktor Danilovich? Who's calling the shots?"
As Matt rattled off names, Trent grew more and more distressed.
"I'm not sure," Trent said. "Like I told you before, I haven't asked questions, because I didn't want to know." Trent gave them a pleading look. "I did not kill Landon or do any of those other things. You can't let them frame me. I won't be the fall guy."
"What did your father suggest you do when he told you that you were a suspect?" Matt asked.
"My father? How do you know he knows?"
"Because I do, and I believe he's involved in the stock manipulation."
Trent gave Matt a long look, then said, "He told me his plane would be ready to go at eight o'clock tonight. He wants me to go to the Maldives."
"Where there's no extradition treaty," Matt said. "We're not going to let you run, Trent."
