I don’t say anything, but hold my hand out on the table, giving a brief thumbs-up. It’s now or never. I suck up all my doubts and misgivings and nervousness and let my curiosity rip. “I guess that’s why I’m confused. It seems like most of us who have one of you watching have either done something wrong or had something wrong done to them. And for that second group, you’ve aided them in seeking out some sort of retribution.”
Ireland shifts in her seat, and when I glance at her, I can tell I’ve struck a chord of some sort. Her gaze is firmly locked on her folded hands on the table.
“It might not be easy to understand, but what’s happening in this community is complex.” Professor Silverton clears her throat, her gaze moving over each of us before it comes back to me. “You, Echo, happen to be ensnared in the entire thing, simply by way of who you are.”
A sick feeling winds around in my stomach. My heart begins to thud insistently in my chest, like a warning. Am I finally going to get some answers?
“Let me try to explain.” Theo takes a deep breath. “The idea that Brent, Megan, and Brian concocted this plan that reached far and wide in scope was kinda mind-blowing at first. Diabolical, really. Royal, they were gunning for you because they thought you were responsible for Alicia’s death. After you were released, they must have studied you and everyone you came into contact with, and decided who was most important to you. Then, they dragged Smith and Freya into the fray, convincing them you deserved to pay for what you’d done.”
“Listening to their rationale during questioning at the station has been a trip to crazy town, lemme tell ya,” Officer Dubois grunts out, shaking his head.
“Let’s back up for a second and start with the true instigator in the plot against you, Royal.” Professor Silverton’s face shows strain. “As my TA, Brent works in my office. He gained accessto some of my private files, which never should have happened. He’s a wily one.” She grimaces. “Brent’s relationship with his stepmother was an eye-opener, for sure.” She glances at Beckham. “Are you aware that after she married Brent’s father, she groomed him before she came to be your nanny?”
“No.” Beckham’s jaw locks up. “They’re both fucking crazy. They deserve each other.”
“Maybe so. But your connection to Royal must have made her even more attractive to him after she got out of prison. And being someone who is clearly not right in the head, she was willing to help him in his revenge plot.” Professor Silverton turns, focusing on Wilder. “Your brother-in-law being related to Alicia and Brent was also an unfortunate coincidence that worked in Brent’s favor. Brian was more than willing to strike out at you.”
“Yeah.” Wilder’s voice is gritty and raw. “Because he knew I was aware he was using my sister for a punching bag. He’s lucky I didn’t know the rest until recently.”
Wilder’s coach locks eyes with him from across the table. “You’ve done what you could for her.” He pauses, making sure we’re all paying attention. “You see what she means, though, right? Brent had people in his corner who were plenty happy to watch Royal and everyone around him suffer.”
“And of course, once they had convinced Freya and Smith to make life hell for Echo when she arrived at Kingston University, they thought that’d be a good way to really wreak havoc. Especially when Freya realized Royal and Echo were not on good terms.”
“From what Smith said,” Officer Dubois interjects, “his sister delighted in figuring out how to set you up for embarrassing situations, Echo. Bringing you to TZE, knowing you wouldn’t be able to resist because of the loss of your mother… and then twisting you up even worse once she realized the effect beingnear Royal had on you. She was watching you very carefully, even though it seemed like she was letting you flounder on your own. But while she was studying you, we had a Sin Keeper watchingher.” He shakes his head. “When he was questioned, Smith seemed to think his sister, before her death, was finally ready to pull away from Brent and Brian’s hold. But it was already too late for her.”
At the back of the group, Katrina clears her throat, getting our attention. “Their plan was mostly about creating havoc for Royal and everyone surrounding him. They decided to up the stakes by dragging Kara into the mess… because they wanted to get at your child.”
From Ireland, there’s a murmured, “Oh, damn,” but she snaps her mouth shut after that. Who knew Ireland actually had a decent bone in her body.
Professor Silverton nods, folding her hands in front of her. “I’m glad to see the plan to use Royal’s hatred for you backfired.” She gives me and Royal a soft smile. “You never really hated each other. There were outside forces working against you. I’m glad to see you’re in a good place with each other. And Chase is safe, happy, and healthy.”
From behind her, Katrina nods. “I am, too.”
“Ditto,” Theo says with a wink.
“Should I tell her now, Amanda?” At Professor Silverton’s nod, Katrina draws in a breath. “Okay, changing gears here. I’ve been agonizing over how to tell you this, but your mother and father were not who they seemed to be. Echo, your mother, Madeline… shewasa Sin Keeper.”
I blink hard, my mind racing. “She was a social worker,” I whisper. Maybe it makes sense that she’d be recruited by the Sin Keepers. But I frown, because clearly something must have gone very, very wrong.
“Yes, and—this is the ugly part—it gave her prime positioning to funnel young girls into a sex trafficking scheme that your father, Trey, was party to.” Katrina winces as my face falls.
My skin becomes hot and prickly, and the angry thud of my heart bruises my insides. I blink several times, trying to clear my blurry vision as Royal and Beckham move closer, and I feel their hands on me, but my head is a mess, and I don’t respond. My brain registers the scraping of a chair, and then Wilder’s hands on my shoulders as he stands behind me. I shake my head. “I’m sorry, what? Are you saying my mother and father helped send girls away to be—” My eyes crash shut. I can’t even say it. Abused. Tormented.Lost.
“Yes. I’m so sorry to be the one to tell you.” Katrina lets go of a heavy sigh. “I discovered your mother had gone rogue when she started helping your dad with the dirty side of his business. Unfortunately, I didn’t figure it out until your dad got my husband involved. Rich donated a large sum of money for investment purposes with Trey’s company. Unfortunately, it was all a front for the disgusting business Trey’d become involved in. The men who run the sex trafficking ring out of the country club—they’re slippery as snakes. They run half the town.”
I frown at first, but then, as if a light bulb has flicked on over my head, I realize she’s talking about the ones that are referred to as the OG Bastards. The fathers of the Bainbridge Hall brothers. No wonder Derek Pierce said the things he had to me. “When did this all happen?”
“Not long before the accident,” Theo mutters.
There’s a beat of complete silence in the room, then, slowly, Katrina nods with clenched teeth. “Echo, your parents didn’t want Royal to have anything to do with you after the accident, you knew that. They wanted to ensure he was sent away. Your dad blackmailed Rich.” She shifts her gaze to Royal. “Trey toldhim he’d make sure it was known what his money had been spent on if we didn’t withdraw our support from you, Royal.”
Shock reverberates through me at the absolute craziness coming out of Katrina’s mouth. Royal’s hand clenches my leg like a vice. “That’s why you abandoned me—” His voice breaks, misery swirling in his eyes when I turn to exchange a look with him.
“I’m so very sorry it came to that,” Katrina murmurs, her voice unsteady as her eyes crash shut. “I’ll tell you whatever you want to know.”
“Later.” Royal shakes his head. “I think we’d better fucking finish. I’m about at my limit.” I’m positive he’ll want to speak to her more in private later. It must be so embarrassing for her and Rich to have been tricked like that—thinking their friends and neighbors were good people. I suck in a breath. I must be in shock or something because I feel numb. But what about my parents? They’re dead. No one has gone there yet. And now I’m afraid to ask.
“I hear that, as I’m sure everyone else here does.” Officer Dubois rubs a hand over his chin. “I’ll try to be succinct, but there are a few more details we’d like to share. The men your mom and dad were working with, they ran a poker night a few times a month at the club. That’s partly how they were funneling girls in. Last night, we watched from a distance as the fraternity brothers from Hawthorne Hall and Bainbridge Hall worked together to take them down. They had a vested interest, according to some of the intel we had. And we made sure the correct personnel were in place to help.”
