I nod. “I promise I’ll call if I need anything.”
“Good.” She mulls something over. “Easton mentioned when he stopped by your apartment the other night to give you the welcome gift that your fiancé answered the door.”
I nod, unsure what this has to do with anything. “Yeah, we live together.”
She nods contemplatively. “Have you talked to him about this job at all?”
“I told him a little bit about the job.” Okay, that’s a lie. And while I’m not typically a liar, I signed a non-disclosure agreement. “Not the specifics, though.”
“But he understands you’ll be working long hours?” she asks, and I nod. “He’s supportive then?”
I nod again. “Kayden’s a great guy, which is part of the reason I love him so much.” There are so many other reasons, though, but she doesn’t need to hear about all of them.
“Good.” Her serious expression fades into a smile. “Sorry, I had to go there. I just want to make sure there won’t be any hiccups in the future when we start putting you on bigger stories that require a lot of travel time and maybe even relocation.”
I keep on smiling, but inside my heart drops. Bigger stories? Traveling? Relocation? Why hadn’t I thought about that before? Maybe because I’ve never liked my other jobs enough to envision a future at the companies? I wonder if I’ll like this job enough to want to stay. So far, I could see the potential.
What if I do? Then what will happen when Kayden gets drafted?
About an hour later, I leave the secret office—not sure how much of a secret it is, but that’s what I’m calling it for now—with a stack of folders in my arms that contain the victims’ information, along with Easton’s number and a bunch of other contacts. After I pile the files onto the passenger seat of my car, I climb into the driver’s side with the intention of driving home before I start delving into the folders. But curiosity gets the best of me and I peek inside the top folder before even starting up the engine.
The moment I see the first name on the paper, my heart clenches. Harper Allyberriton, who’s my age, attends UW, and who was once my roommate before I moved in with Kayden. She had come to me once and told me about the time she was raped, figuring I could relate to her. She was fourteen when the rape happened, and while she never flat out said it, I wondered if perhaps the person who raped her was her stepfather. I didn’t know her well enough to be certain, though, and moved out of the dorms not long after she confided in me. Since Harper and I don’t have any classes together and no mutual friends we sort of drifted apart. Still, my chest aches reading that she was raped again and recently.
“How is this life?” I whisper to myself as I pick up the paper that contains the details of her attack, which is a whole whopping three lines and doesn’t list the name of the attacker, only that she was at a party and that she remembers something about the term The LW Shadow Circle being thrown around. I have no clue what this circle thing is or how it’s connected to the attack. I wish there was more information, but Evie had warned me that these girls were either scared or being blackmailed into silence. Maybe if I could get them to open up to me and tell me more information, it would help. Then again, Evie did mention some of the girls were drugged, so they might only remember the details listed on these papers.
I swallow the lump forming in my throat as memories of the day I was raped prickle in my mind. I was very much aware of what happened, the images vivid and nauseating.
“Suck it up, Callie,” I tell myself. “You can do this.”
When I turn the page, though, and see the photo taken of Harper right after the incident occurred, her face swollen, her lip cut, her bloodshot eyes hollow, vomit works its way up my throat. Shoving the door open, I puke out the eggs I ate for breakfast all over the asphalt.
Taking a shaky inhale, I wipe my mouth off with my sleeve, straighten, and shut the door. Throwing up isn’t a great start, but I don’t want to let that discourage me.
My gaze drifts to the file of Harper. No, I refuse to let it discourage me. I’ll figure out a way to get these girls justice, no matter what it takes.
Twelve
Callie
By the time I arrive home, I barely have any time before I have to head down to the stadium to watch Kayden’s game. I’m just about to get changed into something more comfortable before I take off when my phone rings. Figuring its Kayden, since he usually calls me around this time, I answer my phone without checking the screen.
“Callie?” The voice that greets me when I answer isn’t Kayden.
“Um, yeah, this is her,” I reply, confused at first but then recognition clicks.
Easton.
“Hey,” he says. “I just wanted to check in and see how things were going. Evie said you picked up the files for project Injustice today?”
“Project Injustice?”
“Yeah, we give all of our stories nicknames, and with yours, Injustice just seemed fitting.”
“Oh. Yeah, sorry I got confused.” I open up the top dresser drawer and dig out a pair of my favorite jeans. “Evie never mentioned the name.”
“Yeah, she sometimes tends to forget the smaller details. She’s a great boss and a great journalist, but she usually takes on too much and can get sort of scatterbrained. But that’s what I’m there for. Well, that and to make sure the newbies don’t lose their minds on their first job,” he teases. “Which is sort of why I was calling. To make sure you’re doing okay after reading the files.”
“I’m fine.” I balance the phone between my shoulder and ear as I undo the zipper and button of the pants I’m wearing. “I haven’t gotten through all the folders yet, but I will tonight.”
“Take your time,” he says. “You should probably even read through them a couple of times.”
“I was planning on it.” I slip my pants off and kick them aside. “I actually knew one of the girls. She was my roommate for a little while during my sophomore year.”
“Really?” he asks, intrigued. “Which one was it?”
“Harper Allyberriton.” I pull on the pair of jeans I grabbed from the dresser. “I don’t know her very well, but I do have some information on her that’s not listed in the folder. I need to talk to her first before I add the information, though, and make sure she’s okay with it.”
“That’s good. That you know her, I mean. She might be more willing to open up to you.”
“I hope so. I’ll probably call her tomorrow and see if she wants to meet up for coffee or something.”
“That’s a good start. If you need any help with anything, give me a shout.”
“Thanks. I definitely will.” I grab a black T-shirt from the dresser, hurry and put the phone on speaker, and set it down on the bed. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Sure.”
I tug the shirt I’m wearing off. “How long have you been working for Evie?”
He counts under his breath. “Since I was a sophomore, so about three years.”
“Do you, or did you, go to UW?” I ask, pulling the clean shirt over my head.
“I did go there,” he replies. “I graduated last year but continued working for The Offbeat Go Daily because I love the job. It’s hard to find a writing job with so much freedom.”
“I completely understand that. It’s part of the reason why I was looking for a new job to begin with.” I wander into the bathroom to get a brush. “So you’ve never had to relocate or go on long trips for your job? Because Evie mentioned today that I might have to do both.”
“I’ve had to do a lot of traveling and relocation has been mentioned a few times, but since I’m Evie’s assistant on top of being a journalist, she’s yet to really push me into moving to a different office. I think she likes having me around too much,” he says in a light tone “Although, she’ll probably never admit that.”
I frown. Crap. That wasn’t the answer I was hoping for.
“A lot of her other journalists have relocated though, to bigger citi
es, which means better stories,” he adds. “That’s probably something to keep in mind as you move forward with this job.”
“I will.” I aim for an upbeat tone, but inside I feel deflated.
I really need to talk to Kayden about this, so we can come up with a plan if that happens down the road. I just hope we can come up with something that doesn’t require us being apart from each other for long periods of time. Or that requires one of us to give up our dreams.
Thirteen
Callie
Normally, I drive to the games with Seth, Greyson, and Violet, but apparently, Luke quit the team. I’m unsure why—Violet was extremely vague in her text. And Seth and Greyson are going to be a little bit late, so I decide to drive by myself today.
Since I’m a little bit early, the parking lot isn’t too crowded when I pull up. After parking my car, I make my way to the stadium while sending Kayden a text.
Me: Hey, just made it here. Good luck today!
He usually doesn’t respond for at least a couple of minutes whenever a game’s about to start, so his almost immediate response startles me.
Kayden: Glad you texted. Can you meet me at the entrance before you head in? There’s something I need to get off my chest before the game starts.
With everything going on in his life right now, worry stirs inside me that perhaps something else—maybe something bad—has happened.
Me: Headed there right now.
I rush toward the entrance and find him waiting for me in front of one of the gates. He’s dressed in his uniform sans his helmet and his brown hair is a tousled mess. He’s frowning as I approach, but when his gaze finds mine a relieved smile breaks across his face.
“Hey,” I start, but he silences me with a deep, intense kiss that tingles across my entire body and leaves me breathless.
“Hey.” He brushes his mouth across mine again, slowly, as if savoring the feel of my lips.
I stand on my tiptoes and loop my arms around the back of his neck. “Is everything okay?”
He nods, resting his forehead against mine. “Now that you’re here, it is.”
I trace a path up and down the nape of his neck. “What happened? Because I can tell something did.”
He sighs, his lean arms winding around my waist. “My mom showed up at our place today.”
I jerk my head back to look at him, unsure if he’s joking or not. By the serious expression on his face, I can tell he’s not.
“Seriously?” I ask, and he nods. “Why? And how does she even know where we live?”
“I never got around to asking her how she found our address, although she could’ve easily looked it up or asked around.” His hold on me tightens. “As for the why…” He shakes his head, the muscle in his jaw spasming. “She said she wanted to warn me about this man claiming to be my biological father.” His throat muscles work as he swallows hard. “She said he’s bad. Even worse than the bastard I grew up thinking was my father.”
I move my hand to cup his cheek. “Do you think she was telling the truth?”
He leans into my touch. “It’s hard to say with her.” He releases an uneven exhale. “She had the audacity to say she was going to be in town for the next week and that I should come see her.” He shakes his head. “Like I want to put myself through that torture.”
“Then don’t go see her.” I give him a soft kiss on the lips. “We don’t need her for this. We can talk to the detective on our own, get the name of this man that claims he’s your biological father, and then do some research on him. And if we need any outside help, we can go to Dylan.”
He hugs me closer. “Thank you for saying that. I think deep down I already knew that, but for some reason I needed to hear it from someone else… Needed to be reminded that I have other people in my life and I don’t have to rely on my mom anymore.”
“That’s what I’m here for.” I easily give in as he pulls me in for a kiss, our tongues tangling, our bodies perfectly aligned.
We kiss for a couple more minutes before he heads back to the locker room.
As I make my way to the stands, my mind gets stuck on Kayden and ways I can make him realize everything will be okay, no matter how this all turns out. But I get torn from Kayden Worry Land as I’m rounding the corner and catch the faint sounds of a heated conversation coming from the women’s bathroom. I’m not one to intervene in other people’s business, but a loud bang makes me pause and then move toward the door.
“You tell anyone about happened the other night and I’ll end you,” a deep, male voice whispers. “Do you understand?”
“Yes,” a woman sobs. “I didn’t mean for anyone to find out.”
“This is your last chance, Maddie,” the guy warns. “Any more slip-ups and you’re done with.”
Footsteps stomp across the floor, growing louder. I skitter out of the way and around the corner as the door swings open. As the air grows quiet, I suck in a breath and peek around the corner. A tall figure, dressed head to toe in black with the hood of his jacket pulled over his head is striding away from the women’s bathroom. His back is to me so I can’t see his face, but I still take out my phone and snap a photo of him. Then I hurry into the bathroom to check on the woman he was threatening.
Soft crying flows through the air as I step inside.
“Hello?” I call out as I walk past the stalls.
The soft crying falters.
“I just wanted to see if you were okay,” I explain as I reach the stall I’m pretty sure she’s in.
“I heard yelling and crying and…” And what, Callie? You don’t even know what’s going on.
“I’m fine,” the woman whispers back hoarsely. “And even if I wasn’t, I couldn’t talk to you about it. If they found out I told you—told you what they did to me…” Her voice cracks. “They’d destroy me.”
“What if I promised not to tell anyone?” I offer. “Would that help?”
She laughs hollowly. “They’d find out. They always do.” The door swings open. Standing on the other side is a woman around my age with long, blonde hair and bloodshot eyes. Mascara is running down her cheeks, and the strap of her dress is torn. “Do yourself a favor,” she bites out bitterly. “Stay away from The LW Shadow Circle.”
“LW Shadow Circle?” My mind races as I recall what I read in Harper’s file. “What is that exactly?”
She doesn’t answer, pushing past me and hurrying for the door. It takes me a moment to unglue my feet from the floor and chase after her. But by the time I make it out of the bathroom, she’s long gone.
I rake my fingers through my hair, my mind running a million miles a minute. The LW Shadow Circle was briefly mentioned in Harper’s file but was never explained.
Pulling out my phone, I type the name into the search engine but get no useful results. I make a note in my phone to talk to Easton about it, then add the description of the woman I talked to in the bathroom. The guy called her Maddie but never used her last name. If she attends UW, though, I may be able to track her down and see if I can persuade her into talking to me some more about this LW Shadow Circle and about whatever they did to her.
While I’m not sure, I have to wonder if this Maddie girl may be an unreported victim.
As people begin to pour into the stadium, I put my phone away and make my way toward the section my seat is located in. When I sit down, I work on getting myself into the right mindset to cheer Kayden on. Usually, I can do so without a lot of complications, but my mind is all over the place right now. Maddie seemed so scared and worried, but what was she so afraid of? This LW Shadow Circle? Is it a frat perhaps? A club? A club for what, though?
Or maybe it could be a secret society, but that seems like a stretch. I mean, I know they exist and everything, but in Laramie?
I massage my temples as I feel a headache approaching. Between that and throwing up earlier, I’m not feeling so great. If I’m going to make this new job work, I’ll have to find a way to handle my stress better. Maybe hi
t the gym more. Do more kickboxing exercises. Maybe eat more too since my stomach is grumbling like a crazy Gremlin right now.
I start to get up to hit the concession stand when I receive a phone call from Violet.
“Hey,” I answer as I make my way down the aisle toward the stairway. “I’m glad you called. Seth keeps bugging me about rescheduling our Halloween shopping trip. Any ideas of when you’ll be down so I can tell him and hopefully get him to shush for a bit?”
“Well, I’d love to set a time and date, but I need a favor first.” She sounds exhausted. “Can you come down to the police station and pick my sorry ass up?”
I screech to a halt, nearly tripping over my feet. “You’re at the police station?”
“Yeah, I got arrested earlier, but then got released. But this detective dude friend of mine, who helped me get released, won’t let me leave the station unless I have someone come pick me up because he thinks I’m unstable.” She raises her voice, her tone oozing with irritation. “Coming from the guy that just broke a coffee mug because I was testing his patience.”
Somebody curses in the background and Violet snickers.
“But yeah, anyway,” she says to me. “I’d really appreciate it if you’d come pick me up. I know you’re at a game and everything, but I tried to call Greyson and he won’t answer his phone. And Seth will drill me with too many questions if I ask him.”
“Yeah, he definitely would.” I pause. “What about Luke, though?”
“I’m not talking to him right now.” Her tone is emotionless, which in Violet language means she’s hurting about something and doesn’t want to talk about it.
Knowing not to press her, I hurry down the stairs. “All right, I’m on my way. See you in about thirty minutes.”
Secrets We Buried Page 7
