Page 148 of Never Sleep with the Enemy

He pulls out his phone, thumbs flying, then presses it to his ear.

“What?” I ask.

“I’m taking you down legit or not at all,” he says, his expression tight until someone picks up, and his whole face changes. “Hey, Stella! It’s Knox. No, I didn’t get arrested again. No, Jonah didn’t, either.” His grin falters. “No. Will you shut up and listen for a second? I’ve got a new client for you.”

“Knox.” I step closer. “What are you doing?”

He holds up a finger to quiet me. “Uh-huh. You coming to the Battle of the Bands tonight? Why the hell not? Well, change your plans. This is important.” He looks over at Tesla, gives her a steady nod. “Great. We’ll see you tonight. Who’s the client?” He grins. “Check outGossipa.”

He hangs up, then slips the phone into his back pocket.

“She’ll take care of it,” he says.

“Take care of it?” Tesla repeats, full of doubt.

He nods nonchalantly. “Yeah.”

“She’s going to take care of grand larceny, illegal street racing, and destruction of personal property?”

“That’s what you did?!”Knox blurts, his eyebrows sky-high.

Tesla winces. “Yeah.”

He stares at her silently. Then, his expression shifts—from stunned to... genuinely impressed. “Well, maybe not all of it right away. But she’ll know where to start.”

“Wait,” Goldie says, blinking. “Was thattheStella Walsh?”

“Uh-huh,” Knox replies.

She lets out a laugh. “You just told Stella Walsh toshut up and listen?”

Knox smirks. “She likes it. Trust me.”

The girls let out soft, shaky breaths of relief. It’s not over, but there’s a path forward now. Potentially.

But I shake my head, my gut still wrapped in unease. “Why did you do that?” I ask him.

Knox looks at me like the answer’s obvious. “It’s what my sister would do.”

“How is Katrina?” Tesla asks.

My heart stutters. “She’s missing.”

“Missing?”

“No,” Knox says quickly, waving a hand like it’s no big deal. “She’s not missing. I know where she is.”

“You do?” Goldie asks.

“Where?” I ask, needing to know.

Knox shrugs, stepping toward the door. “Same place my sister always goes to mope.”

He opens it, takes one step into the hall, then glances back.

At me.

“You coming or what?” he asks.

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