Page 27 of The Silent Note

“Dad’s in hiding for now.”

There’s a thoughtful pause.

I finish lacing up my combat boots.

“Someone’s going to die soon,” Finn says.

His words send an eerie chill through the air, even if it’s something we’ve probably all thought.

“You think it’ll be one of us?” Sol asks, glancing around.

Dutch scoffs.

Finn smirks like the thought of death excites him. Sometimes, I’m curious about my brother and what goes on in his head. But in moments like these, I realize I don’t really want to know what Finn is thinking.

“I’d rather he come after me than Grey,” I say.

“How are you so sure her name isn’t on dad’s list?” Dutch challenges.

“The same way you’re sure Cadey’s name isn’t on that list.”

Dutch glances away.

It’s not that we truly believe dad wouldn’t hurt our women. It’s that wehaveto believe it. There’s no room in our minds to think of harm coming to the people we’d die for.

“In my opinion, you should be more afraid of Jarod Cross than whoever’s behind The Grateful Project,” Sol says, standing up and setting his sneakers on the bench so he can tie his laces. “When Dutch was the only one who could get the inheritance, your dad went insane. The year isn’t up yet and now Zane’s in the running too. He’ll feel that pressure.”

I let Sol’s warning soak in and twirl the fingers of my good hand around an invisible drumstick. This would be the moment I’d normally crack a joke, something along the lines of me having the superior baby-making skills.

But this isn’t a laughing matter.

Not when Grey’s involved.

Sol notices how sober we are and offers a nervous smile. “Or not. Maybe he won’t care.”

“He cares,” Finn says calmly, certainly. “But dad’s not going to intervene yet,”

We all look at him.

“What do you mean?” I demand.

He flips the pages of his book. “What does Jarod Cross value over everything?”

“Money,” I blurt.

“Power,” Dutch growls.

“Fame,” Sol says.

Finn turns another page. “None of those things is family.”

“Which means what?” Sol asks.

Finn looks up like it’s obvious. “He’ll wait to see if we’ll tear each other down from the inside.”

I frown. “What?”

“You mean,” Dutch is always the first to figure Finn out, “he’ll expect Zane and I to fight over the inheritance.”

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