Page 135 of Crew Princess
“When you arrived?”
“When I arrived.” His mouth lifted up in a grin. “Always knew you were smart. You should be going to college next year, not doing nothing.”
I gave him a hard look, but ignored that too. “The SWAT thing? Me getting arrested?”
His mouth thinned. “That wasn’t me. I had nothing to do with that.”
“Who was it?”
He didn’t answer, not right away, and I could tell it took him effort. “That was Alex.”
“Alex called the cops on himself?”
“No.” He chuckled. “Alex was supposed to plant drugs on you. The guy in the FC police department called in the anonymous tip there was a shooter. He’s the point guy behind all the joint task stuff with the two towns. They got there, and Alex hadn’t put the drugs on you. Instead, he took ’em himself.”
“The cop said he was DOA.”
He rolled a shoulder. “My guess is that’s the contact, and Broghers’ sister went with it, arresting you. Any excuse to arrest you, she’s going to take it. She’s had a hard-on for you since you stabbed her newlywed husband.” He flashed me a grin. “I warned you about them.”
“How were you supposed to set me up?”
“I was just supposed to get in your head, cause chaos. Besides the District Weekend and the Frisco school, I didn’t really do anything.”
“And that day when I was getting a dress?”
“I’d met the contact. He was mad. Said I wasn’t doing enough, but I’d never been part of this willingly, so what’d they expect? I saw you shopping and thoughtfuck it, she needs a heads-up. I knew what was planned for tonight, knew they’d take you in on something.” His cheek ticked. “Ididn’tknow they planned to use Alex for the drugs. I thought it was going to be the new Ryerson crew seller.”
So there was one.
“Who’s the student?” I leaned forward. “Who are the students for all the schools?”
He offered me a lazy grin this time. “Can’t tell you that. I know your crew will go off. You’ll either do the smart thing and tell your brother—let him and his scary buddies handle the sellers—or you and your crew will go bust their heads open. I gotta keep that quiet for now.”
I opened my mouth.
“I’m saving it for the cops,” he said before I could speak. “I’m waiting for my employer’s contact to go off-shift. I need to make sure I get to the right cops, or things could get bad for me.”
I suppressed a shiver. I knew what happened to narcs.
“Drake,” I murmured.
I wet my lips.
There was one question left. And I didn’t know if I had it in me to ask.
He waited, watching me, a smirk on his face. “Ask me, Bren. Say the words.”
I closed my eyes. “Who is it? Who’s behind all of this?”
I felt him leaning close. His mouth moved to my ear, and he said, “You know who it is.”
He leaned back, and I opened my eyes.
“You’ve put together most of the players,” he continued. “I know you know there’s a connection.Youtell me who it is.”
I didn’t say a word. My chest deflated. I didn’t think I wanted to know, because of what else that would mean.
“It’s not my dad, is it?” I whispered hoarsely.
