Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 93002 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 465(@200wpm)___ 372(@250wpm)___ 310(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93002 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 465(@200wpm)___ 372(@250wpm)___ 310(@300wpm)
I deflated as Brax looked away and admitted, “Golf.” He looked up, flicking his golden bangs off his forehead and shooting a glare my way before adding, “With a client. So again, can I go?”
Griffen looked between us. “Sure,” he said, sharing a loaded glance with Hawk, who watched Brax leave the room as he tapped something on his phone screen.
Before I could say anything, Griffen held up a hand, palm out. I bit my lip, forcing myself to keep my mouth shut. Maybe sensing how close I was to losing my shit, Forrest stepped beside me, sliding his arm around my shoulders. I leaned against him, suddenly tired, the adrenaline of the day draining out of me, leaving me limp and desperately in need of a hot shower.
“Walk me through this,” Griffen began. “Someone snuck in your room and tampered with the clue?”
I explained to Hawk and Griffen about the wax paper liner, the cipher solved by the Jefferson wheel, the root cellar, and the slide bolt. I skipped over the hours of fear and cold and jumped ahead to Callum Leary, freeing us.
“I don’t like that he’s hanging around,” Griffen said, “but I’m glad he was in the right place at the right time.”
“I’ll sweep everything for trackers,” Hawk added. “And then I think you two should get out of here for a while.”
Griffen looked up at him, eyebrows raised. “Leave Heartstone?”
“Sterling has twelve days left this quarter,” Hawk said, referring to the number of days I was allowed to be away from the Manor before the provisions in my father’s will kicked in and I’d be disinherited. “I think she should take that cipher she can’t solve to Emmett and Lucas. If they don’t recognize it, somebody at Sinclair should be able to point them in the right direction.”
“You sure it couldn’t be anyone on the staff?” Griffen asked Hawk. “Even the best people are susceptible to bribery.”
Hawk shook his head. “Unlikely. I keep an eye on…” He paused, then said, “Finances. Nobody’s taken a bribe that I can trace. Everything around here is normal except Ford being back and Brax being around more.”
“See,” I said. “I told you him being home so much was weird.”
Griffen looked at the box on his desk. “I know he’s always been a bully,” Griffen said, “but toys from when you were a little girl aren’t proof that he tried to lock you in that root cellar. That’s a big accusation, Sterling. I can’t just throw him out with no evidence.” He glanced to Forrest. “What do you think?” he asked.
Forrest tightened his arm around my waist. “I think I’m good to go to Atlanta,” he said.
So was I.
It looked like we were going on another road trip.
For over a year, Heartstone Manor had seemed like the safest place on earth. And now? Now, it seemed we were safer anywhere else.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
STERLING
Before we left the next morning, Hawk did a thorough sweep of my car, our devices, and even our shoes. With a snort of disgust, he discovered a tracker on my car and one inside my purse. That one was momentarily terrifying until I remembered sitting at the bar at Avery’s place, drinking a seltzer, my purse hanging from the back of my chair. I’d lived in a small town my entire life. I hadn’t thought twice about securing my purse. I wasn’t exactly used to being stalked by criminals.
Hawk handed me my backpack and said, “I have it all set up with Lucas and Emmett. I texted you the address. Go straight there. Pull into the parking garage and say who you are through the intercom. They’ll let you in.” He paused, then added, “Don’t be shy.” He tilted his head at my backpack, my laptop safely inside. “I don’t know why you haven’t told anybody what you’ve been up to with those classes, but these guys can help if you’re interested in moving in that direction. Don’t be afraid to be yourself.”
Hawk wasn’t the touchy type, except with my sister, but his words made me feel such a confusing combination of gratitude and embarrassment and love that I threw my arms around him in a tight hug.
Hawk’s arms came up slowly, and he gave me a tight, short squeeze in return.
“Thanks,” I said and got in the car beside Forrest.
“You know where we’re going?” Forrest put the car in gear, his eyes lingering on Hawk, then shifting to me for a second before pulling onto the long drive to the gates.
“Yep.” I dropped the address from my text messages to Forrest’s phone, and he set up the navigation app.
“What was that about?” Forrest asked as he tapped the screen.
“What?” I asked, playing dumb.
“You giving Hawk a hug.”
I couldn’t tell whether he was jealous or just curious. And I didn’t know how to answer. I didn’t want to tell him what it was about, considering that I hadn’t told anyone what I’d been up to. But Hawk’s words had struck me. Don’t be afraid to be yourself. I didn’t entirely know who myself was. But the Sterling Sawyer the world knew was not a newbie hacker and computer geek.