“Now that your rapt audience has dispersed, tell me the damn truth,” said Lauren. “What did you do to my father?”
“Nothing,” replied Flynn. “He suffered a heart attack late last night.”
“First of all, my father has never had a history of heart problems,” said Lauren. “And secondly, I saw him late last night. Once more, what did you do to my father?”
Instead of responding, Flynn opened a file folder, drew out a document, and flicked it across the length of the dining table until it settled against Lauren’s clenched fists. Lauren drew it toward her. It was a death certificate.
“I told you,” said Flynn. “I wouldn’t lie about Orson.”
Lauren rested her head in her hand, shielding her face from Flynn, Olivia, and Hastings, but there was no hiding the shaking of her shoulders as her emotions got the best of her. She allowed herself a minute or two, ignoring the other people in the room. Then she flung the death certificate back at Flynn.
“Where’s my mother?” she demanded, her face streaked with tears. “I assume the hospital contacted her. Where is she?”
“She was at a conference in Belgium,” reported Olivia when Flynn didn’t reply. “She’s on her way back now.”
“What about Lydia and Linus?”
“Your brother and sister have been informed and have begun to arrange the funeral.”
Lauren looked expectantly at Flynn. “Why does Olivia know these things before I do?”
“I thought it might be healthier for you to have a friend to rely on,” said Flynn, resting a hand on Olivia’s shoulders. “I know how close you and Olivia are. Which brings me to our next matter.”
“Which is what?”
“No one can deny that what you have done in aiding Nicole Costello has been a detriment to this society,” said Flynn. She crossed one leg over the other, her polished heels clicking together. “You could have singlehandedly destroyed the Raptors forever. Regardless, due to the situation at hand, we are willing to overlook your recent streak of poor choices. You may remain with the Raptors, but you are, in a sense, on probation.”
At once, Lauren opened her mouth, intending to reject Flynn’s offer in favor of abdicating her place with the Raptors entirely, but at the last second, she changed her mind. Without her father, Lauren had no one in her corner. Her mother and siblings had all been members of the society and benefited from their involvement with the Raptors, but ultimately, their connections had led them to move away from Waverly in order to pursue their own interests. Nicole was gone. Olivia had betrayed Lauren. And the other girls on the crew team that Lauren had grown close to had no idea that the society even existed. Essentially, Lauren was fighting to stay afloat all on her own. Even though it killed her to admit it, the safest option was to play along with Flynn’s game.
“What are the conditions of my probation?” asked Lauren, struggling to keep her voice level.
Flynn extracted another document from her file folder and slid it across the table to Lauren. “No society assignments for six months,” said Flynn as Lauren picked up the document to examine it. It was a contract outlining the terms of Lauren’s probationary period. At the bottom, there was a space for Lauren to sign her name.
“Fine,” agreed Lauren, relief flooding through her. A respite from pretending that she still loyally served the Raptors would be nice. “In case you’d forgotten, I’ve been trying to get out of society assignments this entire semester.”
Flynn ignored this piece of information. “Secondly, you will have no contact with Nicole Costello.”
“A given.”
“Thirdly, either Dashwood or Hastings will accompany you at all times.”
Lauren examined the line in the contract that clarified this condition before dropping the document on the table. “You’re kidding. You’re assigning me guard dogs?”
“Think of this as an opportunity to earn our trust back,” said Flynn. She leaned across the table. “Olivia and Holden are your friends, Lauren. Don’t forget that.”
Lauren looked up at her fellow Raptors. Holden was still covered in bruises, the result of invoking the wrath of both Wes and Nicole during two separate incidences. Olivia, on the other hand, remained physically flawless. She was everything the Raptors looked for in a woman: sophisticated, intelligent, and loyal. Even now, her inquisitive eyes seemed to plead silently with Lauren to accept Flynn’s terms. Lauren looked away.
“Fine,” she said as she snatched up the document again. “Anyone have a pen?”
Flynn took an expensive ballpoint pen from the inside pocket of her jacket and rolled it across the table. Lauren didn’t miss the expression of surprise on her aunt’s face as she uncapped the pen, scribbled her signature at the bottom of the contract, and slid both objects across the table.
“There,” said Lauren. She stood up, wiping the last of her tears on the back of her sweater sleeve. “Now, for the love of God, let me see the light of day.”
Olivia and Holden looked at Flynn, awaiting her instructions.
“Go,” said Flynn, dismissing the trio with a wave of her hand. “Enjoy yourselves. Lauren, I’ll let you know when your mother arrives in town.”
As Lauren led the way out of the meeting room, she clasped Olivia and Holden to her either side.
“I’m starving,” she declared. “Brunch is on you two.”
29
An hour later, Lauren sat across from Holden and Olivia at a table laden with french toast, eggs, sausage, bacon, and several stacks of pancakes. She had picked her favorite brunch space, a small but bustling restaurant just a few blocks from the Waverly campus, and ordered everything, including a few mimosas with the help of Olivia’s driver’s license. It was not an inexpensive restaurant, and she knew she was being petty, but as she polished
