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“I’m always a stress case.”

“Oh, wait, I remember. You’re afraid of heights.”

“Thanks for reminding me.”

David walks up in his harness. He’s wearing it high on his waist, which makes his white shorts bunch up like they’re a diaper. “Everyone ready to rumble?”

“What?”

“You know, bond, or whatever.”

I sigh internally. “Sure.”

Oliver reaches out and squeezes my hand. “Deep breaths.”

I squeeze back, and we follow Andre to the rope ladder that leads up to a platform where the course begins. He goes first,and I follow behind him because if I’m going to go up here, I want to get it over with. Oliver is behind me, murmuring reassuring words, but I don’t look down. I just put one foot in front of the other and move my hands up and climb, climb, climb until I get to the platform. Andre gives me a hand onto it, and I lie on my back, staring at the clouds racing against the sky as the palm trees rustle around us, trying to steady my breathing.

“You all right there, Eleanor?” David asks as he climbs onto the platform after Oliver. Andre is busying himself checking the clips we’ll use to attach to the guide ropes above the course.

“I’ll live.”

I regret the words the minute they leave my mouth because it feels like a stupid thing to assume.

Because Emma might be reassured by Tyler’s absence, but I’m not.

Instead, I’ve got a feeling like someone’s watching me, but there’s no one up here but us.

“Do you mind if I run something by you?” David says.

I sit up. “What?”

“There’s always something that bothered me about the script, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it.”

“What’s that?”

“Well, you know how you—I mean Cecilia—helped Connor solve the robberies, right?”

“Yes.”

“And then Connor gets a finder’s fee, right?”

“He does.”

“Why doesn’t he share it with Cecilia?”

“I...”

“Is it because she doesn’t need the money? Because I had another theory.”

“Oh?” I stand up.Don’t look down, El. Just don’t look down.

“I wondered if maybe they were in on it together?”

“In on what?”

“The robberies. Like maybe Connor had planned them and Cecilia knew, and that’s why she didn’t claim part of the fee.”

I look down at my harness, checking it again as Allison climbs onto the platform looking calm and assured, like always.