Page 107 of The Forbidden Note

My heart is pounding in my ears.

While I was investigating the basement, I found old administration documents that referenced ‘The Grateful Project’. They were nothing but long inventories—wine, decorations, cups, food, cleaning services. I took the picture out of principle but didn’t expect to get a hit.

“I know I have it. Where, where?” I mutter, thumbing through the pictures I printed out.

The Grateful Project was a school-sanctioned meeting between donors and scholarship students. I attended a couple with Sloane during my years at Redwood and thought it was just another way for the school to humiliate us, but what if it was something more?

“Come on,” I hiss.

When I was snooping, I found a ton of invoices for The Grateful Project. Back then, I thought all those documents were just copies of an original, but now…

Finally, I land on one.

The words ‘The Grateful Project’ are stamped over the top of the page. There’s a list of items, presumably used for that particular event.

“Date,” I mutter.

There.

I grab my phone and scroll to an old calendar. Official ‘Grateful Project’ dinners happen in December or early January.

This invoice is dated March.

A foreboding feeling washes over me.

I’m getting close to something big.

“Names, names.” I slide my thumb down the paper.

There are no names.

“Damn it.”

I start to put the page down.

And then I snap it back up.

My eyes narrow on a series of numbers.

I’d recognize that sequence anywhere.

It’s Sloane’s student ID.

CHAPTERTWENTY-SIX

ZANE

Being suspended isn’t so bad.

I wake up as late as I want. Chill in bed. Scroll through my phone. Play a few video games.

Harris thought he was punishing me, but he gave me permission to take a needed vacation. It’s been non-stop chaos for weeks, what with Tina dying, dad trying so hard to be a B-rate villain in a slasher film, and Dutch getting married.

It’s nice to have the day to myself.

The only thing I regret?

Not being awake when Grey left.