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“You’ll have to explain everything to me.”

“Later, okay?”

“You better not forget.” He heads back to a table full of guys from the team, and they all stare at me and some even wave.

After I raise my coffee at them with a smile, I turn toward the counter again, but even with everyone around me talking about Camden and the society, I only want to discuss this with Veronica, so I text her.

Did you see the DNA thing? Got food. Coming over, I type.

ONCE I GET TO VERONICA’S door, I knock, and a girl peeks out of her room down the hallway.

“Veronica? It’s me.”

The girl purses her lips and disappears back inside, closing her door. Veronica yanks the door open, and after she checks the hallway in both directions, she hauls me inside and locks the door behind us.

While I set the cup holder on the desk, she climbs onto her bed, tucking her legs under her. Once I hand her a sandwich, I settle next to her, and she unwraps it and takes a bite.

“Did you see the newest article?” I ask.

She frowns, her mouth full. “There’s a new one? I gave up this morning after yet another one that basically gave zero new info. They’re just pumping them out every few hours and never say anything new.”

When I unlock my phone and pass it to her, she abandons her sandwich on its wrapper and scrolls down.

“Under her fingernails?” she whispers. “So she tried to fight him off.”

My voice would crack if I tried to answer, so I fix my eyes on the sandwich in my lap that I haven’t even touched.

“They had it the whole time and never checked?” Her voice rises, and she tucks a few strands of hair behind her ear.

“No one thought there was a reason to,” I say, running a hand over my face. “Everyone was so sure she jumped and all the blood was hers, while she was actually trying to get away from him.”

Veronica gives me back my phone and laces her fingers through mine, squeezing, and I cling to her hand as tight as I can without hurting her.

“Are you okay?” she asks.

“I don’t know. I thought I’d want to celebrate or something, but I just... It’s weird. It’s all I wanted and my whole life was focused on it, but now... I just hope Elsie is at peace.”

“Yeah, I’m sure she is. Her murderer is finally exactly where he belongs and her family knows what really happened.” She lets go of my hand and stretches toward the desk for her coffee, taking a sip. “The video never came out, by the way.”

“Do you think the cops found it?”

“If they did, they’d have called me by now.” She shrugs. “He probably deleted it. It was just more proof against him.”

“Right. Everyone in the dining hall talks about the society as if it’s some show they’re all binge-watching,” I say. “Some guy even swore it isn’t real.”

“Wow, so much for secret.” She huffs. “And if anyone still thinks I owe them my grandaunt’s money, they can go ask the cops about it.”

A laugh bursts out of me.

“I still kind of want to find out what she did with all of it, though.” She brushes some crumbs off her blanket. “She’s my family, and I barely know anything about her.”

“Need help? I’m pretty good at breaking into places.”

She narrows her eyes at me. “No breaking into anything. I want to do it like a normal person. Also, I’m sure someone’s going to ask why I’m back and I still don’t know what to say.”

“Just say you missed the dining hall food.”

“No one would ever believe that.” She smirks and goes back to her sandwich.