Ned gives her a pleading look, but she says, “I can’t, and the two of you should have private time together.” She has a lot to say to Ned, but not in front of his father. Looking at him, she feels this weird mix of longing and anger and frustration.

“Well, if you change your mind, you’re welcome.” Gordon nods and goes into the kitchen, and in a moment they hear him talking quietly, presumably on his phone.

“His girlfriend back in London,” Ned says quietly. “He calls her about every fifteen minutes. Short leash.”

“I shut down what you were doing inside the game. For now. But I got an angry message. From MagickMan. Is that your friend Marland?”

Ned’s face is like stone. “Why would you interfere?”

“He says if he can’t deal with you, he’ll deal with me. That you can’t quit. And that means I can’t quit, although it’s got nothing to do with me.”

The smiling face that winked at her is gone. Now he just stares at her blankly. “I’m going back to London with my father. It’s decided.”

She stares at him. She thought his reaction to all this would be Oh let me handle it and he would be full of his fire to stay here in Lakehaven.

“When?”

“After the funeral. Or whenever the police say I can go.”

“Don’t you want to stay here?” With me, with your friends, she thinks but doesn’t add.

His voice is barely a whisper. “The police found a bit of blood here. In the house. They cut up some carpet. I heard them talking, explaining to my dad, when we came back here. So I think my mom was taken from here and killed in walking distance, and no, I do not want to stay here if that is true. Do you understand? It’s like living in her grave.”

He’s leaving, but he can’t be leaving you to deal with his mess. Not on purpose. Right? “What do you want me to do?”

“Nothing. Nothing at all. Just stay out of it. I’ll get Marland to leave you alone. And keep your mouth shut.”

But he doesn’t know what to do; she can see it in his face. It’s weird; she thinks of times when they were kids, when someone teased or bothered her, and Ned—not exactly a brawny physical specimen—was the one who would stand up for her. Always. She feels a hot mix of rage and anger and hurt and betrayal.

“I need to go get the cookies, or see that Dad hasn’t burned them.” Her tone is dulled. And Ned, right now, keeps looking at a spot near her left foot.