Congrats about getting into Brown—as if I didn’t know you’d do it. Lucky for you that your daddy had influence and bread to pay off the judge and seal the fact that you are a very, very nasty boy who likes doing very, very nasty things.

Then she began to get explicit again, describing sex acts in gross detail. Decker had seen the most outrageous of things. But even so, the sheer sexual content—its rawness and rudeness—made him squirm. He knew that he’d have to read it all to see if something was encrypted in it. But for now, he skimmed the smut until he hit the last paragraph.

I cannot believe that you are actually thinking of going to that camp. It’s only been two months and already you’re softening like butter in the sun. Are you out of your mind? Influence is only good, lover boy, if you use it. You know you can get out of it. If you just hint at knowing the system, they’ll fold like a bad poker hand. I’m not saying you tell them outright…that could be tricky. But surely, a guy with such a terrific prick and all that debate team experience should be able to be subtle enough about it. They’ll know the score. The camp is pure shit, and Tarpin is a fucking Marine, for God’s sake! You can’t be weakening that fast. Maybe I’ll have to come down and give you a tune-up. Just suck you dry until you remember that you make the rules, not them. If you firmly ascribe to that, you will get places. If you don’t, you’re sunk. And that would be a waste of a glorious set of six-pack abs, not to mention a fine specimen of a cock.

Again it was unsigned. Decker folded the paper and put it back into the envelope. “What do you know about the Baldwins?”

Karl shook his head. “I was never in therapy with them. I’ve never been in therapy, period. I’m just Karl…the dumb jock who doesn’t cause any problems. Ernie was the golden boy. Brilliant but screwed up…like a good genius is supposed to be. Me, I’m simple. I’m starting eleventh grade. If things progressed like they were supposed to, I would have seen the Baldwins for college counseling in a year. All the twelfth graders at Foreman Prep see the Baldwins. It’s like a ritual.”

“A ritual?”