Apex

11 | catalyst

MAY 22

MAUD

Beneath a moody sky, the pastures behind the Watsons' remodeled farmhouse were the embodiment of a horse girl's fairytale. Accentuated by pockets of vibrant wildflowers and faded wood fencing, the stunning white stable was the crown jewel of the property.

I followed Nicki through the large doors of the stable, leading a beautiful Clydesdale by the reins. I'd always enjoyed horseback riding, and I enjoyed it even more now that I was alongside a handsome and charming guy who could very well pass as the prince of that fairytale.

"Gorgeous," Nicki said, and my heart nearly jumped out of my chest before I realized that he was addressing his Clydesdale. "He's absolutely gorgeous."

I cleared my throat, heat tickling my neck. "How old did you say Braveheart is?"

"Ten, but he still acts like a baby." He affectionately stroked Braveheart's muzzle and sighed. "This is probably the last full summer I'll spend on the island. My parents will force me to intern in the ER at UW Medical instead of giving tennis lessons."

"It's the best hospital in Seattle and the state," I acknowledged, remembering the sign outside the impressive building from when I toured the University of Washington with Syd during our junior year of high school. "That internship would look great on your application for medical school."

Nicki scrunched up his nose as he secured the latch on the stall. "Would you be offended if I said you sounded a hell of a lot like my mother just now?"

"Maybe. I wouldn't risk it."

He laughed, and the sound left me feeling like there was a pocket of sunshine inside my chest. It was impossible not to like him because aside from the dimples and intelligent blue eyes, he radiated the kind of energy that pulled people in. I'd recently concluded that he was good at pretty much everything, and I considered telling him as much, but I appreciated how humble he was.

Being humble isn't taught, I thought. Either you're humble, or you're not.

"Anyway," I continued, feeling my mind drifting elsewhere. I'd spent the last few days contemplating what to do with the photos of the Black Swan, and needed to take action. "That was fun."

"I figured we both could use a distraction," Nicki said with a bright grin. "I can pick you up tomorrow for brunch or you're welcome to spend the night."

My throat tightened. The last time the six of us were together was at Cape Blue on May 16th, and that hadn't ended well for anyone.

"I don't see the point of brunch," I said, running my hand over the smooth wood gate of Braveheart's stall. "Also, what business does Brenna Quinn have bossing us around?"

"It was mostly Syd's idea," Nicki pointed out, referencing the text he'd sent to us. "I don't think it's a bad one."

"It'll be like talking about politics at Thanksgiving." I massaged my temples. "There's too much underlying controversy."

Nicki's mouth twitched in response to my poor attempt at a joke, but he didn't seem keen on backing down. "Dakota and Brenna obviously know a lot more about Apex's screenplay than we do, and they can help us prevent whatever might happen next."

That thought hadn't even occurred to me. Would other events from the screenplay come to pass, too? Unfortunately, there were only two people who might be willing to clue us in, and one was likely harboring a grudge against me.

"The photos you printed could help with the police's investigation," Nicki continued. "We shouldn't be withholding that kind of information, regardless of whether or not it's true."