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"But" He pinched his eyebrows together "You know I just wanted to see you in a bikini," he told Addie

"Oh, put a cork in it" She waved her hand

"What is this?" His eyebroere still pinched together while he studied the puzzle case

"It’s a Puzzle Pod Cryptex," Addie explained "You have to solve the riddle that I have taped to the bottom, and dial the five-letter answer to open the pod Then you can retrieve the present inside

Madoc read his out loud "‘At night they co fetched, and by day they are lost without being stolen What are they?’" His eyes shot up to pin Addie "Seriously?"

He threw back his arh above his head, when Addie reached out and grabbed him

"No, don’t you dare!" she yelled, while heit open! Use your brain"

"You know I suck at stuff like this" But then he started dialing letters, guessing at the answer

I read ets wetter the more it dries?"

Please I snickered and dialed in "towel" The cryptex opened, and I pulled out a gift card to a skate shop I used to frequent in town

"Thanks, Addie," I chirped, not wanting to tell her that I no longer skated

I looked over at Madoc, as still working his puzzle with an eyebrow arched He was struggling, and theover, I took the cryptex out of his hands, ers brushed his

I looked at the puzzle and spoke quietly as I dialed "‘At night they co fetched, and by day they are lost without being stolen’" It clicked, and Idown at me, not the cryptex "Stars," I said, al The stern set to his eyes as he loomed overthings I was afraid to ask for

But ere different noanted only his pain, and judging froht, Madoc was still the sa to appear bored, as I shoved the now-open cryptex back at him

He took a deep breath and sone "Thank you" Then he turned to Addie "See? We’re getting along fine"

And he left through the sliding-glass doors leading to the vast patio and pool area with his gift card to the go-kart track

I sed, trying to calm the windstorm inhim stay, after all?"

"You said you were okay with it"

"I am," I rushed to add "I’et in trouble with the boss"

She gave a half-sriddle "Do you know that Madoc started playing the piano again?" Her eyes stayed glued to her task

"No," I responded, wondering about the change in subject "His father must be thrilled"

Madoc had taken music lessons since he was five, specifically the piano Jason Caruthers wanted his son proficient, but when Madoc turned fifteen--around the time my mom and I moved in--he realized that Daddy really just wanted hi about and show off

So Madoc had quit He refused lessons and threatened to trash the piano if it wasn’t ht It was taken down to the basement where it sat with my half-pipe

But I had alondered

Madoc did love to play It was a release for him, or it seemed to be He usually only practiced at required lessons, but he ran willingly to the piano when he was upset or really happy

After he quit, he started doing stupid shit without that release any Tatu into the school to steal car parts, which no one knew about but me

"Oh, I doubt his father knows," Addie continued "Madoc still won’t perforht thing when the whole house is asleep and no one can see or hear hiht tinkling of the keys trails upstairs frohost that can’t decide whether to stay or go"

I thought of Madoc playing alone downstairs in the dead of night What kind of songs did he play? Why did he do it?

And then I reht The one who’d insinuated that I was a freeloading slut

And the rapid beat ofagain?" I asked, looking out to the patio where he talked on his phone

"Two years ago," she said softly "The day you left"

CHAPTER 5

MADOC

Now I understood why Jared drowned hi over Tate Distractions were useful If you had too hts aith noise, liquor, and girls and keepspeed When ot into trouble But eventually things worked out for the back He kept pushing, and she finally knocked him on his ass