Lost in thought and exhausted, it was easy to ignore the eyes I felt following my every move when I stopped off at the drug store on the way back to Dad’s.
I wasn’t sure whether news of Bobby’s house being searched had already spread, or if I just looked rough enough to earn Ponderosa’s suspicious gaze.
Light blue shirts dotted in with the pink ones now, and another poster, not as weather-worn and crinkled, joined the others all over town. I wished I’d been able to know Janine more in life, and not the version of her that was reduced to a handful of facts.
It was dusk when I arrived back at Dad’s cabin, and I plodded through the door, chucked my keys on the coffee table, and crashed onto the sofa, dropping my head in my hands.
This can’t be real. This can’t be happening.
My migraine had fully kicked in, so once I was able to stand, I washed down my usual cocktail of drugs with a glass of water and went searching for an ice pack in the freezer.
“Hey, I remember that truck.”
I slammed the freezer door shut and spun around. Charlie stood in the living room, staring at a photo hung on the wall.
“Charlie.” All at once, my fight and rage fled. Here, alone with him, I didn’t need it anymore.
His gaze immediately found mine. “What’s wrong?”
I strode over, wrapped my arms around him, and buried my face in his hair.
“Hey, it’s alright,” he cooed, rubbing my back. “I’m here. What happened?”
I took a deep breath. “I saw Bobby’s truck yesterday, hauling an ATV not far from where we found the body,” I began, the words tumbling out. “But when I went over to talk to him this afternoon, he denied it. And now the FBI is searching his house. Heknew, Charlie. He knew about you. He asked why I didn’t tell him I had someone staying with me at the lookout. How? How did he know? There has to be an explanation. He’s my best friend. Myonlyfriend, until you. What if—what if he?—”
I cut myself off, unable to even finish the thought.
Charlie’s fingers bunched in my shirt, tucking my head beneath his chin. “Shh,it’s going to be okay. I’m sure there’s an explanation.”
“But… Heknew.”
Charlie pulled back and looked me in the eye. “You know your friend. Don’t give up on that. I don’t know how he knew, but I’m sure you can find out. Should we go talk to him?”
I shook my head. “We can’t,” I said, voice breaking. “He’s meeting with a lawyer, and Tate is going to call soon. He wants us to meet with his grandmother tonight.”
Grief flashed across Charlie’s face, and I realized just how much we’d both hoped to spend a few more precious nights together.
Just in case.
No.No, I wouldn’t lose him. I’d do anything to keep him with me, and she would have answers for us. She would help.
I’dmakeher help before Charlie told them anything useful.
“Oh,” he said. “I thought—tonight?Already?”
I took his hand. “Tate said if there’s something you can remember from the previous murders, he needs to know as soon as possible. They could arrest Bobby at any time.”
Charlie cleared his throat. “Of course. I don’t want Bobby to be blamed for something he didn’t do. Of course, we’ll do it tonight.”
Shit. I shook my head, crowding him over to the sofa until he sat down. “No, that’s not how I meant to say that.”
I urged him to lie back and followed him down, so that I lay angled over him on the narrow cushions. “It’s not a trade. It’s not a compromise between the time we deserve to have together versus information that could help him.” My lip curled. “If Tate had just fuckingwaited,instead of rushing into this like an idiot…” I sighed, ghosting my mouth over his. “I’m sorry. I just wasn’t prepared for any of this. I have a massive fucking headache, and all I really want to do is hold you.”
Charlie ran a thumb along my cheekbone. “I understand. And Tate’s decisions aren’t really why you’re upset,” he whispered.
I buried my face in the crook of his shoulder. Of course, he was right, but if I didn’t have the wind of my anger keeping me up, what was there left to face?
My best friend was under investigation for murder, and Charlie and I had precious few hours left before we confronted the fears we’d avoided for weeks.
