“Maybe it’s not someone who hates her,” her father reasons. “Maybe someone is trying to fight for you. Make Keith pay on your behalf.”
“I don’t think so.” I shake my head. “I can see the logic, but why not tell her? Why make it look like she’s to blame?”
Kamryn raises her brows. “It sounds like someone really has it out for you.”
I pull Kennedy toward me, her hair falling over her shoulder like a veil of grief.
“I’ve wondered the same thing,” she breathes the words over a loose strand of hair, and it swings like a pendulum. “Either Keith Stearns is a sociopath or someone is out for revenge. And for what? I have no idea.”
“It has to be one of the girls he was with.” Kamryn offers up the theory, finally on board with helping her sister. “A pissed off ex.”
“I don’t see why.” Kennedy shrugs. “She can have him. Anyone can have him.”
“Rejection can make you do crazy things.” She averts her eyes.
I’m not sure I’m buying the theory either—although, at this point, men from Mars wouldn’t surprise me.
I know one thing. Keith Stearns better make it through tomorrow, or Kennedy might just find herself staring at murder charges. Whoever is doing this can’t be that committed, can’t be that good to pin it on her if they were. Can they?
Pinning murder charges on someone else seems to be a running theme in my life.
Injustice for All
Kennedy
People often havea shallow perception of me. I’ve been the rich bitch, the girl who has the world handed to her on a silver platter, the one who has everything and everyone under her thumb, under her command. Each one of those false accusations are ironies, of course. My wealth comes from the men my mother has pilfered from. I’m no bitch (tiny lie). I don’t care enough to hate anybody. I’ve never had anything handed to me on a silver platter. In fact, my reputation has made it that much more difficult to achieve the things I truly desire. And I haveneverhad a single person under my thumb. My true friends, the sisters that I chose for myself have always freely told me their feelings. Nobody is plastic around me, and I, for damn sure, haven’t wasted my time trying to get other people to like me, to worship me like some hierarchical queen. Nope. The world and its perception of me is off, off,off. So what enemies have I really made? Who is this vindictive little bitch who is messing with my world? Just wait until I get my hands on them.
Reese and I get ready in my bedroom like the old days before she trotted off and married Ace. Warren’s surprise party for Neva is tonight, and Reese, being the altruistic human she is, wouldn’t miss it for the world. She really cares about Neva, and Neva is her sister-in-law now, so I don’t see how she could miss the party.
“So, do you think someone is going to try to off Keith tonight?” she asks while leaning into the mirror, her mouth pulled down in a hard O as she applies mascara.
“No, and would you please not say anything?” I’m deeply regretting that I spilled everything to her yesterday when I came home from that diner disaster with Daddy. At one point, I would have said anything to get the hell out of there. Unfortunately, for me, the only thing that seemed capable of coming from my lips was the truth. I think maybe because I’ve said so may lies about my poor father, I can’t stand to actually spew another one to his face. We were close once—very close. It was like ripping leather when my mother separated us once and for all. I secretly hated her for it, but my need to protect her, to be there for her, overrode that emotion at the time.
“Too late, I may have told Ace”—she winces—“and Gavin and Demi, but only because they were there at that time.”
“Reesie!”
“The obituary is public.”
“Fine.” I try to rein in my rage. “No one reads the paper anymore. Besides, I have a plan.”
“Why don’t I like the sound of this?” Kamryn comes into the room, and both Reese and I go rigid. It was my mother’s ingenious idea that she spend the night. She and my father have decided to ride out the weekend in Loveless—Kamryn in the guest room, and my father next door with Caleb. Suffice it to say, I’ve put a moratorium on showing my attorney how grateful I am by way of my body. I can’t bear the thought of my father walking in on any more of my sexual shenanigans. If I wasn’t already beneath a table, I would have found one to crawl under. But both my sister and father want more than I’m willing to give this weekend, and I’m sure they want front row seats should Keith actually kick the bucket.
“This is none of your business.” I primp beside Reese in the mirror in a show of solidarity with my stepsister.
“So you’re the replacement, huh?” Kam eyes her up and down as if she were a snake.
Reese lets out a little laugh. “Nobody is trying to replace you. I just so happened to be there for your sister when you weren’t. I’m sure Kennedy has enough room in that iron heart of hers for the both of us.”
“That’s Reese”—I relax my arm around her shoulder—“always taking the high road.”
“So what’s your big plan?” Kam doesn’t look too impressed with either one of us right now.
“Yeah, Ken? What is it?” Reese joins her with marked irritation, and suddenly it feels like they’re ganging up on me.
“Be nice, or I’ll evict you both from the iron palace.” I run the brush through my hair one last time. “The big plan is simple. Caleb and I are going to be glued to the hip with another couple all night, sort of like a double date.”
“Nice.” Reese pumps her shoulders. “Ace and I are happy to volunteer.”
