“You know as well as I do, Shannon’s death was an accident.”
“Don’t you say her name!” Gordon pointed the crowbar. “Don’t youdaremention her name. You don’t deserve to speak it.” He choked back a sob. “My baby sister shouldn’t have died like that. She shouldn’t have died at all.”
“You’re right.” Alex blinked back his own tears. “She shouldn’t have. I would do anything to bring her back.”
“Liar! The last conversation you had with her was an argument. You told the police she suspected you of cheating. My sister was no fool. Youmusthave been cheating.”
“I never cheated on her, not once. But we had our problems.”
“So you gotridof your little problem, didn’t you? Tell me, Alex. You were at some fancy resort. How much did you have to pay to get one of the locals to polish her off? How much was her life worth to you?”
“I did not pay someone to kill Shannon. I cared for her.”
“Cared for her, huh? You just didn’t love her.”
“I didn’t anymore! Is that what you need to hear?” Hot tears slipped between Alex’s eyelids. He wiped them away. “I tried. God knows I tried. The truth is, Shannon and I were over long before we got on that plane. I couldn’t take it anymore. The constant snipping, the accusations. You want to know something, Gordon? Iwantedto fucking cheat! I dreamed about it, about going to Shannon and laying it all out in front of her. She never believed I could be faithful so why was I trying so hard? But no, I didn’t. Because, deep down, I couldn’t hurt her like that, not when other men had already done it. She never trusted me, no matter how hard I tried to help her heal. When I took her to Bermuda, it was one last attempt to save what we had. There was no need for me to try to kill her. We were already through.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“You know what? I don’t fucking care. I have danced around you and your parents long enough. I tried so hard to be respectful, to offer support, and all you people have done is drag my name through the mud. You wouldn’t let me come to Shannon’s funeral, wouldn’t even let me grieve her!”
His entire body coiled, Alex finally let his despair manifest. On a wail, he punched the brick wall. Pain exploded up his arm. He crumpled to the ground, cradling his bloody fist.
In his moment of weakness, as he huddled against the wall, Alex expected to feel the whack of the crowbar. He might even have welcomed it in the anguish of that moment.
Gordon dropped the crowbar and kicked it toward the dumpster at the back of the alley. He stared at his hands, horrified.
All was still in the alley. Although sirens blared down the Strip, the soundtrack of Las Vegas, they weren’t for him. The cacophony faded and all Alex heard was his breath and Gordon’s breath as they both struggled with their thoughts.
He dropped to the ground next to Alex and reached for his hand.
Alex pulled away.
“Let me look at your hand. I’m not going to hurt you.” When Alex offered him his arm, Gordon inspected the wound. “I’m no doctor, but you might have a fracture. You should probably get this checked out.”
“Isn’t this what you wanted? For me to feel pain?”
“I don’t know what I want anymore, Alex. My life is so messed up. It seems like yesterday my dad was telling me Shannon had died, and now here I am, in an alley with you and your broken fist. I don’t remember how I got here. It’s a blur.”
“I know. It’s been a blur for me too.”
Gordon wiped his eyes. “My car’s parked around the corner. I can take you to the hospital.”
“You mean, dump my body?”
“No body dumping today, I promise.” Gordon stood and held out his hand. “Let me help you up.”
Alex hesitated, but then extended his left hand.
***
“Welcome back, stranger? How was your Vegas stay-cation?”
“Great, Phil.” Dana smiled at her boss and set her briefcase down next to her desk. She should have known he’d want a debrief the minute she got through the door. “Really great, thanks.”
She wasn’t even sure why she’d come in this morning. She’d taken today off, an opportunity to recover from her week with the girls. However, as soon as she’d walked into her condo early that morning, she changed into some work clothes and had walked right out.
It was too empty. She didn’t want a day alone at home. She wanted to be at work, surrounded by deadlines and distractions.
