“Not much. Work. It’s not nearly as exciting here.”
“I’ll be home in a couple of weeks.”
“I can’t wait to see you.” And then I float something out there to see how she takes it. “Ran into your dad the other day. He was surprisingly nice to me. I think I’m slowly but surely winning him over.”
Camille is quiet.
“You still there?”
“Yeah. He probably just wants something from you. You know how he is. And you know how I feel about us getting wrapped up with him.”
“Oh, yeah, I agree. Just thought it was kinda crazy.”
It’s clear Camille isn’t going to be on board if I accept the help her dad is willing to give me, so I’ll just have to keep that to myself.
“I’ve got to go. We’re heading to some cooking class we signed up for. But I’ll call you later. Love you.”
“Love you too.”
We end the call just as I hear Silas stirring out in the living room.
“What the hell,” he says, when I walk back into the room.
Rolling my eyes, I drop down in the chair next to the couch. “Please tell me you remember everything so I don’t have to relive what happened last night.”
His dazed expression hardens as the details come back to him. He falls back against the couch, his eyes shutting. “Shit, this is so fucked.”
“Yep.”
Silas cracks his eyes open. “Was anyone hurt in the accident?”
“No idea.”
He groans and lies back down. At least he cared enough to ask.
“Where’s Margaret?” His voice is muffled.
“Ran home after she heard your dad was coming to my house. But I think he planned to talk to her himself after you told him she was with you.”
“Shit. This is so bad. God, I’m sure Dad is super pissed. And I’m scared to find out if anyone was hurt. Or died. Not sure how I can live with that.”
This has me sitting up. “If someone died, there’s nothing you can do to bring them back. You find some way to make things right later, when you can, but be grateful right now you’re not sitting in a jail cell.”
Silas turns away to hide the tears flooding his eyes, burrowing under a throw blanket. I have to push down my frustration. He acts like a fuckup then gets all emotional when things go to shit, while I would give anything to have the kind of support he does. Have a parent willing not only to bend but to break the law for me.
My phone rings again and it’s Mr. Everett. I sit up straight in my chair even though he can’t see me. “Hello?”
“How’s Silas?”
“Just woke up. He was a little foggy at first but he’s clearer now. Do you want to talk to him?”
“No. I’ll deal with him later. Bring him home tomorrow night. Kevin Foster will be here when y’all arrive. Silas’s name is already in the group of people who were seen at Paul Granger’s house last night so we will have to address this. Make sure your story is straight. Make sure he can tell it with little emotion, if any. This will be the moment that counts. Do not disappoint me.”
Before I can reply, he ends the call. With the shape Silas is in right now, I’ve got my work cut out for me.
Kevin Foster is the chief of police in Corbeau and a good friend of the Everetts’. Not surprised he’ll be the one there to meet us and take ourstatements. Mr. Everett made a big deal about having our story straight, but honestly we could tell him anything and he’d take Silas off the list of suspects.
Silas is going to owe me forever for this.
