Neither would be a good thing, but any sort of driving charge against me would really not be a good thing. I’ve managed to avoid talking to the police so far, but if Duncan gets involved…
Or Spencer. We were friendly when we were on The Suitorette, but he’s a lawyer and Sophieishis sister.
When I finally escape from Sophie’s room, I head straight back to my hiding place, a little waiting room on the fourth floor of the hospital.
I could leave; I could go to Fenella’s and hide out there for a while. Silas would bring me coffee and I could sleep. But all my things are at the castle, and without Gunnar there to block any bad vibes…
I don’t even have a car to get back to the castle, since Fenella wisely took the Charger away from me.
Is there a Sophie-sized dent in the front of it? I didn’t even check.
I feel sick about the whole thing. Or maybe that’s because I haven’t eaten anything other than a fried egg sandwich about seven o’clock this morning. Sophie is fine. She said it herself. She certainly looks fine, albeit pale.
There’s a bruise on her cheek. I did that.
The sick is from shame, not hunger. I know this, but I can’t dwell on this because I can’t do anything. I don’t know what to do.
I sent Basher back to the castle last night. This was for his benefit. There has been a lot of publicity about the band these days because of the singer’s love life, and having Basher at the scene of an accident where they clearly think I had been drinking wouldn’t be good for anyone.
I made him promise not to tell anyone he was with me.
Fenella is there when I get back from Sophie’s room. Even though I ache in every muscle of my body and haven’t sleptbecause of the beeping alarms and rustling footsteps, I couldn’t bring myself to leave the hospital last night.
And because Fenella is there beside me, I finally let myself drift off while she doomscrolls, trying to find out if anyone posted anything about Sophie or me or last night.
Of course, that’s when the police finally show up.
“Ashton?” I open bleary eyes to see Fenella shaking my arm. “Wake up. The police want to talk to you about the accident.”
That wakes me up. “Sophie? How is she?” I demand.
Two police officers stand at attention—a tall and burly man who looks only a few years older than me, and an older woman with a bad haircut and a frown.
“Ashton Carrington,” the woman begins.
“That’s me.” I’m too tired, scared and hungry to turn on the charm, which I should do because these are the police and technically, I might have committed a crime.
“You were driving the car that struck Sophie Laz last night at approximately ten-thirty- six p.m.?”
“I didn’t know the time, but yes. That was me.”
Fenella sucks in her breath. I don’t know what true crime podcast she’s been listening to because I get that she doesn’t think I should have admitted anything, but I can’t take the chance that they might think she—
“Fen said you weren’t drinking,” the male police officer interrupts my inner monologue.
Fen? Is he a friend of Fenella’s? Before I can ask, Fenella leans over. “Jonathon McKibbon,” she whispers. “Kate’s brother and a friend of Kalle’s.
KateMcKibbon—best friend of Princess Lyra and executive assistant to the royal family.
Kalle—Prince Kalle, heir to the Laandian throne, and onetime admirer—beau? date?—of my sister.
I’m not sure if it’s a good or bad thing that Prince Kalle is friends with this police officer.
I know all the royal family because I’ve been friends with Gunnar for years, and I’ve gotten to know them really well lately since I’ve been staying in the castle. Fenella’s place is nice enough, but me and Basher got tired of sleeping there. The new hotel isn’t open yet, and I don’t trust Airbnbs. Gunnar took pity on me and let me stay in one of the many guest rooms at the castle, even when he travels with his girlfriend Stella.
Who is Sophie’s sister.
Everyone is so connected to each other in this town, and it all seems to lead back to the castle. Back to Duncan Laz, hand of the king and father of Sophie, Stella, and brother Spencer, who is a lawyer and one of my fellow contestants on The Suitorette.
