“You’ve been quiet this evening. No sarcasm or tauntings.” This man was a steel vault Friday that I was determined to crack, so who would have thought he’d be coming to me. Could I trust him?
Scanning the dining table before speaking to make sure that both detectives aren’t around, I want to give him the benefit of the doubt. I desperately hope he has nothing to do with Corbin’s death and hasn’t played me like a fool.
“I found your secret.”
“That explains why you’ve looked away from me all evening then.” He sounds sad and when I finally feel brave enough to look him in the eye, his shame hits me like a sack of bricks. I don’t say anything and he doesn’t either for a long minute, before he slowly reaches out and pats the top of my hand. “Remember how I said I believe in redemption? It’s the only thing that is spearing my life forward. If I can be a better man, be there for everyone who needs me, hopefully I can make up for the massive mistakes I made.”
“Did the child die?” Fears clogging my throat.
Sitting forward he shakes his head, running his palm over his jaw, his short beard groomed. “No, she survived. She took a long time to recover, but I made sure I did everything to help her.Gave my university funds to her family, visited the hospital every day and even kept in touch to make sure she was ok. Instead of being mad, I think her father saw how the regret was killing me. He punched me square in the face once, actually. Afterwards, they let me see her in the hospital and I just kept coming back as long as they’d allow it.” He lets out a gruff cough before sitting back, clearing his throat and I see a glaze to his cobalt eyes. “Even though she’s ok now, it’s been ten years and I know I’ll regret it till the day I die. She’s eighteen now, able to go to university because he saved the money I gave them so she could have the opportunity.”
“Why did you give them money?” I ask.
“I wasn’t trying to pay them off or anything, I just felt like I didn’t deserve to just run off to university that September whilst their daughter fought for her life in hospital, because of me. I refused to go. Started working for my family's business earlier than planned.” His expression is sad again, pained as he thinks on the memory. “In a non creepy way I still keep tabs on her now, just to make sure she’s getting no shit from anyone. I know how boys are.”
Unexpectedly he gets a laugh out of me. “Yeah, spin it however you want, that’s still creepy.”
He tuts at me and waves a hand in the air, straightening his collar. “She has someone looking out for her. We all need someone like that.”
“Did Aya know? I just can’t think of a reason why he would have used that information as your secret. You don’t know anyone here. Yes we’d have thought you were a massive arsehole, but surely it would have only affected your sister.”
Shaking his head he leaned forward, keeping our conversation private from Willow and Mavis who were sitting at the opposite end of the table. “She knew. There’s only a couple of years between us, but she knew something went down that night. Shepieced it together and found out for certain why I never went to university. Where the money went.”
“So maybe she was the one who told Corbin, if he thought you’d used the money to pay the girl's family off for their silence.”
He sits back, thinking over my words whilst that tick in his jaw makes a reappearance. “What did the secret actually say?”
“It said that your father paid to keep your drunk driving accident a secret. It mentioned a child in hospital.” I swallow thickly, trying to rewrite his remorse in my brain. Yes it was fucking awful what he had done, but I could see that the man before me was truly suffering, even ten years later. “Your father wouldn’t have told him that, because he never sent money, you did. Your sister may not have known who sent the money.”
“Fuck. You’re right.” Cardinal snaps, standing with one hand on his hip and the other rubbing at his open mouth. “She fucking told him and then left the hotel before I found out.” The room stills as the girls stand with looks of concern on their faces. Wren is immediately next to me, his hand gentle on my elbow as he makes me take a step back and puts his body in front of me.
“Everything alright?” He scans the room and thank god the detectives aren’t here right now, because I don’t think we could explain his outburst without telling the truth. I’ve never been a good liar–in fact I hate lying. Placing my hand on his chest to turn him to me, I try to give a reassuring smile and track Cardy from the corner of my eye, who’s pacing back and forth.
“We’re fine, honestly. Just discussing something for the suspects list.”
“My sister is a god damn snake.” His brows are furiously pinched together.
Wren looks at him and frowns. “What do you mean?”
“I found his secret, but we’re not going to speak about it. We think his sister was the one who told Corbin though, because it’snot an accurate depiction of the truth.” I explain, pleading with him not to ask any more questions because I’m worried it’s only going to rile him up further.
“I think maybe we should all get another drink. Cardy?”
He stops his pacing to finally look up at me, swiping a large palm through the long parts of his hair on top. “Yes, fine. Good idea.” He growls, moving towards the conservatory where the guys had set up a little drinks table. The shift in the atmosphere must be potent because both detectives manifest, Goldie tucking a vape into his back pocket and Starling bluntly snubs his barely smoked cigarette out onto the drenched patio. Water lightly sprays their shoes as they border the doorway leading to outside. They're barely wet, so they must have found some sort of shelter outside.
“Everybody ok?” Starling enquires, raising an eyebrow at myself but quickly scanning over Cardinal as he stalks into the conversatory. It’s a long room that wraps around the back of the house, long sofas and chairs scattered around for guests to admire outside after breakfast. That was the plan anyway, but nothing about this friends and family weekend had exactly gone right.
“Fine.” He spits, reaching for a beer and in one swift motion unscrews the cap against one of the rings on his finger.
Both Wren and I look at the men wearily, heading to the drinks table whilst feeling their assessing gazes linger on us before they head back into the dining room. As they leave Phin, hands his guitar to Bran and meets us at the table.
“What is going on?” Worry bleeds into his expression as he places a hand on my shoulder.
“Honestly, I’m fine. I found Cardy's secret and it just brings up so many more questions that don’t make sense.” Like why would Corbin bother revealing something to a bunch of strangers if his fiancée already knew? Who was he trying to devastate?
Holding two bottles, he pops the top off of one, “Can I speak with you for a moment?” Cardinal asks and I nod, letting go of Wren's hand. I squeeze in reassurance before I do though, and pat Phin’s, realising I have the best people in my life to look over my shoulder. Maybe Cardinal looking out for the girl is a blessing like I have.
We step to the side, close to where the open door lets the cooling air in and the downpour helps disguise our conversation.
