I nervously shook my leg up and down as I waited for his reply.
He took a swig of his beer, nodding, but not looking at me. “Right now, he’s thinking it might be a little sad for this album, for the direction he’s thinking, so maybe it’s one we save for the next one. Beautiful song though, I loved it!”
I pressed my lips into a thin smile and nodded.“If there’s a song you really love, fight for it.”I recalled Dr. Grayson’s words, but I wasn’t in the mood to fight for it. Not today.
I jumped when the waitress appeared to take our order. I wanted a real drink, but needed Sam to think I was completely clean, that I had everything under control, so I just ordered a water.
“You sure you’re okay?” Sam asked again, shattering my hope that I was putting on a good front. “You seem on edge…”
He was right, I was on edge. After reaching out a week ago, I’d finally received a reply from @RavenRumours yesterday, the blind item account. They’d warned me to take everything with a grain of salt; they had no sort of vetting system and just had to go off their hunch whether they thought these stories were true or lies fabricated for attention, as horrible as that sounded.
It was why I was late, because I was trying to compare the anonymous tips with my own knowledge, to see if I could connect any to Colton. Most I didn’t think were related to him, but several stood out. Some because I knew he was in the location at the time and the pieces fit—like one about a missing woman in New Mexico—and others just because my gut told me. I knew “my gut feeling” couldn’t serve as evidence in court, but it was enough for now.
“What is it?” Sam said, concerned.
My mind warred with my heart over whether to tell him. I’d been so desperate to tell someone what I’d been doing, but didn’t trust anyone enough. I could trust Sam, though, right? Even if he was also Colton’s manager, I’d known him since I was twenty; he had always looked out for me like an older brother. Searching his warm brown eyes, I remembered the time I showed up to his house, a puddle of tears drenched in the rain, after Colton had told me he wanted to take a break the first time. Sam and his wife had ushered me inside, plying me with tea until I fell asleep on their couch.
I can trust him, I told myself.It’s Sam.
“I’ve… come into some information…” I clutched my necklace as I glanced around the empty room, fingering the grooves of the chunky crucifix. “I think… Colton might be a really bad guy.”
I could feel my cheeks turn beet-red once the words came out, surprised when Sam’s face dropped into a mask of sympathy. He took my hand.
“Harlow, I know the two of you have a long, long history. And breakups are really hard. I have a lot of love for you both.”
“No, Sam. Just listen to me, please. It started that night,” I whispered. “After the party at your house, before the VMAs…”
Sam rushed to swallow his drink and then started laughing uncomfortably. “Hey, hey, hey, I know you two got in an argument that night, no need—”
“No, that’s not it, though, you don’t know why—”
“Yes, I do, Harlow, and I think we should leave it.” He stared at me sternly and my heart felt like it shattered into a million pieces, realizing he already knew.
My mind battled between helplessness and anger as I tried to find the words. “Okay, well then you know why we need to go to the police!”
He slammed his beer on the table, face growing red as he turned to me. “With what evidence?” he snapped. “You’re going to say… what?”
A fresh wave of embarrassment washed over me as I realized what a fool I’d been. On so many levels. I started to sob.
“Listen, I am trying to help you here,” Sam said, softening. “We both know that you can’t just make accusations about a member of the Scott family and expect it to be sorted. No, you need cold, hard proof. And a damn good legal team.”
I wanted to argue, say I had information on other instances, but I knew what I had wasn’t strong enough. I laughed, thinking how five minutes ago I thought my “gut instinct” was worth anything.
“It’s just so frustrating,” I said, letting out a groan. “To watch him out there… thriving… everyone loving him.” I wiped my nose with my sleeve.
“Hey, hey, look at me.”
I reluctantly met his gaze.
“It was a long time ago, okay? He’s grown up a lot since then. I promise. It’s affected him too, believe me.”
I rolled my eyes.
“And whatever else you think you might have on him,” Sam continued, “if you don’t think it’s strong enough to bring to the police, then maybe it’s nothing. Okay? So promise me you’ll keep this between us? For your own safety.”
I bit the inside of my lip, thinking maybe I was wrong. But deep down, I knew I wasn’t. I just needed more evidence.
“Fine,” I replied, deciding it was best to appease Sam for now, hoping I could use it to my advantage. “As long as you pull the plug on that other thing.”
