What did he do? If Braden did something to Jackson or had someone else do it, he’s going to pay. I don’t know how, but I’ll find a way to get back at him. There’s no way he’s getting away with this.
“Jackson!” I scream as I get closer.
When I reach his house, my lungs are burning from running so fast.
A cop appears. “Miss, you need to stay back.”
“Why? What’s going on?”
The ambulance doors open, and I watch as two men walk up the hill from the back. They’re holding a stretcher. With a body on it. Covered with a white sheet.
“No!” I scream, lunging forward.
The cop catches me and pushes me back. “Miss, you can’t be here. This is a crime scene.”
“No! He can’t be!” I struggle to breathe, tears falling down my face. “Jackson!”
Another officer goes up to one of the ambulance guys. “Anything?”
The guy shakes his head. “No. She’s gone.”
She?
“What does he mean?” I say to the officer in front of me. “What happened?”
“Miss, I’m not going to tell you again. You need to leave. This is an official crime scene. We’ll be taping off the area. You can’t be here.”
I look back and see neighbors coming out of their houses, some still in their bathrobes. I take a step back as an officer runs yellow crime tape along the edge of Jackson’s property.
What the hell is going on? And why haven’t I heard anything from Jackson?
I get out my phone and see that he called, but it was hours ago. I didn’t hear my phone going off. I didn’t even check it this morning because Maria distracted me.
Jackson didn’t leave a voicemail, but he sent some texts.
The first one reads,Call me!
It’s followed by,Where are you? Call me!
The last one makes me drop to my knees.
Kristen is dead.
I’m shaking, my chest tightening, making it hard to breathe.
Kristen’s dead?
Is that who was on the stretcher? Was it Kristen’s body?
As the ambulance leaves, I slowly stand up, watching as the officer continues to tape off the area.
My eyes jump to the front door as it swings open. An officer comes out, holding onto someone. It’s Jackson.
“No,” I say, shaking my head.
Jackson is handcuffed, an officer on each side of him, holding his arms as he walks.
What the hell? They think Jackson killed Kristen? Why was she at his house? He told her she couldn’t come back, so why was she there?
