"Yeah. It was Peyton."
"Peyton? The Peyton that goes to my school?"
"She stopped by Kristen's house that night to see if she wanted to go to a party. Steven answered the door and told Peyton that Kristen was asleep. Peyton tried to go inside to wake her up, which is totally something Peyton would do, but Steven wouldn't let her. He told her to leave."
"Why didn't she tell anyone this before now?"
"She didn't think she needed to. I'm the one they arrested, not Steven."
"Wait—Peyton said she was on a sailboat that weekend with her old man boyfriend."
"On Friday night? Are you sure?"
I pause to think. "Actually, no. I think she said she didn't go on the sailboat until Saturday. Do the police know if she was really there that night? Did they confirm it?"
"Yeah, some people from Twisted Pine said they saw Peyton at one of the parties. She left around the time she would've been heading to Kristen's house. And the security cameras showed her walking up to the door.”
I sigh in frustration. "So she wasn't lying."
"No, which means Steven's alibi checks out."
"I really thought it was him. I don't know who else it could be. Who could've got your tie or even known where to find it?"
"Kristen's the only person I can think of. But she could've taken it months ago and had it in her room. Anyone who came to her house could've found it."
"Like who? Who did she have over?"
"Girls from school. Mostly the cheerleaders, but sometimes she'd have other girls over."
"Did your lawyers have any other updates today?"
"No." Jackson gazes out at the ocean. "It's not looking good. I'm the only suspect and the evidence all points to me."
I rest my head on his shoulder. "We're going to find the person who did this."
He leans down and kisses my head. "I hope so."
We remain there, watching the waves roll in as the sun goes down. Later we go in his room and watch TV. I fall asleep and wake up in the morning to the sound of my phone ringing. It's Brock calling.
"Hey, Brock," I say, answering in a groggy tone.
"I need you back at the house. Hurry up."
"Why? What's going on?"
"Braden is being released today. I paid his bail and I'm going to pick him up. He needs all of our support right now so I want you home."
"I doubt he'll care if I'm there."
"Rumor, this isn't optional. You get yourself down here right now."
"And then what? Braden will just go in his room."
The phone is silent. I look and see that Brock hung up.
Chapter Twenty-Four
"What did he want?" Jackson asks, his arm going around my waist. He pulls me against his body and kisses me.
