"He seems okay. I thought he'd be worse. Who gives up their kid like that?"
As I say it, I realize Brock did. He gave me up. Made me think my dad was someone else. He wasn't even a good uncle. He could've come to see me in New York all the times he was there but he never did.
"I wasn't asking what you thought of him. I was asking if you thought he'd give me the part?"
I should've known that's what he was thinking. His son and niece/daughter might be linked to a murder and all Brock cares about is getting a part in a movie.
"I don't know," I say. "I'm not sure how that Hollywood stuff works."
He grasps my arm, looking at me with eager eyes. "Would you be willing to put in a good word for me? He seemed to like you. And you're dating his son. Perhaps you could just mention me next time you talk to him. Nothing too obvious. Maybe just ask him about the movie, then casually drop in something about how I'd be perfect for the detective role."
"I'd never say that. He'd know you put me up to it." I walk off, heading to my room.
Brock follows me. "He wouldn't care. It's how the business works. It's all who you know."
We stop at my door.
"My boyfriend's in jail," I say, staring at him. "Getting you a job is not exactly my priority right now."
"Then keeping you out of jail will no longer be MY priority." He leans down to me. "I don't have to help you. I want to, because you're my niece, but I can choose not to."
"Then don't. I don't need your help. I didn't do anything wrong." I go in my room and shut the door, locking it.
My phone rings. It's Shayla.
"Hey," I answer.
"Rumor, what the hell is going on? Is Kristen really dead?"
"Yeah. I guess it happened this morning. Or late last night. I'm not really sure."
"And Jackson—"
"Didn't do it. He's innocent. I don't care what people say. He didn't do this."
"I'm not accusing him. I don't think he did it either. He couldn't. You guys were together last night. I assumed you spent the night with him."
"I didn't. I was tired and stressing out. I just wanted to get home and go to bed."
"Stressing out? About what?"
"I forgot I didn't tell you. So much has happened, last night feels like it was weeks ago."
"What happened?"
"After you left, I found Jackson and we were heading to his car when we ran into some guys from Twisted Pine. Braden's football friends."
Shayla gasps. "What happened? Did they fight?"
"Almost, but they took another look at Jackson and changed their minds. We left and continued with our date but all I could think about is the shit I'd have to deal with when I got home. I assumed Brock would try to ban me from seeing Jackson ever again."
"Did he?"
"No. But Braden did. He was a freaking psycho last night. He was waiting for me in the dark. Scared the crap out of me. I didn't know what he was going to do. I grabbed this really heavy bookend and was prepared to smack him in the head with it if he got close to me."
"But he didn't?"
"Brock walked in and asked what was going on. Braden told him about Jackson and me and that's when Brock told him to stay out of it. Braden about lost it. He couldn't believe his dad would let me keep seeing Jackson."
