“You raped her?” I screamed. From the corner of my eye, I saw Sebastian standing off to the side, drinking his Red Bull and watching me go crazy.
“I don’t know why you’re mad at me!” Dourif twisted, trying to get me off him. “It’s not like it was just me there. She took all our cocks that night.”
“And who exactly isall?” Sebastian stepped forward, shoving him.
Dourif stumbled back but stopped struggling and stared at him. “Like I’d tell you. You smug fuck. Just because you got a pretty face and know who to blow, you think you’ve got some weight to throw around. Nice try, you stupid, naïve piece of shit.”
Dourif spun hard, causing me to lose my grip and fall to the ground. He glared down at me. “I think it’s time you left, Little Lita. Leave this town before something bad happens.”
My brain malfunctioned for a moment, going back to my bedroom with Glenn. He’d said the same things shortly before drinking his bleach cocktail.
The sound of a click made us turn. Sebastian had his knife open at his side. “Is that a threat?”
“It’s a promise. Maybe not by me, but you’re digging up shit that’s better buried. Lita Reyes...” He paused, looking up at the ceiling. “She was something, but she’s dead now. Let her soul rest. God knows she didn’t get to while alive.”
He started toward the door, but Sebastian blocked him, thrusting his arm out and keeping the door closed.
“Go sit back down and give us some answers, old man.”
“Old man?” When Sebastian raised his knife, Dourif lifted his hands again and started back my way. “All right, all right. I doubt I have the answers you want, but sure. Ask away.”
“Why? Why did you rape her?” I asked, my voice cracking.
“Oh, hell.” He sighed. “This was years ago. I can hardly remember two weeks ago—I’m fucking high.” He groaned and looked down at the table riddled with cocaine. He was quiet for a moment and then burst out in laughter, startling us. “You’re just like your momma, you know that? She always asked questions too.” He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a cigarette case. Plucking out a smoke, he lit it and smirked. “And that’s why they killed her.”
“What questions? Why would they need to kill her?” I pushed. “Why did she go to dinner alone with you all?”
That was the question that kept me up at night. Why did she go with them?
He took a long drag, and I watched as the cherry at the end burned bright red. Without warning, he pulled it from his lips and leaned forward, putting it out on my arm and pressing it deep into my skin.
I screamed and shot to my feet.
“You bastard!” I brushed the ash off and winced at the burn.
He stood and rolled his eyes. “You really think I’d tell you shit? I’m not trying to have ol’ Elliott Bradley on my ass.Girl, get out of here. And you.” He turned to Sebastian.
While he wasn’t facing me, I looked around and picked up the metal tray. Gripping it tightly, I raised it and pulled back.
“I’d suggest you forget you were ever here. I’ll do the same. If people find out you’re snooping around—”
I swung.
When I hit the side of his face as hard as I could, he spun and dropped to the ground. I leaped on top of him and raised it again.
“Why did you rape my mother? And why did they kill her? Why was she there that night?” I screamed, lifting the tray again.
“Evie.” Sebastian’s voice pulled me from Dourif. I turned and saw him extending his knife to me. I took it, and slowly, my eyes returned to the man I was sitting on.
“I suggest you answersomething,” I said.
“Pick one, then,” he spat.
“The rape. Why did you rape her?”
“It wasn’t my idea. We were told to. She was making a lot of demands, and he—they wanted to teach her a lesson.”
“What lesson?”
