It felt like a great hand was squeezing my chest, crushing my heart. I knew what he would say next, so I finished it for him. “You blackmailed her, didn’t you? Told her that you’d tell me everything if she didn’t pay.”
“You got it.”
It all made sense. Shane was asking for more money than she could scrape together, so Sadie had to return to the mafia for help.
“So you killed her because she couldn’t pay you anymore.”
It sounded like he shrugged. “No. I killed her because she was gonna go to the cops. She told me when we met at the barn.”
“After our date.” I shuddered. Oh gosh. Shane had dropped me off at home, drove out to the barn and met Sadie.
Rage pumped into my bloodstream. “You killed my best friend,” I spat. “You held her down in that wet concrete until she stopped fighting. You are an evil person, Shane Prader.”
“Ah,” he said softly, “here we are.”
We exited a row of hedges and spilled out onto an empty street. Shane’s truck sat on the road like a beacon, reminding me that the last thing I needed to do was get in the vehicle with him.
A few pebbles crunched under my feet before I came to a stop.
“Keep walking,” he said gruffly.
Streetlamps lit the road and the sidewalk. Anyone who peeked out their blinds could see him holding a gun on me.
I stopped and whirled around. “I am not getting into that vehicle.”
Fury twisted his face. The features that had once looked so handsome reminded me of Satan—pure evil. “Yes, you are. If you don’t, I’ll shoot you here.”
I crossed my arms and sucked my teeth in challenge. “Oh you will, will you? You’ll just up and shoot me right here when everyone at the party saw us walk off together. Is that right?”
Shane wavered. “Who will believe that I had anything to do with your disappearance? Because that’s what’s going to happen. You’re going to disappear, and folks will just think that you couldn’t take the pressure. Let’s face it—your life is a mess, Clem. You’re about to lose your business. Your best friend just died. It’s too much for a girl like you. So you left Peachwood, never to be found.”
I glared at him. “You really believe that Malene is going to buy that?”
“Of course she will, especially after I tell her and everyone else how distraught you were on our date.” Shane’s lips formed a thin line. “Now, get in the truck and let’s go.”
I was out of options. If I thrust my hand out to touch him, then he’d shoot me. There was the possibility that Shane would be caught off guard and I’d beat him to the punch, so to speak, but that was a slim chance. Maybe if I made him angry, he’d lose his focus.
Or maybe he’d just go ahead and shoot me.
Lunging was the best option. Right as I was about to, a shadow emerged from the bushes and out stepped Rufus.
I rolled my eyes. Really? Why the heck was he here? He couldn’t even remember how to work his magic, so what good would his presence do?
Right. I know. I should have been elated to see Rufus, glad that he had appeared since Shane had a gun on me—but I didn’t need his help. I didn’t want it. I wanted to do this by myself.
“Put the gun down,” Rufus said.
Shane scowled. “Got your little boyfriend to follow us, huh?” he said to me.
“The last thing he is, is my boyfriend.” I raised my palms in a questioning gesture. “What are you doing here?”
“I came to help you.”
“I’m perfectly capable of helping myself. I don’t need you.”
He nodded at Shane. “Have you noticed that he’s got a gun on you?”
“Like I said, I have it under control.”
