“Turn right on this road.”
I do as he says and turn off the racetrack, taking a small fire trail road that seems to lead deeper into the mountains. “I’m so sorry. I was just trying to help.” I cry, biting my lower lip and trying to keep my wits about me.
John doesn’t make a sound. When I look in the rearview mirror, I see soulless eyes watching me distrustfully.
I drive, half lucid and with puffy eyes, through the silence. John doesn’t say another word until we’re on the main road, heading back to the auto shop.
A warm glow in the distance catches my attention. “What’s that?” My voice is raspy and I hate how emotionally depleted I sound.
John sits forward more and stares in the direction of the orange glow. It’s getting bigger.
“Briar, that’s the area your uncle’s farm is in.” He sounds shocked and not as pissed off. I’m not sure he’ll ever look at me the same again, though. I don’t think he’ll ever trust me if this is all it took.
“The farm?” I suck in a breath and stare in horror.
“Change of plans, head that way,” John orders and quickly gets on his phone. “The farm is on fire.”
The farm is on fire.His words move through me like ice, and thoughts race through my mind like a million embers. What am I going to do if the farm burns down?
We arrive before any fire trucks do. From what John said in the car, I’ve inferred that the nearest one is at least ten minutes out and we were the first ones to call it in.
I stumble from the car and stand helplessly as the fire rages, consuming the barn and farmhouse as if they were nothing more than a pile of hay.
It doesn’t strike me like I thought it would. Probably because I have no emotional ties to this farm. Which is all it is—a building made of wood and stone. No animals or souls were in there. Nothing good ever came of this place.
But there’s a distinct hurt that grows in my chest. For the lies. For the stolen future this offered me. And for the moments that I had with Roman and the squad.
As the embers flicker across my weary gaze, I notice an envelope tacked to the electric pole right by where we parked. I take it down and look at it.
Laundromat. Tomorrow at 2 a.m.
I blink emptily at it.
This was Callum’s doing?
John snags the note from my hand and nods toward the car. “Let’s go before the firefighters show up.”
He makes me drive back to the auto shop. The road looks blurry, and I can’t seem to focus my thoughts. Am I having a panic attack? I swallow thickly and try to will away the tingling in my fingertips to no avail.
Gale, Bensen, and Taylor are waiting for us in the garage. In the few seconds it takes to pull in, dread fills me, and I keep my eyes on the ground when I step out.
Their attention is solely on Roman.
John pulls him out of the back seat, and the guys carry him to the sofa in the break room. I follow awkwardly, feeling so out of place.
Taylor is on his knee checking Roman’s pulse. He lets out a sigh and then looks at me. I shrink into myself and take a few steps back. Taylor gets to his feet and storms over to me. “You gave him that beer? What did you do?” His voice is loud, and it makes me wince and ?shut my eyes?.
Gale makes a stressed-out sound, halfway between a sigh and a grunt before he sets his hand on Taylor’s shoulder. “We don’t know anything for certain yet. Don’t just jump down her throat.” I look past them and find John and Bensen giving me lethal glares.
How little it took for them to turn on me. I bury my teeth into my bottom lip. It’s not fair.
“Briar, I think it’s best you come with me for now.” Gale gently grabs my hand and guides me out of the room. I keep my eyes trained on Roman’s motionless body for as long as I can before we pass into the hallway.
I don’t ask where Gale’s taking me. I know he’s going to lock me up until they figure out what’s going on. Do they think I’m working with Grahm? My heart aches.
Will Roman believe me?
Of them all, he won’t think I’m working with Grahm, will he?
