“Just... keep going.” I rub at my forehead, trying not to lose my cool.
I sympathize with the not-remembering part, considering I’ve had my own blockages, but the longer it takes to work this all out, the longer I have to be stuck in this perpetual state of Billyxiety.
“There was someone driving. Never got a look at who it was. Coulda been female for all I know. But there were two goons in the bed of the truck. One looked like a white Gumby. Super tall and oddly thin for a man. The other was built like a brick shithouse. Not quite as big as me, but bulky. And bald.”
Now we’re getting somewhere. These descriptions aregold!
I share the details with the group and the girls get a bit giddy over the descriptions.
“With those specifics, it shouldn’t be hard to ID our guys,” Corinne says, turning back toward the computer and typing faster than I thought possible. “But what did he say happened?”
I glance at Jackson, who’s currently picking at something on Billy’s hoodie. Billy slaps his hand away and Jackson lunges forward, baring his teeth. Billy jerks back with a very unmanly whimper.
“You’re dead, Billy. You shouldn’t be such a coward.” I smother my smile under my fist.
He ignores me.
“Can you tell me what happened? What caused your accident?”
“Yeah. The douche canoes threw a branch out the back of the truck into the road.”
“A branch? Did they see you?”
He compresses his lips. “I was on a Harley. The lights and purr of the motor would’ve made it impossible for them not to.”
“What’s this about a branch?” Lanie asks, eyes darting toward the corner where the guys are situated.
“Those men threw a branch onto the road right in front of him.”
Corinne’s finger flies up into the air. “Another great detail. The online report of Jackson’s accident doesn’t mention a branch. Which is highly suspicious.”
“Why is that suspicious?”
“If they didn’t name that a possible cause of the accident, it’s because it wasn’t there. The men must’ve moved it.”
“Sons of bitches,” Jackson grumbles.
“Holy shit, guys.” Nina’s dramatic tone draws all our attention toward her. Her eyes are on her phone. “They found that girl, Jenna Cruz’s body. It hasn’t been released to the public yet, so keep that between us.”
“How do you know?” Lanie questions, leaning toward Nina’s phone to try to get a look at the screen.
“Richard texted he wouldn’t be home tonight because he needs to prepare damage control to keep people from freaking out.”
That’s all I needed to hear to feel confident that Nick West won’t doubt me anymore.
More importantly, Jenna can finally rest in peace. If her body was found, that hopefully means she’s well on her way to the afterlife and no longer seeking revenge against the people who did this to her.
Tingles race through me and goose bumps rise to the surface of my arms. Despite my earlier reservations, there might be something to this Gin and Tarot Club. If my gift can help people, I shouldn’t turn my back on that. It’s important work and it’s not the first time I’ve thought about using it for good.
Not only do I feel empowered, but I also feel I might’ve found my purpose.
Four of Swords... Reversed
Nick
I PULL MYcar into the gravel parking lot of Clementine’s. For years, this bar was my unhealthy escape—the place I’d spend hours working to numb the pain. I’d end my shift, head straight here, and not leave until last call.
After my three years of sobriety, the place hasn’t changed one bit. The sun set hours ago, but I know that the blue aluminum siding needs to be replaced. It’s so dull it looks more gray than blue. The letterOon theOpensign doesn’t illuminate, and the rest of the word blinks rapidly, likely from a weak power source. The only two windows along the front have been boarded up for ages, making it look more like a biker bar than a town institution.
