Page 129 of Dead Pretty

Why, Jack? Why did you come here? Why did you do this to me? I was fine until you came here and turned my life upside down.

Another sigh. “Toby didn’t kill those women, Audrey.”

The way he calls him Toby. With familiarity.

Because he is his family.

His brother.

The thought makes me feel violently sick.

“It wasn’t him who hurt you that night. I know the evidence pointed his way … but I know my brother. It wasn’t him. And I came here … because you were here. I knew the real killer would follow you here. You were …”

His reason for killing.

He doesn’t say the words. He doesn’t have to.

“An obsession like that doesn’t just stop overnight. I knew he would follow you here. I came … not expecting … you. It is true; I wanted to get close to you, become friendly, so I could … I don’t know. Get some insight. Find out who was in your life. See if anyone was watching you. Following you. I just didn’t fucking expect …”

What, Jack?

Another deep exhale. “You, Audrey. I didn’t expect you.”

He sounds defeated.

“I didn’t expect this between us. To feel the way I do every time I look at you … like … I …”

Like you … what?

Another sigh. I hear movement. A rustle. I can just imagine his hand dragging through his hair the way it does when he can’t find the words he wants to say.

“For a guy whose words make him a living, I am doing a shitty job at expressing what I feel.” A sad-sounding laugh leaves him. “I’m crazy about you, Audrey. When I’m around you … I feel alive in a way I haven’t in a really long time. And I know I lied and that I am the last person you want to trust right now. But it’s the truth. How I feel about you.

“And I didn’t put that picture in my wallet. I’m not the kind of guy who carries photos around in his wallet. And I’m also not that stupid. Forgive me for saying this, but I told you that I wasn’t ready for you to know who I was, and that was the reality of the situation. So, no way would I risk having anything that would cause you to find out.

“When I came here, I brought nothing here with me to link me to Toby in any way. And I definitely did not put a printed-out newspaper photo in my wallet.

“I know you don’t want to listen to me or hear what I’m saying, but you need to. Someone planted that picture there. Which means, whether you want to believe it or not, that I was right … the real killer is here, and he wants me gone. And that means, we’re both in danger.”

I don’t know why I open the door.

Maybe it’s because he said we’re in danger, and that has been a fear of mine. A worry of a copycat. Especially with the recent murders.

Maybe I open it because something in the back of my brain wonders if what he said could have merit. He seemed really convincing when he said that he didn’t put the picture in his wallet. I would like to say that I know when Jack is lying, but clearly, I don’t.

I never really knew him at all. Not even a little bit.

But I’m also not dumb enough to not see the logic in what he’s saying about him not wanting me to know who he was, so why would he carry a picture there in his wallet? And then tell me to get the money out of it to pay for dinner?

He could have forgotten.

No. Jack is a lot of things. Mainly a liar. But a stupid man he is not.

He was clever enough to find me and follow me here.

Maybe I open the door because I have questions. Now that I’ve calmed a little, I have questions I need him to answer.

I could have asked through the door.