“Thirty-one,” he says, not asking my age. He no doubt already knows from doing a cursory background check on me before we left the South Rim.
“Tell me about your trailer.” I pry.
“My RV?”
“Yeah, and your house. I’m exhausted and trying not to overthink everything and freak out. I need a distraction. Which one do you like spending time at more, and how big are they? Do you take the trailer back to Flagstaff when you have longer off periods? What color is your front door?”
Jack indulges me, answering all my questions and giving me more puzzle pieces to what makes him tick. I’m pretty sure this is the most he’s spoken in the past year combined, but the tightness in his jaw never leaves.
“We’re almost there, Lo. You’re so close.” Jack’s voice encourages with pride. The effects of the last four days have caught up with me, a wave of emotion flooding in as I focus on my feet, one in front of the other, while the canyon disappears into the evening shadows, allowing me to bask in my small accomplishment with its silent bow.
I’m fighting back tears, feeling a little silly for crying, but the sight of the last few feet before the end feels like the most meaningful finish line of my life.
Jack curses, and I peer over my shoulder, frowning as I follow his line of vision to the two police officers waiting grimly at the edge of the rim. I feel his hand on the small of my back, fury tightening his shoulders.
“Don’t freak out, okay,” he says reassuringly. “It’ll all settle once they hear the whole story.”
“Jack? What’s going on?” My words come out slowly as we approach. The officers each nod a greeting at the fuming man beside me. From the looks on everyone’s faces right now, there’s something they all know that I don’t.
“Jackson,” one of the officers murmurs.
Jack clears his throat as he steps forward, keeping me slightly behind him when he addresses the older of the two officers. “She didn’t do it, Owen.”
“Wait, your first name is Jackson?” I ask. It feels like I’m five seconds behind in processing everything, especially with all the strained facial expressions and unfolding information. “And of course I didn’tdo it! Who thinks I did it?”
The other officer, who wears an endearingly permanent smirk, lets out a snort. “She doesn’t know?”
“Doesn’t matter,” the other interrupts. “You know how this goes, Jack. We’ve gotta take her in.”
“What don’t I know?” I have been left entirely too far out of this loop.
Jack sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose with his free hand. “My full name is Jack Jackson.”
I blink, my mouth forming anO. “Wow…I didn’t see that one coming. Definitely have some questions for your parents. I mean, is your dad also a Jack—Wait…” My eyes shoot to Owen. “What do you mean,take me in?”
Jack’s hands tighten into fists, his protectiveness swoony and foreboding. Whatever these two are here for, it has Ranger Jackson unsettled.
“Ma’am, I’m Officer Owen, and this is my partner,” he motions to the man beside him with a little wince, like owning their connection is embarrassing. “Officer Mary. We have evidence linking you to the murder of Brandon Sleigh. You’re going to have to come with us.”
“Your last name is Mary?” I tilt my head at the blonde officer.
“We go by first names here. It’s a family name.” Maryshrugs.
“Your first name is Mary? But you’re a guy…Wait—evidence?” I squeak, a wave of lightheadedness hitting me.
What inThe Twilight Zoneis happening right now?
“She sees a doctor first,” Jack insists with so much steel in his voice that it makes me shiver.
Officer Owen purses his lips but eventually dips his head. “Fine.”
“Jack, what’s happening?”
Pain swirls in his eyes. “They have a photo of you standing over Brandon’s body. With a rock in your hand…a rock covered in blood.”
“But I didn’t do it.” I frown, pushing back the panic. If one sliver of it slips through, it’ll open the floodgates. Every pent-up emotion will crash through, and I’ll crumble. It cannot end like this.
“I know you didn’t.” Jack lifts his hand like he wants to comfort me, but then drops it. “And they will, too, as soon as we tell them everything. Come on,” he nods. “The doctor’s waiting for you.”
